AUSTIN, Texas — Manchaca Road will officially be changed to Menchaca, and in order to change all of the street signs, it will cost a pretty penny.
After months of debating, a judge gave the OK to change the pronunciation and spelling of the road to honor Jose Menchaca, the man the road was named after. He was a Tejano Army captain.
According to the City of Austin Transportation officials, the project to change the street signs will cost about $24,000 in total. However, it won't cost the City anything. Anyone who applies for street signs to be changed reportedly has to pay the costs in full. However, the 501c3 nonprofit Justice for Manchaca which asked for these changes to be made has said they will be paying for the costs.
The transportation officials told KVUE the $24,000 cost covers about 160 street signs.
Additionally, large signs along the highways owned by the Texas Department of Transportation will only be changed as part of routine maintenance when the names fade away or are damaged. This means that no additional costs will be incurred.
Business owners are opposed to the name change. A vet clinic owner in the area told KVUE it will cost him about $50,000 to change his signs and marketing to reflect the new spelling.
"To most people, it's just a pronunciation. But those small details matter quite a bit," said Robert Amaroso, who is the owner of Manchaca Village Veterinary Care.
An attorney representing business owners in the area reportedly told our partners at the Austin American-Statesman that they're planning to explore other legal options after the judge dismissed their lawsuit.
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