Richmond City Council to begin process of renaming Robert E. Lee bridge

With Richmond officials anticipating the removal of Confederate statutes on Monument Avenue, the City Council also will weigh renaming the Robert E. Lee Memorial Bridge.

On Tuesday, a City Council committee endorsed a request by 5th District Councilwoman Stephanie Lynch to initiate the process.

“Community members have been calling for this resolution for a number of years. It’s certainly not a new idea by any means,” Lynch said.

The bridge, which connects South Belvidere Street to Cowardin Avenue, was built in 1933 and referred to as the James River Bridge, according to a report from the Council Chief of Staff. The city renamed the bridge for the Confederate general a year later. The name remained when the bridge was rebuilt in 1985.

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