The renaming of Highway K in Washington County is no longer being considered after the county learned that the cost was higher than initially thought, Chair of the Washington County Board of Supervisors Jeffrey Schleif said in a statement on Friday.
"As Washington County has contemplated the renaming of a highway, we have learned that the actual cost is substantially higher than first known," Schleif said.
"While we wish the process had gone smoother, this matter is no longer under consideration."
The proposed name change was going to be "Charlie J. Kirk Way" to honor the conservative political activist who founded Turning Point USA. Kirk was shot and killed during an event last September.
The original $50,000 price tag was supposed to cover signage along the stretch of Highway K between County Road R and State Highway 144, as well as signs visible from Interstate 41.
Hundreds of Washington County community members packed an executive committee meeting on March 18th to oppose renaming the highway which led to yelling matches with board supervisors.
Previous coverage: Hundreds of residents speak out against renaming of highway after Charlie Kirk:
But despite the opposition from residents, the committee voted unanimously to pass the proposal to full county board without a recommendation.
The vote to rename the highway was going to be at their next meeting on April 21st.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
