Public Feedback Sought on Lee Highway, Lee-Jackson Memorial Highway Names

The Fairfax County Confederate Names Task Force wants to hear from county residents on whether Lee (Route 29) and Lee-Jackson Memorial (Route 50) highways should get new names. The task force is looking for feedback in various ways, including an online survey and community listening sessions.

Residents will find a countywide mailer in their mailbox this month to encourage feedback on this issue.

Why the Review of Lee Highway and Lee-Jackson Memorial Highway Names?

Last year, the Board of Supervisors asked the History Commission to create an inventory report of Confederate monuments, street names and places in Fairfax County. The report, completed in December 2020, explains why some county locations have Confederate-associated names and lists 157 locations within the county where they exist. Lee Highway and Lee-Jackson Memorial Highway were the primary Confederate named highways on the list.

Some community member concerns about the appropriateness of these names prompted the Board of Supervisors to establish the Confederate Names Task Force to review the issue. Learn more about Confederate names in Fairfax County.

What is the Role of the Task Force?

The task force has met regularly since August to discuss whether the two roadways, named after Confederate generals, should keep their names, or be renamed. Chaired by Evelyn S. Spain, the task force includes residents, civic organizations, homeowner associations, faith groups, historical groups and the business community.

Meeting dates, video of previous held electronic meetings and a complete list of task force members are available online.

Ways to Provide Input and Comments

You can share your thoughts on this topic with the task force through Friday, Nov. 12, in the following ways:

• Taking a survey online now. Printed copies will be available beginning Wednesday, Oct. 20, at Fairfax County libraries and Supervisor district offices.
• Emailing comments to DOTConfederateNamesTaskForce@fairfaxcounty.gov
• Mailing comments to Fairfax County Department of Transportation, 4050 Legato Road, Suite 400, Fairfax, VA 22033
• Calling Fairfax County Department of Transportation at 703-877-5600, TTY 711
• Attending a listening session to share your thoughts on this topic. See below for dates and details:

Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021, 7-8:30 p.m.

• Providence Community Center, 3001 Vaden Dr, Fairfax, VA 22031
• Public Transit Access: Metrobus Route 2B

Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021, 10–11:30 a.m.

• Fairfax County Government Center, Board Auditorium, 12000 Government Center Pkwy, Fairfax, VA 22030
• Public Transit Access: Metrobus Routes 1C; Fairfax Connector Route 605

Monday, Nov. 1, 2021, 7-8:30 p.m.

• Online via Webex. To join the meeting:
  • Visit https://fairfax.webex.com/fairfax/onstage/g.php?MTID=e0c5594bc080cc6ce62b19b3f6f9cfc3a or
  • Call 1-844-621-3956 (toll free); Access Code: 2339 357 4472

Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021, 7-8:30 p.m.

• Sully District Governmental Center, 4900 Stonecroft Blvd, Chantilly, VA 20151
• Public Transit Access: Fairfax Connector Routes 640 and 642

Next Steps

The task force will review feedback from the online survey, community listening sessions and submitted comments before making a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors in December.