Portion of White Settlement Road to be renamed after Fort Worth City Council vote

A one-mile stretch of White Settlement Road will transform to Westside Drive after a 9-2 council vote.

FORT WORTH, Texas — A one-mile portion of White Settlement Road will now go by another name after a city council vote Tuesday evening.

The Fort Worth City Council voted 9-2 to pass a resolution officially renaming a portion of White Settlement Road, from the intersection of North Henderson Street and Jacksboro Highway to University Drive, to Westside Drive. The only opposing votes were from District 4’s Charlie Lauersdorf and District 10’s Alan Blaylock.

The reason behind the resolution was development. Along the one-mile stretch, developers have plans for the $1.7 billion, 37-acre Westside Village, which is set to start construction in 2026.

Before the vote, several speakers came out in opposition to the name change. Some cited logistical concerns, stating businesses in the area would have to change their official addresses to match the new street name. Others cited the history behind the name. 

Historians say the name traces back to a so-called “white settlement” that formed among Native villages. For that reason, some have advocated for renaming the entire street, and others have opposed that sentiment. 

However, some council members argued the change was entirely apolitical.

“This name change has absolutely nothing to do with politics and should not be used to sow dissension in our community,” said District 7 council member Macy Hill.

Hill also addressed small business owners’ concerns, saying she has reached out to the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce to request that they research small business grants to help those businesses.

Westside Village developers initiated the partial renaming process, according to council members, and have agreed to cover the roughly $26,000 cost of updating city maps and street signs along the impacted stretch. During the meeting, developers also said they would coordinate to assist impacted businesses in the affected corridor — but did not give a dollar figure estimate on that assistance.