Interstate 64 in Virginia

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Interstate 64
Length: 297.62 mi[1] (478.97 km)
Formed: 1957
West end: I-64/US 60 near White Sulphur Springs, WV
Major
junctions:		 I-81 near Lexington
I-81 in Staunton
I-95 in Richmond
I-264 in Norfolk
East end: I-264/I-664 in Chesapeake
Virginia Routes
< SR 63 SR 65 >
Primary - Secondary - History - Turnpikes

Interstate 64 in Virginia runs west to east through the middle of the state from West Virginia to the Hampton Roads region.

Entering from West Virginia, I-64 passes through Covington, to Lexington. From Lexington to Staunton I-64 overlaps Interstate 81 in the Shenandoah Valley. From Staunton, I-64 leaves I-81 and passes through Waynesboro and crosses Afton Mountain and passes by Charlottesville to reach Richmond. Through Richmond, I-64 overlaps Interstate 95 for several miles. From Richmond, I-64 continues southeasterly past Williamsburg and through Newport News and Hampton on the Virginia Peninsula to reach the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel which it utilizes to cross the main shipping channel at the entrance to the harbor of Hampton Roads from the Chesapeake Bay. In South Hampton Roads, I-64 passes through Norfolk and a portion of Virginia Beach to end in Chesapeake at Bowers Hill, where it meets both the western terminus of Interstate 264 and the southern terminus of Interstate 664.

Contents

[edit] Hampton Roads Beltway

Main article: Hampton Roads Beltway
Looking north on I-81 at its junction with I-64
Looking north on I-81 at its junction with I-64
I-64 on the Hampton Roads Beltway, north of I-264
I-64 on the Hampton Roads Beltway, north of I-264
Interstate 64 in Alleghany County. Note the narrow median.
Interstate 64 in Alleghany County. Note the narrow median.
Interstate 64 shields in Lexington.
Interstate 64 shields in Lexington.

I-64 east from a point near the Hampton Coliseum forms part of the Hampton Roads Beltway, a circumferential highway which passes through each of the Seven Cities of Hampton Roads. At the terminus of I-64, Interstate 664 begins, passing through Chesapeake, Portsmouth and Suffolk before crossing the harbor via the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel to reach Newport News and Hampton, completing the loop. The beltway is signed Inner Loop and Outer Loop to help avoid confusion.

[edit] Miscellanea

The eastern terminus of I-64 is not the road's easternmost point. After crossing Hampton Roads through the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel and entering Norfolk, the road makes a wide loop toward Virginia Beach and through that city's northwest side. The road then curves toward its final destination on the west side of Chesapeake. From the point where the road enters Chesapeake, I-64 "east" actually runs westward, ending at a location known as Bowers Hill near the edge of the Great Dismal Swamp where it becomes Interstate 664. Today, I-64 is no longer signed as east or west between Bowers Hill and the east junction with I-264 to limit possible confusion; instead it is signed as the inner or outer loop of the Hampton Roads Beltway. All entrance ramps between these two locations are signed with control cities that differ according to the location of the exit. For inner (eastbound) traffic, Suffolk is the most common control city used, although Norfolk is used at two entrances in Chesapeake to indicate the most direct route to Norfolk (via Interstate 464). For outer (westbound) traffic, Norfolk, Hampton, and Virginia Beach are variously used.

Interstate 64 in the Hampton Roads area is gradually being augmented with HOV-2 lanes. In the 1990s, reversible HOV-2 lanes were added between I-564 and I-264. A relatively simple design, it only allows direct exits to the aforementioned termini, slip ramps beyond them, and an additional pair of slip ramps just west (compass north) of the I-264 interchange. The reversible lanes operate westbound from around midnight to noon and eastbound from around noon to midnight. HOV restrictions are only in place during rush hour periods; at other times, any vehicle may use the lanes except during reversals at noon and midnight. Access is controlled by clock-controlled automated gates, and each ramp has multiple gates to provide a safeguard against malfunction. Beyond the reversible lanes, increasing lengths of Interstate 64 (and its spur routes) are receiving HOV-designated left lanes, subject to restrictions during rush hours. Such extensions are ongoing.

Since 2006, from Exit 200 (Interstate 295) to Exit 273 (U.S. Route 60 east of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel), a contraflow lane reversal system is in place to hasten an evacuation of the Hampton Roads area. Hurricane gates are installed at eastbound Interstate 64 entrance and exit ramps, and crossover roads are in place near the aforementioned exits. During a hurricane evacuation, the eastbound lanes of I-64 will be reversed into westbound lanes so hundreds of thousands of residents can evacuate.[2]

Interstate 64 has two three-digit bypasses that are shorter than the main leg for through traffic, both in the Hampton Roads area. Interstate 664, which connects the Virginia Peninsula to South Hampton Roads on the western side of Chesapeake (and to the eastern terminus of I-64), is about 15 miles (24 km) shorter than the bypassed main leg. Interstate 264, which passes through downtown Norfolk, is about a mile (1.6 km) shorter than the main leg it bypasses.

[edit] History

Map from a 1958 study, showing the two routes between Clifton Forge and Richmond
Map from a 1958 study, showing the two routes between Clifton Forge and Richmond

From the time it was added to the proposed Interregional Highway System, I-64 was to use the U.S. Route 250 alignment west of Richmond.[3][4][5][6] In the late 1950s, a number of interested citizens proposed that I-64 be realigned to run along U.S. Route 220, U.S. Route 460, State Route 307, and U.S. Route 360 from Clifton Forge via Cloverdale (near Roanoke), Lynchburg, and Farmville to Richmond. The state continued planning for the piece of the US 250 alignment from Richmond to Short Pump, which would be needed anyway to handle traffic.[7]


The first section of I-64 to open to traffic was in November of 1957 with the six-mile section in Hampton from VA-134 Magruder Boulevard to the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel[8] , which had only recently been completed as a two-lane facility built with non-interstate highway toll revenue bond funding. The second tube and four-laning of approaches to the bridge-tunnel was accomplished almost 20 years later later with federal Interstate highway funds and the tolls were removed at that time.

[edit] Exit list

County Location # Destinations Notes
Old
[citation needed]		 New
Alleghany 1 1 Jerry's Run Trail
2 7 SR 661 Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
3 10 US 60 east / SR 159 south to SR 311 – Callaghan East end of US 60 overlap
Covington 4 14 SR 154 – Hot Springs, Covington
5 16 US 60 west / US 220 north – Hot Springs, Covington West end of US 60/US 220 overlap
6 21 SR 696 – Low Moor
7 24
US 60 Bus. east / US 220 Bus. south (SR 384) – Clifton Forge
8 27
US 220 / US 60 Bus. west / SR 629 – Clifton Forge		 East end of US 220 overlap
9 29 SR 42 north / SR 269 east
10 35 SR 269 / SR 850 – Longdale Furnace
Rockbridge 11 43 SR 780 – Goshen
12 50 US 60 east / SR 623 East end of US 60 overlap
13 55 US 11 to SR 39 – Lexington
14 56 I-81 south – Roanoke
West end of I-81 overlap
53 195 US 11 (Lee Highway) – Lexington
53A 200 SR 710 – Fairfield
54 205 SR 606 – Raphine, Steeles Tavern
Augusta 55 213 US 11 to US 340 – Greenville Signed as exits 213A (south) and 213B (north) westbound
55A 217 SR 654 – Mint Spring, Stuarts Draft
55B 220 SR 262 to US 11 – Staunton
East end of I-81 overlap
15 87 I-81 north – Staunton, Winchester
16 91 SR 285 to SR 608 – Fishersville, Stuarts Draft
Waynesboro 17 94 US 340 – Waynesboro, Stuarts Draft
18 96 SR 624 – Waynesboro, Lyndhurst
19 99 US 250 – Waynesboro, Afton Serves the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive
Albemarle 20 107 US 250 – Crozet, Yancey Mills
21 114 SR 637 – Ivy
22 118 US 29 – Lynchburg, Culpeper, Charlottesville Signed as exits 118A (south) and 118B (north)
23 120 SR 631 (5th Street) – Charlottesville
24 121 SR 20 – Scottsville, Charlottesville Signed as exits 121A (south) and 121B (north) eastbound
25 124 US 250 – Shadwell, Charlottesville
26 129 SR 616 – Keswick, Boyd Tavern
Louisa 27 136 US 15 – Gordonsville, Palmyra
28 143 SR 208 – Ferncliff, Louisa
Goochland 29 148 SR 605 – Shannon Hill
30 152 SR 629 – Hadensville
Louisa 31 159 US 522 – Gum Spring, Goochland, Mineral
Goochland 32 167 SR 617 – Goochland, Oilville
33 173 SR 623 – Rockville, Manakin
175 SR 288 south – Chesterfield
Henrico 34 177 I-295 - Washington, Norfolk
35 178 US 250 – Short Pump, Richmond Signed as exits 178A (west) and 178B (east)
36 180 Gaskins Road Signed as exits 180A (south) and 180B (north)
37 181 Parham Road Signed as exits 181A (south) and 181B (north) westbound
38 183 US 250 (Broad Street) / Glenside Drive Signed as exits 183A (Glenside Drive south), 183B (US 250 east), and 183C (US 250 west, Glenside Drive north) westbound
39 185 US 33 (Staples Mill Road) / Dickens Road Signed as exits 185A (west) and 185B (east) eastbound
City of Richmond 40 186 SR 197 (Laburnum Avenue) Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
40 186 I-195 south / to Powhite Parkway
41 187 I-95 north - Washington
West end of I-95 overlap
14 78 Boulevard (SR 161)
13 76B US 1 / US 301 (Belvidere Street) No westbound exit
12 76A Chamberlayne Avenue Westbound exit only
East end of I-95 overlap
43 190 I-95 south – Petersburg
43 190 3rd Street, 5th Street - Downtown Richmond, Richmond Coliseum Eastbound exit to 3rd Street, Westbound to 5th Street.
44 192 US 360 – Mechanicsville
Henrico 45 193 SR 33 (Nine Mile Road) Signed as exits 193A (west) and 193B (east)
46 195 Laburnum Avenue
47 197 SR 156 – Richmond Airport, Sandston, Highland Springs Signed as exits 197A (south) and 197B (north)
48 200 I-295 / US 60 - Rocky Mount, Washington
New Kent 49 205 SR 33 west / SR 249 east to US 60 – Quinton, Bottoms Bridge West end of SR 33 overlap
50 211 SR 106 – Roxbury, Talleysville, Prince George
51 214 SR 155 – Providence Forge, New Kent
52 220 SR 33 east – West Point East end of SR 33 overlap
James City 53 227 SR 30 to US 60 – Toano, Williamsburg, West Point
54 231 SR 607 to SR 30 – Norge, Toano, Croaker Signed as exits 231A (SR 30, Norge) and 231B (Croaker)
York 55 234 SR 199 east / SR 646 west – Lightfoot Signed as exits 234A (east) and 234B (west) westbound
56 238 SR 143 east to US 60 – Camp Peary, Colonial Williamsburg
57 242 SR 199 / Colonial Parkway – Busch Gardens, Jamestown, Williamsburg, Yorktown Signed as exits 242A (west) and 242B (east)
243A US 60 – Busch Gardens
58 243B SR 143 west – Williamsburg No entrance ramps
James City 59 247 SR 143 / SR 238 – Lee Hall, Yorktown
City of Newport News
60 250 SR 105 (Fort Eustis Boulevard) – Fort Eustis, Yorktown Signed as exits 250A (west) and 250B (east)
61 255 SR 143 (Jefferson Avenue) Signed as exits 255A (east) and 255B (west)
61A 256 Oyster Point Road west, Victory Boulevard east (SR 171) - Poquoson Signed as exits 256A (west) and 256B (east)
62 258 US 17 (J. Clyde Morris Boulevard) – Yorktown Signed as exits 258A (south) and 258B (north)
City of Hampton 62A 261A Hampton Roads Center Parkway west
62B 261B Hampton Roads Center Parkway east Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
63 262B SR 134 north (Magruder Boulevard) – Poquoson, NASA Langley Research Center West end of SR 134 overlap; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
64 263 US 258 / SR 134 south (Mercury Boulevard) - Hampton Coliseum, James River Bridge Signed as exits 263A (US 258 south) and 263B (US 258 north/SR 134 south) westbound
65 264 I-664 south – Downtown Newport News, Suffolk, Chesapeake
West end of Hampton Roads Beltway overlap; eastbound becomes inner loop and westbound becomes outer loop
66A 265A SR 134 east (Armistead Avenue) / La Salle Avenue Former SR 167 south
66B 265B SR 134 west (Armistead Avenue) / La Salle Avenue No inner (eastbound) exit; former SR 167 north
67 265C Armistead Avenue (SR 134) - Langley AFB Inner (eastbound) exit only
68 267 US 60 west / SR 143 (County Street) – Hampton University Outer (west) end of US 60 overlap
69 268 SR 169 east (Mallory Street) – Fort Monroe
Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel across Hampton Roads
City of Norfolk
70 272 West Ocean View Ave - Willoughby Spit Outer (west) end of US 60 west overlap
71 273 US 60 east (4th View Street) – Ocean View Outer (west) end of US 60 east overlap
72 274 Bay Avenue - Naval Air Station Norfolk Outer (westbound) exit and inner (eastbound) entrance
73 276 I-564 / US 460 (Granby Street) to SR 406 (Terminal Boulevard) – Naval Station Norfolk Signed as exits 276A (US 460) and 276B (I-564) on outer loop (westbound)
74 276C SR 165 to US 460 west Outer (westbound) exit and inner (eastbound) entrance
75 277 SR 168 (Tidewater Drive) Signed as exits 277A (south) and 277B (north)
76 278 SR 194 (Chesapeake Boulevard)
77 279 Norview Avenue (SR 247) - Norfolk International Airport Signed as exits 279A (west) and 279B (east) on outer loop (westbound)
78 281 SR 165 (Military Highway) / Robin Hood Road Signed as exits 281A (Robin Hood Road) and 281B (SR 165 south) on inner loop (eastbound)
79 282 US 13 north (Northampton Boulevard) – Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel
80 284 I-264 / Newtown Road – Downtown Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach Signed as exits 284A (west) and 284B (east); inner (eastbound) exit 284A includes a flyover to I-264 east, so exit 284B is signed only for Newtown Road in that direction
Outer (east) end of signage as east/west; only inner/outer beyond
City of Virginia Beach 81 286 Indian River Road Signed as exits 286A (west) and 286B (east); former SR 407
City of Chesapeake 82 289 Greenbrier Parkway Signed as exits 289A (north) and 289B (south)
83A 290A SR 168 north (Battlefield Boulevard) Outer end of SR 168 overlap
83B 290B

SR 168 Bus. south (Battlefield Boulevard) – Great Bridge
84A 291A I-464 – Downtown Norfolk
84B 291B US 17 south (Dominion Boulevard) / SR 168 south - Elizabeth City, Nags Head, Great Bridge Inner end of SR 168 overlap; outer end of US 17 north overlap; access from outer loop to US 17 south is at exit 292
85 292 US 17 south / SR 190 - Elizabeth City Outer end of US 17 south overlap; outer exit only
86 296

US 17 north / US 17 Bus. south – Portsmouth, Deep Creek		 Inner end of US 17 overlap; signed as exits 296A (north) and 296B (south) on inner loop
87 297 US 13 / US 460 (Military Highway)
88A 299A I-264 east – Portsmouth, Norfolk Inner exit and outer entrance
88B 299B I-664 / US 13 / US 58 / US 460 – Bowers Hill, Suffolk, Newport News Inner exit and outer entrance

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Main Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System Of Interstate and Defense Highways as of October 31, 2002
  2. ^ Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va. prepares for hurricanes, April 30, 2006
  3. ^ Minutes of the Meeting of the State Highway Commission of Virginia, Held in Richmond September 11, 1945PDF, page 12
  4. ^ Routes of the Recommended Interregional Highway System, ca. 1943
  5. ^ National System of Interstate Highways, August 2, 1947
  6. ^ National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, September 1955
  7. ^ Minutes of the Meeting of the State Highway Commission of Virginia, Held in Richmond, April 24th, 1958PDF, page 23
  8. ^ http://www.dailypress.com/news/columnists/dp-news_whadda_0211feb11,0,5179891.column


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