Virginia State Route 71

State Route 71 is a primary state highway in the southwest part of the U.S. state of Virginia. It runs from Gate City northeast to Lebanon, mostly through river valleys. Despite running more east–west than north–south, it is signed north–south; it parallels the similarly-oriented U.S. Route 11 and Interstate 81.

Description

Scott County

SR 71 begins in Gate City, where U.S. Route 23/58/421 Business leaves Jackson Street to head southeast through Moccasin Gap. It runs in a general east-northeasterly direction, soon joining Big Moccasin Creek. The road and creek run through the Moccasin Valley past Slabtown (where State Route 72 begins) to Snowflake, where SR 71 leaves the creek to cross Moccasin Ridge. SR 71 leaves the ridge at Dorton Fort and enters the valley formed by Copper Creek, running past Nickelsville.

Russell County

SR 71 continues in a general east-northeasterly direction past Grassy Creek to U.S. Route 58 Alternate at Parsonage. The routes overlap to Dickensonville, where SR 71 splits, continuing to follow Copper Creek to near its source, passing over a small summit, and then following small creeks to its end at U.S. Route 19 Business in Lebanon.

History

Most of present SR 71, from State Route 11 (now U.S. Route 58 Alternate) at Parsonage southwest to about five miles (8 km) from Gate City, was added to the state highway system in 1928 as State Route 107;^[3] the final five miles (8 km) were added the next year.^[4] In the 1933 renumbering, SR 107 was renumbered State Route 71 and extended east from Parsonage along former SR 11 (renumbered State Route 64 then) to Dickensonville, replacing the former State Route 110 from there to U.S. Route 19 at Hansonville.^[5] As part of the 1940 renumbering, which coordinated numbers with adjacent states, SR 64 and SR 71 were swapped east of Dickensonville, giving SR 71 its present terminus at Lebanon.^[6]

References