Site Navigation Delaware District of Columbia Maryland New Jersey Pennsylvania Virginia West Virginia     Interstate 495 / Capital Beltway Virginia - Inner Loop Interstate 495 Inner Loop 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. Interstate 495 northbound within the vicinity of Makefield Park one half mile south of the Virginia 234 (Little River Turnpike) cloverleaf interchange. Virginia 234 composes an east-west arterial between the cities of Fairfax (pop. 21,498) and Annandale (pop. 54,994). Photo taken 10/14/01. Virginia State Secondary 630 (Gallows Road) intersects the Capital Beltway via a partial cloverleaf interchange at Exit 51. Gallows Road travels north from Virginia 234 at Annandale to U.S. 50 (Arlington Boulevard) and U.S. 29 (Lee Highway) at Merrifield (pop. 11,170) and Virginia 7 (Leesburg Pike) at Tysons Corner (pop. 18,540). Inova Fairfax Hospital is located along Gallows Road to the west. Photo taken 10/14/01. A collector/distributor system handles the movements of the Exit 50A/B cloverleaf interchange of Interstate 495 with U.S. 50 (Arlington Boulevard). The junction coincides with the nearby U.S. 50 interchanges at Fairview Park Drive and Gallows Road. Traffic to U.S. 29 (Lee Highway) is advised to travel Exit 50B to Gallows Road northbound. Photo taken 10/14/01. The Capital Beltway travels underneath U.S. 29 (Lee Highway) one half mile south of the Exit 49A/B junction with Interstate 66. Two ramps facilitate the movements from Interstate 495 northbound onto Interstate 66 westbound. A left-hand ramp departs in one half mile. A cloverleaf ramp departs beyond the Exit 49B off-ramp to Interstate 66 east. Photo taken 10/14/01. Interstate 495 northbound reassurance shield. Capital Beltway trailblazers were installed in the early 1990s indicating Inner and Outer cardinal directions. The concept never caught on with motorists however and most of these signs are no longer in place. Photo taken 10/14/01. Traffic to Interstate 66 eastbound diverges from the Capital Beltway via Exit 49B. The freeway (Custis Memorial Parkway) is an HOV-2 facility from Interstate 495 eastward into Washington, D.C. The HOV enforcement entails all six lanes of the freeway and is enforced during the morning and evening commutes for the respective direction of heavy travel. Photo taken 10/14/01. Traffic from Interstate 66 eastbound merges onto the left-hand lanes of Interstate 495 north / inner. At the same location is the Exit 49A loop ramp onto Interstate 66 westbound serves the Northern Virginia communities of Vienna, Fairfax, Centreville, and Manassas on the drive to Front Royal and Interstate 81. Photo taken 09/25/04. Upcoming exits sign for Exits 47 (Virginia 7), 46 (Virginia 123), and 45 (Virginia 267) on Interstate 495 north / inner. The Capital Beltway maintains eight overall lanes through to the junction with Interstate 270 Spur near Oakmont. Photo taken 10/14/01. Interstate 495 intersects Virginia 7 (Leesburg Pike) at the Exit 47A/B cloverleaf interchange. A collector/distributor system segregates the exit ramp movements from the eight-lane Capital Beltway mainline. Pictured here is the one-mile overhead for Exit 47, an Interstate 495 Virginia shield, and the Virginia State Secondary 695 (Idylwood Road) overpass. Photo taken 09/25/04. Drawing to within one half mile of junction Virginia 7 (Leesburg Pike) on Interstate 495 northbound. Leesburg Pike comprises a major arterial between the independent city of Falls Church (pop. 10,377) and Tysons Corner. Leesburg Pike derives its name from the connection with Leesburg in northern Loudon County. Photo taken 09/25/04. Interstate 495 northbound at the Exit 47 collector/distributor roadway departure for Virginia 7 (Leesburg Pike). Virginia 7 serves the Tysons Corner Center and Tysons Galleria nearby at its crossroads with Virginia 123 (Chain Bridge Road). Photo taken 09/25/04. Exit 47B departs the Capital Beltway for Virginia 7 (Leesburg Pike) east to Falls Church. Leesburg Pike becomes Broad Street upon crossing the Falls Church city line. The state highway continues from Falls Church and Seven Corners southeast to Baileys Crossroads and the city of Alexandria. Photo taken 09/25/04. The ramp to Virginia 7 westbound leaves Interstate 495 northbound. Leesburg Pike sees an interchange with Virginia 267 (Dulles Access Toll Road) to the north of Tysons Corner on the drive to Dranesville and Leesburg itself. Photo taken 09/25/04. One half mile separates Exit 47 with the cloverleaf interchange at Virginia 123 (Exits 46B/A). Virginia 123, like Virginia 7, is a heavily developed surface arterial serving the Washington suburbs of Fairfax County. The highway follows Chain Bridge Road from the independent city of Fairfax to junction Interstate 495. Photo taken 09/25/04. Unlike Exit 47, there is no c/d roadway for the interchange with Virginia 123. Instead the ramps directly tie into the Interstate 495 mainline. Pictured here is the ramp departure of Exit 46B for Virginia 123 (Chain Bridge Road) northbound. Virginia 123 becomes Dolley Madison Boulevard on the eastward venture to McLean and Langley. Virginia 123 ends at the George Washington Parkway. Photo taken 09/25/04. Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway) northbound at the Exit 46A loop ramp onto Virginia 123 (Chain Bridge Road) southbound. Virgina 123 meets Tysons Boulevard between the Tysons Corner Center and Tysons Galleria. The shopping mecca resides just east of the interchange with Virginia 7 (Leesburg Pike) at the heart of Tysons Corner. Photo taken 09/25/04. Virginia 267 composes the Dulles Access & Toll Roads between Interstate 66 and Dulles International Airport. The dual carriageway facility provides a limited access corridor between the airport and greater Fairfax County. A pair of ramps depart Interstate 495 northbound via Exit 45 from the left for the Tolled outer carriageways and free inner carriageways of Virginia 267 west. Photo taken 09/25/04. Use Virginia 267 westbound for Reston and Hearndon in addition to Dulles International Airport. The Hirst Brault Expressway continues west as the Dulles Greenway from Herndon and Dulles International to Leesburg and junction U.S. 15 Bypass. The 14-mile toll road entails a variable $2.35 to $2.75 passenger car toll based upon peak and non-peak hours. See the Dulles Greenway Home Page for more information. Photo taken 09/25/04. Approaching the Old Dominion Drive overpass on Interstate 495 north / inner after it departs the directional interchange with Virginia 267. An upcoming exits sign posted here features the limited-access parkways along the Potomac River and the Maryland state line. Photo taken 09/25/04. Virginia 193 (Georgetown Pike) intersects the Capital Beltway at the Exit 44 diamond interchange at McLean (pop. 38,929). The state highway travels from Langley and Virginia 123 (Dolley Madison Boulevard) westward to Great Falls (pop. 8,549) and Virginia 7 (Leesburg Pike). Photo taken 09/25/04. 0.25-mile overhead on Interstate 495 northbound for Exit 44 (Virginia 193). Virginia 193 (Georgetown Pike) veers westbound from Virginia 123 (Dolley Madison Boulevard) at Langley 2.5 miles to junction Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway). Use Virginia 193 east for the FHWA Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center. Photo taken 09/25/04. Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway) northbound at the Exit 44 off-ramp to Virginia 193 (Georgetown Pike). Virginia 193 continues 6.2 miles west of Interstate 495 to Great Falls and 3.1 miles from there to Dranesville and its west end at junction Virginia 7 (Leesburg Pike). Virginia 193 passes through Great Falls Park near the Potomac River. Note that Baltimore joins Rockville as the second control city for Interstate 495 northbound now. Photo taken 09/25/04. One mile south of the Potomac River crossing into Maryland on Interstate 495 northbound. The upcoming exits sign includes the first two Montgomery County interchanges at Clara Barton Parkway (Exit 41) and Maryland 190 (Exit 39). Photo taken 10/14/01. The next interchange of the inner loop of the Capital Beltway joins Interstate 495 with the George Washington Parkway. The parkway is a limited access highway maintained by the National Park Service between the Capital Beltway and Arlington (pop. 189,453). The corridor includes a ban on commercial truck traffic as it straddles the western banks of the Potomac River. Photo taken 09/25/04. An auxiliary lane gained from Exit 44 becomes the exit-only lane for Exit 43 (George Washington Parkway south). The final interchange of Interstate 495 in Virginia composes the western end of the George Washington Parkway. Live Oak Drive cross over the Capital Beltway at the 0.50-mile sign for Exit 43. Photo taken 09/25/04. Northbound at the Exit 43 trumpet interchange with the George Washington Parkway. The Parkway provides a commuter route to Washington, D.C. and Arlington via connections with U.S. 29 (Francis Scott Key Bridge), Interstate 66 & U.S. 50 (Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Bridge), and Interstate 395 & U.S. 1. Photo taken 09/25/04. Interstate 495 crosses the Potomac River into Montgomery County, Maryland. An interchange (Exit 41) exists at the north end of the river crossing with Clara Barton Parkway. Clara Barton Parkway is the Maryland counterpart to the Virginia George Washington Parkway along the Potomac River. The roadway intersects the Cabin John Parkway (Interstate 495X) at the community of Glen Echo two miles to the east. Photo taken 10/14/01. A non-descript concrete span carries eight-lanes of Interstate 495 across the Potomac River into Montgomery County, Maryland. The freeway crosses the river at the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park ahead of the directional cloverleaf interchange with Clara Barton Parkway (Exit 41). The exit numbering convention continues into Maryland. Photo taken 09/25/04. Page Updated December 12, 2004.