U.S. 29 bisects the commonwealth of Virginia, entering the state at Danville and passing through Chatham, Gretna, Altavista, Lynchburg, Amherst, Lovingston, Charlottesville, Madison, Culpeper, Warrenton, and Fairfax before leaving the state at Arlington County and entering the District of Columbia.
U.S. 29 North
After passing by the Interstate 64 interchange along northbound U.S. 29, the highway becomes a limited access freeway with interchanges at Business U.S. 29 north/Virginia Secondary 702 west/Fontaine Avenue; U.S. 250 west/Business U.S. 250 east/Ivy Street; Virginia Secondary 654/Barracks Road; and U.S. 250/U.S. 29 separation at Emmet Street. The first exit for Business U.S. 29/Fontaine Avenue north is shown here. Note the lack of Interstate-standard signage on this freeway facility. Use Business U.S. 29 north to reach the University of Virginia and Scott Stadium. Photos taken 06/02/04.
After the business loop splits from mainline U.S. 29, this mileage sign provides the distance to the cities of Culpeper (48 miles), Richmond (74 miles), and Washington (118 miles). The next interchange is with U.S. 250/Ivy Street. Photo taken 06/02/04.
U.S. 250, which passes through Charlottesville en route to Richmond to the east and Staunton to the west, intersects U.S. 29 at the next interchange. Like U.S. 29, U.S. 250 also separates into bypass and business routes, with eastbound U.S. 250 merging onto the U.S. 29 bypass, while a business route follows the original alignment along Ivy Street toward the university and downtown. Photo taken 06/02/04.
Northbound U.S. 29 reaches the exit ramp for U.S. 250 west to Skyline Drive, Waynesboro, Staunton, and West Virginia. The ramp also connects to Business U.S. 250 east into Charlottesville. Photo taken 06/02/04.
U.S. 29 North and U.S. 250 East
The next exit along the U.S. 29-250 bypass is for Virginia Secondary 654/Barracks Road. Appropriately, an Interstate-standard guide sign is used for the upcoming exit. Photo taken 06/02/04.
Northbound U.S. 29 and eastbound U.S. 250 reach the exit for Virginia Secondary 654/Barracks Road. Use Virginia Secondary 654 north to reach Virginia Secondary 656/Georgetown Road and Virginia Secondary 676/Garth Road west to White Hall. Use Virginia Secondary 654/Barracks Road south to reach Business U.S. 29/Emmet Street southbound into downtown. Photo taken 06/02/04.
The next exit along U.S. 29 north and U.S. 250 east is Business U.S. 29 south/Emmet Street. After that exit, the two routes prepare to separate at the next ramp. Through traffic on U.S. 29 north must exit from the freeway onto a cloverleaf loop ramp, while the main lanes continue east as U.S. 250. Photo taken 06/02/04.
This reassurance shield advises U.S. 29 through traffic to prepare to turn right to continue north. Photo taken 06/02/04.
Eastbound U.S. 250 continues straight ahead, while U.S. 29 north exits onto this cloverleaf ramp onto northbound Emmet Street. Note the use of the control city of Washington; other destination cities such as Madison, Culpeper, and Warrenton are used on mileage signs further north of here. Photo taken 06/02/04.
U.S. 29 North
North of the U.S. 250 expressway, U.S. 29 enters a long commercial strip that features a wide variety of stores, restaurants, gas stations, fast food, big box stores/outlets, and other services. With over 15 traffic signals between the expressway and the northern urban limits, U.S. 29 plows through with no fewer than four lanes in each direction, with additional lanes for turning traffic. The lights are somewhat synchronized to allow for smoother traffic flow. Photo taken 06/02/04.
Here is another view of U.S. 29 heading northbound through the commercial strip as it approaches Kirk Road north of downtown Charlottesville. Photo taken 06/02/04.
Upon leaving the commercial strip, U.S. 29 hastily sheds two lanes (the right lane becomes exit-only and the left lane merges into the number two lane) and enters a two lane each direction expressway configuration. Photo taken 06/02/04.
Shortly thereafter, U.S. 29 departs Albemarle County and enters Greene County. Photo taken 06/02/04.
This mileage sign provides the distance to Ruckersville, Culpeper, and Washington. Photo taken 06/02/04.
In Ruckersville, U.S. 29 intersects east-west U.S. 33. East U.S. 33 heads southeast to Richmond, while west U.S. 33 serves the Greene County seat of Stanardsville, crosses Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, and enters Harrisonburg at its interchange with Interstate 81. Photo taken 06/02/04.
U.S. 29 continues north through Ruckersville toward Madison, Culpeper, Remington, Warrenton, and Arlington County. The control city of Washington, D.C., is not mentioned on this sign. Photo taken 06/02/04.
A traffic signal provides control at the intersection of U.S. 29 and U.S. 33. U.S. 33 is a diagonal route, originating in Richmond, then heading northwest through Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio before culminating in Indiana southeast of Elkhart (Junction U.S. 20). Photo taken 06/02/04.
This mileage sign, located after the U.S. 33 intersection, provides the distance to Madison, Culpeper, and Washington. Photo taken 06/02/04.
U.S. 29 passes through beautiful rolling hills, and the highway affords spectacular views of the surrounding green countryside. The highway continues as an expressway, with four lanes all the way to Interstate 66. Photo taken 06/02/04.
The next intersection along northbound U.S. 29 is the connection with Virginia 230 west. A left turn follows Virginia 230 southwest to Stanardsville (Junction U.S. 33). Photo taken 06/02/04.
A traffic signal is in place at the intersection of U.S. 29 and Virginia 230. Photo taken 06/02/04.
U.S. 29 North and Virginia 230 East
Northbound U.S. 29 and Eastbound Virginia 230 briefly merge together between their intersection and Madison. Photo taken 06/02/04.
A couple miles north, U.S. 29 and Virginia 230 prepare to split as they approach the intersection with Virginia 231. Photo taken 06/02/04.
A right turn at this intersection follows Virginia 230 east and Virginia 231 south to Orange and Gordonsville. U.S. 29 and Virginia 231 north continue straight ahead. Photo taken 06/02/04.
There is no traffic signal at the intersection with Virginia 230 east/Virginia 231 north-south. U.S. 29 and Virginia 231 continue north toward Madison. Photo taken 06/02/04.
U.S. 29 and Virginia 231 North
After the Virginia 230-231 intersection, this mileage sign provides the distance to Madison, Culpeper, and Washington, D.C. En route, U.S. 29 will also pass through Remington, Warrenton, Fairfax, and Arlington County. Notably, no Virginia 231 destinations are listed on this sign (such as Sperryville or Skyline Drive). Photo taken 06/02/04.
A left turn is required to continue north along Virginia 231 and follow Business U.S. 29 into Madison. Virginia 231 continues north through Madison to Sperryville, then connects to U.S. 211 west to Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive. Photo taken 06/02/04.
Use Business U.S. 29/Virginia 231 north to reach Madison and Sperryville. U.S. 29 continues northeast toward Culpeper, Warrenton, Fairfax, and Arlington County. Photo taken 06/02/04.
Now reaching the turnoff for Madison, Virginia 231 and Business U.S. 29 head northwest into the town, while U.S. 29 again becomes a freeway as it bypasses the town to the east. U.S. 29 continues northeast from here to Culpeper and Warrenton before entering the metropolitan area of Washington, D.C. Photo taken 06/02/04.
U.S. 15-29 South
U.S. 15-29 are merged between a point northeast of New Baltimore and south of Culpeper. Together, they follow a freeway/multi-lane divided highway that serves Warrenton to the north in Fauquier County. After passing through Remington, they enter Culpeper County and approach the main business route exit into the county seat, Culpeper. Photo taken 06/05/04.
The county of Culpeper was chartered in 1749, and the town of Culpeper was chartered shortly thereafter, in 1759. A central location in the Civil War, over 100 battles were fought within the county during that time period (1861-1865). Much of this history is chronicled in downtown Culpeper, which is reached via the Business U.S. 15-29 exit into downtown Culpeper. Photo taken 06/05/04.
The next interchange along U.S. 15-29 southbound is the exit for U.S. 522/Virginia 3. U.S. 522 is part of a multi-state highway that originates in Powhatan (Junction U.S. 60) and travels north through Goochland, Gum Spring, Cuckoo, and Mineral before reaching Culpeper. Virginia 3 arcs from Culpeper east to Fredericksburg mostly as a divided highway, then turns southeast to serve Westmoreland, Richmond, Lancaster, Middlesex, Matthews, and Gloucester Counties. It ends at U.S. 17 in Gloucester. Photo taken 06/05/04.
Southbound U.S. 15-29 south reaches the interchange with U.S. 522 and Virginia 3. U.S. 522 and Virginia 3 are merged together as they enter Culpeper from the southeast via Germanna Highway. Upon reaching Business U.S. 15/Orange Street and Business U.S. 29/Madison Road, Virginia 3 ends, while U.S. 522 merges north with the business routes through downtown via Main Street. The routes divide at the north end of downtown, with the business routes returning to the freeway via Brandy Road, while U.S. 522 turns northwest via Sperryville Pike toward Sperryville and Front Royal. Photo taken 06/05/04.
The next exit along southbound is the split between U.S. 15 and U.S. 29. U.S. 29 continues as a multi-lane divided highway or freeway for the rest of its journey through the Commonwealth of Virginia, as it serves several cities (including Charlottesville, Lynchburg, and Danville). U.S. 15 remains a two-lane highway for most of its journey by avoiding most cities and larger towns as it travels toward North Carolina. Photo taken 06/05/04.
Use U.S. 15 south to reach James Madison's Montpelier, which is located south of Orange in Orange County. The former president is also buried near there (via Virginia 20). Photo taken 06/05/04.
U.S. 29 and U.S. 15 split at this interchange. U.S. 15 follows Orange Street/James Madison Highway south toward Orange, while U.S. 29 continues along the freeway via James Monroe Highway/Seminole Trail. Photo taken 06/05/04.
U.S. 29 South
Now separated from U.S. 15, the final exit of the U.S. 29/Culpeper Bypass is the interchange with Business U.S. 29 north and Virginia 299/Friendship Way. Photo taken 06/05/04.
Virginia 299 is a very short route that connects the southern end of the Culpeper business loop with U.S. 15 southbound. Photo taken 06/05/04.
Southbound U.S. 29 reaches the exit for Business U.S. 29 back to Culpeper and Virginia 299 south to U.S. 15. Photo taken 06/05/04.
After the Virginia 299 interchange, U.S. 29 again assumes a four-lane divided highway configuration with some access control. The highway will occasionally assume a freeway configuration in order to bypass some towns, such as Madison and downtown Charlottesville. Photo taken 06/05/04.
Madison is the next town visited by southbound U.S. 29 after Culpeper and Brightwood. Photo taken 06/05/04.
The primary route into Madison is Business U.S. 29, which heads southwest into Madison, with a connection to scenic Virginia 231/Blue Ridge Turnpike. Photo taken 06/05/04.
U.S. 29 bypasses the town to the east, as it continues south toward Charlottesville, Lynchburg, and Danville. A traffic signal guards this intersection, and a left turn takes travelers onto Virginia Secondary 722 south to Virginia Secondary 634.. Photo taken 06/05/04.
A short ramp provides direct access from southbound U.S. 29 onto Business U.S. 29. Through traffic is impacted by the traffic signal. Photo taken 06/05/04.
Business U.S. 29 - Madison Southbound
Madison, the seat of Madison County, is located approximately 25 miles north of Charlottesville where U.S. 29 intersects Virginia 231. The town is accessed via an instance of Business U.S. 29, while the main route follows a freeway bypass to the east of downtown. This picture shows the first reassurance marker for southbound Business U.S. 29, which meets Virginia 231 just north of downtown Madison. Photo taken 06/05/04.
Now approaching downtown, Business U.S. 29 follows the original alignment of U.S. 29 until it meets Virginia 231. Virginia 231 heads northwest from Madison toward Sperryville via Banco and Etlan, with connections to Criglersville and Syria via Virginia Secondary 670. Photo taken 06/05/04.
Southbound Business U.S. 29 reaches its intersection with Virginia 231/Blue Ridge Turnpike north. The business route merges with southbound Virginia 231 to enter downtown Madison. Photo taken 06/05/04.
