PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. — A pair of Maryland senators has introduced legislation that would change the name of Indian Head Highway in Prince George's County to President Barack Obama Highway.
Senate Bill 213, introduced by Obie Patterson of Prince George's County and Arthur Ellis of Charles County, was first introduced in January, and requested back in November.
Senator Ellis has also filed a joint resolution to change the name of Indian Head, Maryland, which is what the highway is named after.
"The General Assembly urges the Mayor and Town Council of the Town of Indian Head to change the name of the Town in order to better reflect the State of Maryland’s respect of indigenous history, culture, and persons," the resolution reads. The resolution is scheduled to be heard on February 23, 2021.
Members of the Piscataway Conoy Tribe have also called for the name to be changed, saying the town and the highway sit on ancestral lands.
Also known as Route 210, the highway is particularly dangerous for drivers and pedestrians. Analysis from AAA Mid-Atlantic found that twice as many people died on Indian Head Highway in 2020 than 2019.
"When you travel Indian Head Highway, you're taking your life, literally, into your own hands," John Townsend of AAA Mid-Atlantic told WUSA9 in October.
Documents estimate it would cost about $12,500 to make new signs for the highway, but an official renaming would cost more than that.
It's not the first time a highway in our region has been renamed though. The name of U.S. Route 1 in Virginia, formerly named for Confederate President Jefferson Davis, was recently changed to Richmond Highway.
Senate Bill 213 has not yet had a second reading.