Kingman commission votes to investigate renaming Andy Devine Avenue as Route 66

The Kingman Heritage Preservation Commission voted to move forward with investigating changing the name of Andy Devine Avenue to Route 66 and asked staff to return with information on process, costs and mapping implications.

The vote followed more than an hour of discussion about local history, visitor wayfinding and the cost and disruption to downtown businesses. Vice Chair Leah Stagg moved that the commission "move forward with renaming Andy Devine to Route 66"; the motion was seconded and carried after commissioners cast aye and opposed votes. An earlier motion to not rename the street failed.

Commissioners and staff reviewed the street's history, noting that the road was known as Front Street before being named for actor Andy Devine in the 1950s. Development services staff member Josh told the commission, "So that was in 1955, on this is your life. And it's been prior to that was called Front Street." Commissioners said the centennial of Route 66 makes the timing appealing to improve wayfinding for visitors, while others argued that 70 years of local use as Andy Devine Avenue is significant and that changing addresses would impose costs on businesses.

Concerns raised included: the expense and logistics of changing street signs and business addresses; the limits of signage versus digital mapping (Apple/Google); the option of renaming only a segment of the road between Stockton Hill Road and Beale Street; and alternatives such as additional Route 66 signage or banners for the centennial. Commissioners noted that changing a street name would require coordination with planning, public safety agencies and mapping authorities and that staff should explain timing (for example whether changes could propagate to major mapping services in time for the Route 66 centennial).

Chair Cholesky and staff said planning would need to explain the formal renaming process, emergency-services impacts and how long updates to online mapping and official databases might take. Commissioners asked staff to bring a planning presentation that outlines timelines, estimated costs to the city and private property owners, and steps for updating state and national mapping databases.

The commission did not adopt a final renaming ordinance or send a renaming proposal to the City Council at the meeting; it voted only to investigate and gather more information. Staff said the commission's vote signals local interest and that other city departments and commissions would need to be involved if the city pursues a formal renaming.