Renaming Route 29 and Route 309 in Arlington

Completed: Replacement of local roadway signage along Route-29/Langston Boulevard.

Completed: Route 309/"Old" Lee Highway local roadway signage replacement to Cherry Hill Road.

 Incomplete, Tentative Schedule Late 2023 completion: VDOT project to replace I-66 highway directional signage, "Lee" replaced with Langston. In December 2022, VDOT reported that for remaining “Lee” signs on I-66, that structure analysis and design were completed, and they are to be delivered via bid-build contract in Summer/Fall 2023. We are awaiting more details on the procurement process from VDOT. 

Langston Boulevard and Cherry Hill Road Renaming changes are functionally complete.  

Residents and businesses do not need to take any actions with respect to County records and accounts. Business owners may wish to begin updating marketing, stationary, signage or other materials at a schedule that suits their individual needs. 

We advise that if anyone has specific questions about a file you have on record with an outside organization or agency, that you may wish to contact them directly.

As additional work is planned that may impact residents, businesses, and visitors, we will continue to provide updates through the website and other communications channels.

• Residents and businesses should begin using their new addresses.

• USPS has advised that changes have been made to all affected addresses.

• USPS has consistently informed us that both the former and present names for all of the impacted roadway segments (fmr. Route 29/Lee Highway; Route 309/Lee Highway; and Route 29/Old Dominion Drive) will remain active and mail will continue to be delivered to addresses using those names. 

• While we are working in partnership with USPS, the County does not control their procedures and practices. If you are experiencing mail delivery issues, you may wish to contact USPS.  

   

On January 12, 2022, The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) accepted the recommendation of "Cherry Hill Road," and formally passed the renaming of that roadway. See CTB Resolution. (PDF, 477KB)

On October 19, 2021, The County Board adopted a Resolution to recommend renaming of Route 309/”Lee Highway”/”Old Lee Highway” to "Cherry Hill Road," which was chosen as a result of community engagement led by the Langston Boulevard Alliance. The Resolution provided a recommendation to the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) for final approval.

Residents and businesses near and along Route 29 were sent material from the County in mid-October, including a postcard mailer(PDF, 313KB) giving notice of the anticipated changes. 

• Arlington County has sought and made changes to segments of Route 29, formerly Lee Highway/Old Dominion Drive (now Langston Boulevard) and Route 309, formerly "Old" Lee Highway (now Cherry Hill Road)
• Changes were made as a result of community advocacy and stakeholder engagement, led by the efforts of the Langston Boulevard Alliance and its member associations. 
• Why Langston? John M. Langston was an American abolitionist, attorney, educator, activist, diplomat, and politician who was the first Black person elected to Congress from Virginia. His ties to Arlington date back to 1867 when he was the Inspector General of the Freedman’s Bureau, the managing agency over Freedman’s Village, which was the contraband camp for formerly enslaved people in Arlington. Lee Highway also runs right past the former site of the segregated John M. Langston Elementary School. As quoted by Working Group Member, Saundra Green, “The name Langston has had an incredible impact on the lives of so many African American children who grew up along [and nearby] the Lee Highway corridor…The name tells the story of the dark [racial] history of Arlington County as well as the County’s brightest time – when the four students who went to Langston Elementary were the first four students to integrate the Commonwealth of Virginia. The name tells the whole story of how Arlington has evolved and grown over the years.”
•  [Updated 7/23/2021] Further, the word “Highway” does not convey an attractive place that is consistent with the Main Street envisioned by the thousands of residents, property owners, and businesses that have already weighed in during the Visioning Study and the Plan Langston Boulevard Process. Feedback suggests “Highway” conveyed an automobile-focused transportation thoroughfare, whereas “Boulevard” better invokes a sense of place and community identity.
• Why Cherry Hill Road? After a second community-led process(PDF, 611KB) following the adoption of the Langston name, on October 19, 2021, the County Board adopted a resolution to recommend the name be considered by the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB). On January 12, 2022, the CTB adopted a resolution, consistent with the County's Recommendation, to rename the remaining segment of Route 309/"Old" Lee Highway to Cherry Hill Road. 

• On January 12, 2022, The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) accepted the recommendation of "Cherry Hill Road," and formally passed the renaming of that roadway. See CTB Resolution. (PDF, 477KB)
• On October 19, 2021, The County Board adopted a Resolution to recommend renaming of Route 309/”Lee Highway”/”Old Lee Highway” to "Cherry Hill Road," which was chosen as a result of community engagement led by the Langston Boulevard Alliance.
• Residents and businesses on Route 309 should take no action with respect to County records. 
• Business owners may wish to begin updating marketing, stationary, signage or other materials at a schedule that suits their individual needs. 

   

• Completed: Replacement of local roadway signage along Route-29/Langston Boulevard.
• Completed: Route 309/"Old" Lee Highway local roadway signage replacement to Cherry Hill Road.
• Incomplete, Schedule Pending: VDOT project to replace I-66 highway directional signage, "Lee" replaced with Langston  
  

   

County staff is evaluating the renaming proposal for both Route 29 and Route 309. At this time, we believe no street numbers will be changed. Our intent is that the only change will be to the street name itself — no other portion of the address will change. 

• Residents and businesses should begin using their new addresses.

• USPS has advised that changes have been made to all affected addresses.

• While we are working in partnership with USPS, the County does not control their procedures and practices. If you are experiencing mail delivery issues, you may wish to contact USPS.  

• The name change will have no impact on mail services through the United States Postal Service (USPS). You do not have to contact USPS to file a change of address form — Arlington County has notified USPS directly and their Address Management System has been updated.
• USPS has consistently informed us that mail addressed to all names, “Langston Boulevard;" "Old Dominion Drive;" "Cherry Hill Road;" and “Lee Highway;” addresses in Arlington will continue to be delivered in perpetuity. 
• Other Delivery Services: Following USPS updates, the name change will be reflected in the address management systems for major delivery services such as FedEx and UPS.
• Navigation Apps: Mobile applications such as Apple Maps, Google Maps, Waze, Mapquest (and the applications that use them) gather data from multiple sources, including local governments. As such, Arlington County’s update in our Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data should then be reflected in these other applications. To assist in a smooth transition, Arlington County has notified and will continue to monitor updates by the major mapping firms. 
• While many mapping services have completed changes, other private mapping services manage their data separately, and the County is somewhat limited in our ability to impact those decisions. We will continue to work, as possible, to accurately depict the changes to the road names and individual addresses.

• The proposed name change will have no impact on the provision of fire, emergency and medical services. The County dispatch systems will be updated to reflect any name change. 

• The proposed name change will have no impact on County records, accounts or property deeds. All impacted addresses will be updated in the County records system to reflect the name change. 

• Our understanding is that state records generally will not be impacted by the changes.
• Our guidance is that address records on file with state or federal agencies should be updated when it is convenient to do so (e.g. upon refiling or at renewal periods).
• Residents, businesses, or other ownership associations may need to submit updated address information to agencies if the address on file will be changing due to the name change in the road.
• If you have specific questions about a file you have on record, please contact the relevant agency for that record.
• Business owners may wish to begin updating marketing, stationary, signage or other materials at a schedule that suits their individual needs. 

  This information is not comprehensive and may not apply to each situation. You may also choose to seek legal advice in regard to your particular situation or questions.

•  No, the proposed name change will have no impact on County records, accounts or property deeds. All impacted addresses will be updated in the County records system to reflect the name change.

• Under State law, all costs associated with producing, placing and maintaining new street signage are borne by the locality. Arlington estimates the cost of the renaming to be up to $300,000. 

• Signs have been added to the Center for Local History surplus.

• Several signs have been provided to the Arlington County Historical Society. 

• The signs are not being offered to the general public.