In the Hampton Roads area U.S. 60 once followed Virginia Beach Boulevard (current U.S. 58) from Norfolk to the Virginia Beach oceanfront.2 The highway now straddles the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean coastlines along Ocean View Avenue, Shore Drive, and Atlantic Avenue.
U.S. 60 East
A partial "Y" interchange handles the movements of the
Virginia 168 (Tidewater Drive) northern terminus. Depicted here is the U.S. 60 (Ocean View Avenue) partition
with Virginia 168 southbound. U.S. 60 on the Willoughby Spit and Virginia 168 (Tidewater Drive) from Ocean View
Avenue to Virginia 170 (Little Creek Road) were four-laned in support of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel
crossing. These improvements were completed temporally around 1957 or 1958.1 Photo taken 04/13/01.
Older style Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel guide sign on
U.S. 60 (Shore Drive) eastbound at Windward Lane. A diamond interchange provides the junction between U.S. 60
and U.S. 13 (Northampton Boulevard). The 16 mile bridge over the mouth of the Chesapeake begins just north of
Shore Drive. Photo taken 04/13/01.
U.S. 60 (Shore Drive) eastbound at the U.S. 13 southbound
(Northhampton Boulevard) on-ramp. Northampton Boulevard provides a six-lane expressway from Shore Drive to
Diamond Springs Road and then an eight-lane arterial from there to Interstate 64.3
To the left is the U.S. 13 northbound on-ramp for
the Virginia Eastern Shore. All passenger vehicles utilizing the tolled facility are levied a $10.00 toll.
Photo taken 04/13/01.
The final eastbound reassurance shield at present for U.S. 60
is posted on Pacific Avenue southbound at 45th Street.2 Photo taken 04/13/01.
U.S. 60 West
The westbound beginning of U.S. 60 occurs at the Rudee Inlet
Bridge where General Booth Boulevard transitions into Pacific Avenue. This photo (taken northbound) looks at
the Rudee Inlet bridge adjacent to the new Harbor Point Condominium Complex. General Booth Boulevard enters
the intersection as a four lane arterial from Virginia 149 at Nimmo.
An end sign was once posted for U.S. 60 at the south end of the bridge. The sign disappeared sometime after
the 1970s however. A recent article posted in The Virginian-Pilot indicates that a new end sign
will be posted.2 However as of January 18, 2004, no end sign is posted.3 Photo taken 04/13/01.
The first westbound reassurance shield at present for U.S. 60
is posted at the departure of the route from Atlantic Avenue at Fort Story. U.S. 60 camouflages
along a four-lane parkway (Shore Drive) from here westward through First Landing State Park. The milepost 0 refers
to the segment of U.S. 60 that bypasses Fort Story and not the actual eastern terminus.3 Otherwise
Atlantic Avenue departs to the right (north) into Fort Story proper. The avenue remerges to end at U.S. 60
within First Landing State Park. While no reassurance shields exist until near Fort Story, there are
trailblazers at the Pacific/Atlantic Ave intersection (near 42nd Street) - see below photograph. Photo taken 04/13/01.
The eastern terminus of U.S. 460 (Granby Street) as seen
from U.S. 60 (Ocean View Avenue) westbound. U.S. 460 travels north-south between Ocean View and downtown
Norfolk along Granby Street and Monticello Avenue. Photo taken 04/13/01.
Atlantic Avenue - Virginia Beach
The first signalized intersection of Atlantic Avenue occurs
at 5th Street. 5th Street also represents the first in a series of east-west streets along the Virginia
Beach oceanfront between Atlantic and Pacific (U.S. 60) Avenues. South of this point Atlantic Avenue loops
around 3rd Street. Photo taken 03/09/01.
Atlantic Avenue northbound at the overtaking of Pacific Avenue
of U.S. 60. Pacific Avenue carries U.S. 60 southward (eastbound) to the Rudee Inlet Bridge. Atlantic Avenue
continues U.S. 60 northward (westbound) to Fort Story. Note the error in cardinal direction banners. The
error of course is technical as U.S. 60 travels north-south along the Atlantic Oceanfront of Virginia Beach.
Photo taken 04/13/01.
Sources:
1 - Kozel, Scott.
2 - "Highway's significance lost on new generation." The Virginian-Pilot, December 31, 2003.
3 - Froehlig, Adam.
