Interstate 264 exists in two segments along the 25.07 mile corridor. The original 14 mile alignment bisected southern Hampton Roads between Interstate 664 and Interstate 64 through Portsmouth and Norfolk. Featured on the stretch is the 1952 opened Elizabeth River Tunnel. While Interstate 264 saw completion by 1970, it was not until 1988 that the tunnel aspect of the highway was fully opened.
In 1999, Interstate 264 was extended eastward along the former Virginia 44 Virginia Beach-Norfolk Expressway. The 1967 opened facility travels 12 miles between Interstate 264 & 64 eastward toward the Virginia Beach waterfront. In 1995 tolls were removed from the facility as all construction related bonds were paid. A large swath of space remains from the location of the original toll plaza in Virginia Beach.
Interstate 264 East
Interstate 264 eastbound utilizes a draw bridge to cross the East Branch of the Elizabeth River into downtown Norfolk. This area of Interstate 264 is extremely congested during rush hours as eastbound traffic coming from the Downtown Tunnel must cross two lanes to the right to stay on Interstate 264. The crossover movements coincide with Interstate 464 traffic merging onto Interstate 264 to expand the bridge to eight lanes between Exits 8 and 9 (Saint Paul's Boulevard & Westside Drive). Drivers entering from Interstate 464 and wanting to go into downtown Norfolk (via St. Paul's Boulevard & Waterside Drive) must cross two lanes to the left. The weaving pattern occurs in the span of about 1/3 mile.1 Although unsigned via Interstate 264, Saint Paul's Boulevard carries U.S. 460 Alternate away from Interstate 264. Westside Drive carries Virginia 337 Alternate. The directional interchange serves the MacArthur Center Mall, Nauticus, and the Scope Arena. Photo taken 02/01/01.
Interstate 264 eastbound within the Ingleside and Ventosa neighborhood of Norfolk. A lengthy collector/distributor exists for the Exit 13, 14, and 15 junctions with U.S. 13 (Military Highway), Interstate 64 (Hampton Roads Beltway), and Newtown Road. Independent of the roadway is the westbound
Interstate 64 ramp from Interstate 264 east. There are also "independent ramps" from Interstate 264 westbound to Interstate 64 Inner, and Interstate 64 eastbound to Interstate 264 eastbound...both regular and HOV in the latter case.1 Traffic destined for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel via U.S. 13 (Northampton Boulevard) is advised to utilize the left-hand ramp to Interstate 64 westbound in lieu of the surface arterial Military Highway. Interstate 64 intersects Northhampton Boulevard at Exit 282. Photo taken 03/16/01.
Interstate 264 ends at the intersection with Parks Avenue as 21st Street near the Atlantic Ocean in Virginia Beach. U.S. 60 (Pacific Avenue) lies five blocks ahead. To the right is the Virginia Beach Convention Center and Visitors Bureau. A Virginia 44 shield still existed under the END Interstate 264 shield on 11/29/99.1 Photo taken 03/09/01.
Interstate 264 West
Adjacent to the Virginia Beach Convention Center is the
beginning of the Virginia Beach-Norfolk Expressway (Interstate 264). 22nd Street begins at the Virginia
Beachfront six blocks to the east. At Parks Avenue, 22nd Street ends and Interstate 264 begins.
Photo taken 03/09/01.
Interstate 264 begins as a six lane freeway, expanding
to eight lanes from just before the Rosemont Road interchange to Interstate 64. The innermost lanes on the
eight-lane portion are allocated to HOV-2 traffic. Depicted here is the Exit 18 partial cloverleaf
interchange with Rosemont Road (Virginia 411). Virginia 411 travels between U.S. 58 (Virginia Beach
Boulevard) and Lynnhaven Parkway. Photo taken 03/09/01.
Interstate 264 westbound at the Interstate 64 directional
cloverleaf interchange (Exits 14B/A). Similar to the convention followed in the eastbound direction, a collector/distributor
roadway facilitates the movements from Interstate 264 to the Hampton Roads Beltway. The c/d roadway also carries
traffic to/from Virginia 403 (Newtown Road) at Exit 15. Departing the freeway in this photograph is the Exit 14B
ramp to Interstate 64 westbound. Photo taken 01/06/01.
Interstate 264 westbound at the Interstate 64 east (Inner)
off-ramp (Exit 14A). The HOV lane of Interstate 264 adds a second ramp between Interstate 264 west and Interstate
64 Inner. To the right a cloverleaf ramp departs the c/d roadway also for Interstate 64 Inner.
Photo taken 01/06/01.
At the Exit 14A ramp departure for Interstate 64 Inner. The
tallest flyover carries Interstate 64 HOV traffic onto Interstate 264 eastbound. To the west of the stack
interchange is the Exit 13B/A U.S. 13 (Military Highway) cloverleaf interchange. No access from the Interstate
264 mainline to Exit 13 is available at this point. Photo taken 01/06/01.
Departing the Exit 14 stack interchange. In the background
are the ramps for the Interstate 264 westbound c/d roadway to U.S. 13 (Military Highway). The c/d roadway departs
two miles to the east as Exits 15, 14, 13. Interstate 264 maintains six lanes from this point westward into the
Norfolk Central Business District. Photo taken 01/06/01.
Interstate 264 descends into a four lane tunnel underneath the
South Branch of the Elizabeth River. The connection links the cities of Norfolk (pop. 234,403) and Portsmouth
(pop. 100,565). Originally just a two lane crossing, the Elizabeth River Tunnel opened to traffic in 1952 as a
tolled facility. Photo taken 12/17/01.
Leaving the Elizabeth River Tunnel on Interstate 264 westbound.
A second bore to bring the crossing from two to four lanes opened to traffic in 1988. Just beyond the portal
is the Exit 7 ramp departure for Crawford, Court, and Effingham Streets (Downtown Portsmouth).
Photo taken 12/17/01.
Greenwood Drive (an east-west arterial) intersects Interstate
264 at the Exit 2B/A cloverleaf interchange. The surface boulevard travels between U.S. 58 & U.S. 460 Alternate
eastward to U.S. 17 (George Washington Highway). Photo taken 12/17/01.
The final one half mile of Interstate 264 traverses a forested
setting alongside Rotunda Avenue. Featured in this photograph are the Exit 0A/B guide signs for Interstate 64
Outer and Interstate 664 north. Both of these Interstates compose the Hampton Roads Beltway southwest extant.
Photo taken 12/17/01.
The mainline of Interstate 264 westbound defaults onto
Interstate 664 northbound. One mile to the west is the Exit 13B/A interchange with U.S. 13-58-460 and Virginia
191 of Interstate 664. The connection allows traffic to continue west into downtown Suffolk (pop. 63,677).
Diverging from the left is the return ramp for the city of Chesapeake (pop. 199,184) and Interstate 64 Outer.
Photo taken 12/17/01.
Scenes Pertaining to Interstate 264
Atlantic Avenue composes the main drag along the Atlantic
Ocean in Virginia Beach (pop. 425,257). The north-south roadway parallels U.S. 60 (Pacific Avenue) one block
to the east. Displayed in the photograph here is the northbound intersection with 22nd Street. 22nd Street
represents a westbound only street from Atlantic Avenue to Interstate 264 (Virginia Beach-Norfolk Expressway).
Photo taken 03/09/01.
A closer look at the internally lit street sign attached
to the traffic light mast arm at Atlantic Avenue and 22nd Street. Interstate 264 eastbound transitions into
23rd Street one block to the south. Six blocks separate Atlantic Avenue from the beginning of the Virginia
Beach-Norfolk Expressway. Photo taken 03/09/01.
Virginia 414 southbound as it departs U.S. 58 (Virginia Beach
Boulevard) on Lynnhaven Parkway. Displayed here is the the Lynnhaven Parkway junction with Southern Boulevard
and the Virginia Beach-Norfolk Expressway (Interstate 264). A railroad line cuts across Virginia 414 between
Southern Boulevard and the Exit 19 three-quarter cloverleaf interchange with Interstate 264. Photo taken 03/17/01.
City Hall Avenue eastbound at Saint Pauls Boulevard near the MacArthur Mall in
downtown Norfolk. Situated nearby is the Exit 9 interchange of Interstate 264 and Interstate 464 northern
terminus via Interstate 264 Exit 8. Ramps in the background carry U.S. 460 Alternate to/from Interstate
264. Photo taken 02/01/01.
A pair of non cutout Interstate 264 Virginia shields is found
on Greenwood Drive westbound at the Exit 2 cloverleaf interchange. The eastbound ramp departs from the
intersection with Rotunda Drive. Rotunda Drive travels west from Greenwood Drive along the eastbound
side of Interstate 264 to reach U.S. 13 & 460 (Military Highway) near the Interstate 64 terminal interchange.
Photo taken 03/17/01.
