The second interchange of Interstate 95 within the state of Virginia is that of Exit 176. Intersecting the Capital Beltway here is Telegraph Road (Virginia 241). Virginia 241 constitutes a short state highway, 1.7 miles in length, between U.S. 1 (Jefferson Davis Highway) and Virginia 236 (Duke Street). The northern terminus of the highway composes a trumpet interchange at Duke Street. A collector/distributor roadway handles the movements of Exits 176A/B. Photo taken 10/14/01.
A trumpet interchange composes the Exit 173 interchange of Interstate 95 & 495 with Van Dorn Street (Virginia State Secondary 613). The trumpet links with Van Dorn Street below to the south of the Capital Beltway mainline. Pictured here is the Van Dorn Street undercrossing and Exit 173 ramp overcrossing in the background. Photo taken 10/14/01.
Before 2001, the Van Dorn Street off-ramp was signed as Exit 3. The exit numbering system of the Capital Beltway saw numbers count up from the Potomac River westward along Inner and northward along Outer. Interstate 95 mileage based exit numbers did not begin until the route departed the beltway at Springfield. As for Van Dorn Street, the north-south arterial serves the suburb of Franconia (pop. 31,907) between Kingstowne Boulevard and Interstate 95 & 495. Northward Virginia State Secondary 613
continues into Alexandria (pop. 128,283) to Duke Street and the Landmark Mall. Photo taken 08/12/00.
Interstate 95 & 495 approach the massive Springfield Interchange west of the Van Dorn exit. A two mile stretch of eight lane freeway traverses Backlick Streak Valley Park before entering the Exit 170 junction with Interstate 395 (Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway). Currently just a directional cloverleaf, the interchange is undergoing redesign to incorporate new high-speed flyovers between the Capital Beltway and the Shirley Highway. Photo taken 10/14/01.
An auxiliary sign bridge for Exit 170 displays the northern Virginia control points of Springfield (pop. 30,417) for Interstate 95 south and Arlington (pop. 189,453) for Interstate 395 north. The beginnings of the new flyover ramps take place in this westward looking scene. Photo taken 10/14/01.
Traffic to Interstate 395 (Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway) northbound departs the Capital Beltway via Exit 170B. Interstate 395 provides a 13.39 mile long freeway through Alexandria, Arlington, the Pentagon vicinity, and downtown Washington, D.C. The freeway continues the HOV-2
reversible lane system of Interstate 95 northward toward the Potomac River. Photo taken 10/14/01.
Interstate 95 leaves the Capital Beltway via a two lane directional ramp. Unfortunately the ramp is overwhelmed at most times of the day due to the volume of traffic at the Springfield Interchange. The substandard nature of the ramp is one of the main reasonings for the upgrading of the current directional cloverleaf interchange into a multi-level stack affair. Construction is partially complete and should be done by 2007. Please see the official project site SpringfieldInterchange.com and the Interstate 95 Interstate Guide for details
concerning the roadwork. Photo taken 10/14/01.
A traffic nightmare ensues on Interstate 95 southbound (Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway) outside of the Springfield Interchange. Interstate 395 and traffic from Interstate 495 east and Interstate 95 south merge into what some would regard as a maelstrom of congestion. Before traffic can merge and retain a semblance of order, Exit 169 appears to tangle up traffic even more with ramps to Franconia Road (eastbound) and Old Keene Road (westbound). HOV traffic also sees ramps with nearby Virginia State Secondary 7900, the Franconia-Springfield Parkway. All of this is complicated by the fact that the bustling Springfield Mall is nestled in between Virginia State Secondary 614 and Franconia-Springfield Parkway adjacent to Interstate 95. Photo taken 10/14/01.
Dusk view of the Exit 167 off-ramp onto adjacent Virginia State Secondary 617 (Backlick Road) at Fort Belvoir Military Reservation. Backlick Road parallels Interstate 95 southbound between Springfield and Newington. The state secondary route carries departing motorists southward to Fullerton Road at the west end of Fairfax County Parkway (Virginia State Secondary 7100). Fullerton Road spurs west from the junction to Virginia State Secondary 638 (Rolling Road). Photo taken 09/19/04.
The last Interstate 95 Virginia shield posted on southbound within the Washington metropolitan area as it stood in 2001. Unfortunately the state-named shield was replaced by July 2002. The assembly was posted near the Exit 157 interchange with Prince William Parkway. Photo taken 10/14/01.
Scenes Pertaining to Interstate 95
An 18 inch trailblazer for Interstate 95 complete with the state name is posted on Staffordborough Road southbound at Virginia State Secondary 610 (Garrisonville Road) near the Exit 143A/B cloverleaf interchange. Several state name shields can be found away from the Interstate
95 mainline on either U.S. 1 or other connecting roads. Photo taken 10/14/01.
