General Assembly Votes to Rename Jefferson Davis Highway
Lawmakers voted to strip Jefferson Davis name from Route 1 in Virginia, as the state continues to reckon with its Confederate past. (Photo: Roberto Roldan/VPM News)
By January, no section of Route 1 in Virginia will be named Jefferson Davis Highway.
The General Assembly gave final approval on Tuesday to a bill, sponsored by Del. Joshua Cole (D-Fredericksburg), that would rename Route 1 to “Emancipation Highway.” The bill includes a clause delaying its impact until the start of 2022.
Cole said this was intended to give localities enough time to vote on their own name, if they don’t like one state lawmakers have chosen.