The city of Austin is asking for feedback on renaming Cesar Chavez Street following sexual assault accusations made against the labor leader in a New York Times investigation earlier this year.
The street runs east from MoPac Boulevard (Loop 1) to U.S. 183. Previously named Water Avenue and then First Street, it was renamed for Chavez after he died in April 1993. El Concilio Mexican-American Landowners de East Austin, a local nonprofit, originally organized a call to rename First Street to honor Chavez. Now, the group is among several Austinites who want the street changed back to its original name or renamed completely.
The city has created a survey for residents to take about the possible renaming. The survey includes questions about a person’s relationship to Cesar Chavez Street and what factors the city should consider in renaming it.
Two names the city is considering because of their historic ties to the road are La Primera Street and First Street. You can also submit your own ideas for what the street should be named, with a couple of rules:
- The name can only include 20 characters
- No names already in use or reserved
- Nothing similar to a nearby street
- Cannot contain numbers, complicated words, or unconventional spellings
- No offensive, libelous, derogatory or copyrighted words can be used
- Cannot be too long or hard to remember
- Only characters of the standard English alphabet are allowed
Updating the current street signs and highway signs, and notifying impacted businesses and residents would cost between roughly $413,700 and $1,223,700, the city says.
In addition to the survey, the city is hosting three meetings throughout August to gather community feedback on the renaming:
- Aug. 11 at 5 p.m. at Austin Public Library’s Central Library
- Aug. 15 at 2 p.m. at Sanchez Elementary School
- Aug. 18 at 6 p.m. on Zoom
