Interstate 64 in Virginia

Interstate 64

Route information

Maintained by VDOT

Length:

297.62 mi^[1] (478.97 km)

Existed:

1957 – present

Major junctions

West end:

I-64 / US 60 at West Virginia state line

I-81 near Lexington
I-81 near Staunton
I-95 in Richmond
I-295 near Richmond
I-664 in Hampton
I-264 in Norfolk

East end:

I-264 / I-664 in Chesapeake

Highway system

Main route of the Interstate Highway System
Main • Auxiliary • Business

Virginia Routes
Primary • Secondary • History • Turnpikes

← SR 63

SR 65 →

In the U.S. state of Virginia, Interstate 64 runs east–west through the middle of the state from West Virginia to the Hampton Roads region, a total of 298 miles (480 km). It is notable for crossing the mouth of the harbor of Hampton Roads on the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, the first bridge-tunnel to incorporate man-made islands. Also noteworthy is a section through Rockfish Gap, a wind gap in the Blue Ridge Mountains, which was equipped with an innovative system of airport-style runway lighting embedded into the pavement to aid motorists during periods of poor visibility due to fog or other conditions.

1 Route description
2 History
3 Hampton Roads Beltway
4 Exit list
5 See also
6 References
7 External Links

Route description

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 near the northeastern corner of the Great Dismal Swamp.

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]

History

A portion of Interstate 64 between the Blue Ridge Mountains and Short Pump in Henrico County closely follows the path of the historic colonial-era Three Notch'd Road, which has been established in the Colony of Virginia by the 1730s, and was largely replaced in the 1930s by U.S. Route 250.^[3]

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.^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7] 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.^[8]

The first section of I-64 to open to traffic was in November 1957 with the six-mile (10 km) section in Hampton from VA-134 Magruder Boulevard to the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel^[9] , 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 with federal Interstate Highway funds and the tolls were removed at that time.

Hampton Roads Beltway

Main article: Hampton Roads Beltway

I-64 east from a point near the Hampton Coliseum forms part of the Hampton Roads Beltway, a circumferential highway which passes through the major 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.

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 (westbound) 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 (eastbound) 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 allows only 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.

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.

Interstate 64 passes through the historic African-American neighborhood of Jackson Ward in Richmond, Va. When the interstate was being built in the late 1950s, a cemetery was displaced, resulting in several coffins being forced into the James River. The builders of the interstate also destroyed a house on Fifth Street, which was the birthplace of legendary dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson.

Exit list

County	Location	#		Destinations	Notes
County	Location	Old		Destinations	Notes
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
City of Covington		4	14	SR 154 – Hot Springs, Covington
Alleghany		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; Accessibility to Roanoke via US 220 South
		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, Goshen
		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
		15	87	I-81 north – Staunton, Winchester	East end of I-81 overlap
		16	91	SR 285 to SR 608 – Fishersville, Stuarts Draft
	Waynesboro	17	94	US 340 – Waynesboro, Stuarts Draft
	Waynesboro	18	96	SR 624 – Waynesboro, Lyndhurst
		19	99	US 250 – Waynesboro, Afton	Serves the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive
Nelson		No interchanges in Nelson County
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
Fluvanna		No interchanges in Fluvanna County
Louisa		27	136	US 15 – Gordonsville, Palmyra
Louisa		28	143	SR 208 – Ferncliff, Louisa
Goochland		29	148	SR 605 – Shannon Hill
Goochland		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 SR 76
		41	187	I-95 north – Fredericksburg	West end of I-95 overlap
		14	78	Belt Boulevard (SR 161)
		13	76B	US 1 / US 301 (Belvidere Street)	No westbound exit
		12	76A	Chamberlayne Avenue	Westbound exit only
		43	190	I-95 south – Petersburg	East end of I-95 overlap
		43	190	3rd Street, 5th Street - Downtown Richmond, Richmond Coliseum
		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 – Hopewell, Norfolk	295 south to US 60.
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
James City		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		59	247	SR 143 / SR 238 – Lee Hall, Yorktown
		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 (Settlers Landing Road/Woodland Road) – 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		Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel across Hampton Roads
		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
		Inner (east) end of signage as east/west; only inner (east)/outer (west) 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 (west) 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 (east) end of SR 168 overlap; outer (west) end of US 17 north overlap; access from outer loop (westbound) to US 17 south is at exit 292
		85	292	US 17 south / SR 190 - Elizabeth City	Outer (west) end of US 17 south overlap; outer (westbound) exit only
		86	296	US 17 north / US 17 Bus. south – Portsmouth, Deep Creek	Inner (east) end of US 17 overlap; signed as exits 296A (north) and 296B (south) on inner loop (eastbound)
		87	297	US 13 / US 460 (Military Highway)
		88A	299A	I-264 east – Portsmouth, Norfolk	Inner (eastbound) exit and outer (westbound) entrance
		88B	299B	I-664 / US 13 / US 58 / US 460 – Bowers Hill, Suffolk, Newport News	Inner (eastbound) exit and outer (westbound) entrance

References

^ Main Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System Of Interstate and Defense Highways as of October 31, 2002
^ Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va. prepares for hurricanes, April 30, 2006
^ http://www.virginiadot.org/VTRC/main/online_reports/pdf/76-r32.pdf
^ Staff (PDF). Minutes of the Meeting of the State Highway Commission of Virginia, Held in Richmond September 11, 1945 (Report). Commonwealth of Virginia. http://www.virginiadot.org/meetings/minutes_pdf/CTB-09-1945-01.pdf. , page 12
^ Routes of the Recommended Interregional Highway System, ca. 1943
^ National System of Interstate Highways, August 2, 1947
^ National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, September 1955
^ Staff (PDF). Minutes of the Meeting of the State Highway Commission of Virginia, Held in Richmond, April 24th, 1958 (Report). Commonwealth of Virginia. http://www.virginiadot.org/meetings/minutes_pdf/CTB-04-1958-01.pdf. , page 23
^ Hampton County - dailypress.com

External Links

Interstate 64
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