Following an unexpected backlash from residents, the Bonney Lake city council appears to be rethinking its plans to rename part of the Sumner-Buckley Highway in honor of veterans.

The council seems to be split between those in favor of renaming the road and those who have changed their minds after members of the community complained about losing a bit of history and a cost to businesses regarding the change.

For now, however, the decision to rename the stretch of road from state Route 410 to Angeline Road is on hold as the council seeks more input from the Greater Bonney Lake Veterans Memorial Committee, which initially suggested the change in 2008.

Councilmember Mark Hamilton, who took up the idea in September after thinking about the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the entrance of the nation into war that October, again cited his support of the change.

Hamilton said the Sumner-Buckley Highway is a good choice because the roadway began its life in the 1850s as designated military road between Fort Walla Walla and Fort Steilacoom.

“Of all the roads in the city of Bonney Lake, it has a military history to it,” he said.

Councilmembers Laurie Carter and Dan Decker, however, oppose the name change after hearing from several constituents regarding the change.

Carter said she spoke to many people at a variety of public events over the weekend and no one supported the change.

She also worried about the potential cost increases to businesses along the strip of road, citing checks, invoices, business cards and advertising as things that would need to be changed.

Carter also suggested holding off until the city’s planned civic campus is built in the future and naming one of the new streets planned there in honor of veterans.

Decker also said he had been contacted by more than 30 residents, none of whom supported the change.

“Me personally, I think it needs to remain as is,” he said.

Carter and Decker both said most people support naming a road for veterans, just not Sumner-Buckley Highway.

Deputy Mayor Dan Swatman said he still supported the name change.

“I think there’s a great opportunity for the city to do something,” Swatman said, adding that he thought it was a little “short-sighted and unfortunate” that some of the people were standing in the way of what he termed progress.

Swatman also wondered about the potential costs to the businesses on the road, saying the post office will continue to deliver to the old address and that current advertising would probably not be affected.

“There’s not a business out there that has ‘Sumner-Buckley Highway’ on their sign,” he said.

There are 26 property owners who would be affected by the change, most of which are small businesses. Several have said they do not support the change because of cost reasons and because of the difficulty of attracting business amidst the confusion of a change.

Mayor Neil Johnson, who supports the name change, said he has also spoken to a lot of people in his neighborhood and they are all supportive of the change.

“Based on who you ask and where you ask, you are going to get different answers,” he said.

Johnson said he respects the city’s history, but also talked about “creating something new.”

“What’s going to be the history of the future of Bonney Lake?” he asked. “Someday I will be an old-timer,” he added. “I think it’s a great opportunity to honor an important group and set a different course of history for Bonney Lake.”

Swatman, Johnson and Hamilton also addressed the notion that one of the city’s major roads carries the name of two smaller cities instead of something that reflects Bonney Lake.

“It’s not about Sumner. It’s not about Buckley. It’s about Bonney Lake,” Johnson said.

“It was named prior to the city being incorporated, but now it’s incorporated and we should take ownership,” Hamilton said.

This story has had the following correction made: The name change was originally proposed in 2008, not earlier this year as previously stated.