Cesar Chavez Street signage pictured in downtown Austin, Texas. Texas’ capital city is evaluating renaming the east-west corridor after sexual abuse allegations were made against the famed labor leader and civil rights activist in March 2026.
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Just over two months after sexual abuse allegations were made posthumously against labor unionist and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez, Texas’ capital city could spend upwards of $1 million to rename the east-west corridor dedicated to his memory.
That cost analysis came during an Austin City Council work session on Tuesday, May 26, in response to council members spearheading a potential renaming process after the allegations surfaced. The possible change comes more than 30 years after Austin renamed the east-west corridor after Chavez back in 1993. Before that renaming, the road was originally named Water Avenue in 1839 before its inaugural name change to Water Street or First Street in 1887.
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What does the process of renaming Cesar Chavez Street look like?
The multi-month community engagement process would include connecting with businesses, residents and community stakeholders along the entirety of Cesar Chavez Street, with specific focus on Austin’s labor unions and Latino community members, city officials said Tuesday. Staff outlined three engagement opportunities as part of that process, including two in-person open houses as well as a virtual one.
Those open houses would outline the history of the roadway, costs related to the renaming process and impacts to residences, businesses and signage in and around the roadway. Included at all three events will be means for attendees to give feedback, coupled with an online city survey related to the renaming proposal.
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Right now, city officials said they will take June to finalize engagement materials and specific dates and meeting locations for the open houses. During July and August, the city will conduct its stakeholder outreach processes before compiling and analyzing those findings in September. That feedback will be prepared in a public engagement report, delivered to the Austin City Council in the fall prior to the dais taking next steps on a possible renaming resolution.
A mural of labor leader and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez on East Cesar Chavez Street in Austin on Monday, March 23, 2026. The Texas capital is considering a possible name change for the east-west corridor following sexual abuse allegations levied posthumously against the labor activist.
Austin American-Statesman/Hearst Newspapers/Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images
What are the financial strains of renaming Cesar Chavez Street?
City officials noted an estimated 153 businesses are located along the corridor, with those businesses slated to incur their own costs should a street renaming be approved. Staff added that, during the city’s Menchaca Road renaming process, some businesses affected said they had to spend tens of thousands of dollars related to rebranding, renaming or updating their business records.
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Similar to the overall community engagement process, the city will also do a business-centric community outreach effort, with a specific focus on working alongside the East Cesar Chavez Merchants Association and other entities as part of that operation.
When it comes to Cesar Chavez Street, both the City of Austin and the Texas Department of Transportation own and operate parts of the roadway that would be impacted. The city oversees Cesar Chavez from MoPac to North Lamar Boulevard alongside the North Interstate 35 Frontage Road to U.S. Highway 183; TxDOT, meanwhile, owns North Lamar Boulevard to the South I-35 Frontage Road.
City staff is still running cost analyses, but preliminary estimates anticipate a renaming price tag between $423,700 up to $1.2 million. That range entails costs affiliated with renaming city street signs; TxDOT and the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority signs; Austin’s economic district customized street signs; community engagement process expenses; notification mailings; and potential additional costs.
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A substantial portion of why that cost range is so wide comes down to the expenses related to the signs. City staff said some signs, like those overseen by TxDOT, could be replaced via a sticker overlay at no cost to the city. Should the state agency need to completely replace the physical signs, that’s where those additional expenses come into play.
How soon could Austinites see new signage replacing Cesar Chavez Street?
Should the Austin City Council approve a new name, it’ll take the city between three and six months to update the signs in its jurisdiction. Meanwhile, those replacements could take between 12 and 18 months for TxDOT to complete.
What possible names could replace Cesar Chavez Street?
Specific names and input will be collected as part of this summer’s engagement events. Community suggestions fielded thus far include East First Street, Dolores Huerta Street and Jorge “George” Pastore.
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The latter names refer to Huerta, who co-founded the National Farm Workers Association alongside Chavez and levied assault allegations against him, as well as Pastore, a senior Austin Police officer who was killed in the line of duty back in 2023. During the discussion, Council Member Mike Siegel noted representatives for Huerta have signified she doesn’t wish to have streets renamed after her.