Virginia

[sprjus4]

So you aren't going to believe me when I said that every mile of Interstate highway is in the 70 mph category, even though no urban Interstate segment has that speed limit?

Urban interstates are limited at 65 MPH IIRC.

Why aren't the US-58 Suffolk and Franklin bypasses posted at 65 mph or higher when Tazewell and Lebanon are?  I have pointed out that there are inconsistencies from district to district in how the district traffic engineering staff make their decisions.

That doesn't mean that the framework isn't in place for the possibility of higher speed limits.

The example of the US-58 / US-23 / US-421 limited-access at-grade expressway in Gate City I gave is in the same district as those Tazewell and Lebanon bypasses are... so same standards...
The law doesn't permit a higher speed limit than 60 mph on any at-grade roadway, limited-access or non-limited-access.

https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title33.2/chapter29/section33.2-2900/

This section in the Code of Virginia may provide a more detailed definition of what a limited-access highway is...

"Limited access highway" means a highway specially designed for through traffic over or to which owners or occupants of abutting property or other persons have no easement of or right to light, air, view, or access by reason of the fact that their property abuts upon such highway, and access to which highway is controlled by the Authority, the Commonwealth, the City of Richmond, the County of Henrico, or the County of Chesterfield so as to give preference to through traffic by providing access connections with selected public highways only and by prohibiting crossings at grade or direct private driveway connections.

No at-grade connections allowed on a "limited access highway". It's straightforward. It's never been attempted to post 65 or 70 on an at-grade roadway, limited-access or non-limited-access, because it does not fall under Virginia's definition of a "limited-access highway" which is a highway with grade separations and access points at interchanges only, and no private driveway connections.

[1995hoo]

So you aren't going to believe me when I said that every mile of Interstate highway is in the 70 mph category, even though no urban Interstate segment has that speed limit?

Urban interstates are limited at 65 MPH IIRC.

....

Not by statute. The statute permits all Interstates and Interstate look-alikes to be posted at 70 mph upon completion of the required studies, but VDOT has so far elected not to post 70 on any urban highways (all forms of emphasis supplied):

§ 46.2-870. Maximum speed limits generally.
Except as otherwise provided in this article, the maximum speed limit shall be 55 miles per hour on interstate highways or other limited access highways with divided roadways, nonlimited access highways having four or more lanes, and all state primary highways.

The maximum speed limit on all other highways shall be 55 miles per hour if the vehicle is a passenger motor vehicle, bus, pickup or panel truck, or a motorcycle, but 45 miles per hour on such highways if the vehicle is a truck, tractor truck, or combination of vehicles designed to transport property, or is a motor vehicle being used to tow a vehicle designed for self-propulsion, or a house trailer.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, the maximum speed limit shall be 70 miles per hour where indicated by lawfully placed signs, erected subsequent to a traffic engineering study and analysis of available and appropriate accident and law-enforcement data, on (i) interstate highways; (ii) multilane, divided, limited access highways; and (iii) high-occupancy vehicle lanes if such lanes are physically separated from regular travel lanes. The maximum speed limit shall be 60 miles per hour where indicated by lawfully placed signs, erected subsequent to a traffic engineering study and analysis of available and appropriate accident and law-enforcement data, on U.S. Route 17, U.S. Route 23, U.S. Route 29, U.S. Route 58, U.S. Alternate Route 58, U.S. Route 301, U.S. Route 360, U.S. Route 460, U.S. Route 501 between the Town of South Boston and the North Carolina state line, State Route 3, and State Route 207 where such routes are nonlimited access, multilane, divided highways.

Code 1950, § 46-212; 1950, p. 881; 1952, c. 666; 1954, c. 244; 1956, c. 364; 1958, c. 541, §§ 46.1-193, 46.1-401; 1960, c. 153; 1962, c. 307; 1964, cc. 118, 408; 1966, c. 85; 1968, c. 641; 1972, cc. 89, 546, 553, 608; 1974, c. 528; 1975, c. 533; 1977, c. 577; 1978, c. 605; 1980, c. 347; 1986, c. 639; 1988, cc. 662, 897; 1989, cc. 276, 526, 727; 1992, c. 598; 1994, c. 423; 1996, c. 1; 1998, cc. 546, 560; 1999, c. 142; 2001, c. 298; 2002, c. 872; 2003, c. 838; 2004, c. 696; 2005, cc. 266, 267, 268; 2006, c. 213; 2007, cc. 222, 544; 2010, cc. 26, 56; 2014, c. 91; 2018, cc. 160, 339, 340, 345.

The effect of the italicized clause is, essentially, to say the maximum speed limit allowed on the specified classes of road is 55 mph unless (1) an exception applies and (2) the required study is performed to allow for implementation of that exception.



Regarding "limited access highways," I believe the generally-applicable definition is the one in Va. Code 33.2-400, but I'm not 100% positive, and since it's 10:53 PM I'm not going to do the research right now. I'm pretty sure 33.2-2900 is not the correct one to cite because it's circumscribed to refer to the Richmond area, both by its text and by the chapter in which it appears. But if you read the statute quoted above, it's essentially rather obvious how the term is being used: "limited access" means "no at-grade intersections" because the segments referred to as "nonlimited access" on which they've allowed 60-mph speed limits all have at-grade intersections. US-29 is an excellent example of this, especially south of Charlottesville, because it'll be posted at 60 mph and then you pass an interchange for a business route (such as the one at Gretna) and the bypass is posted at 65 mph (or 70, on the new Lynchburg/Madison Heights bypass) because it has interchanges instead of intersections. Then the bypass ends and bam, the speed limit immediately drops back to 60 mph.

[D-Dey65]

New Topic: I mentioned that my recently proposed road trip to NYC and back was going to include a detour to VA 161 so I could take the Boulevard Bridge, and I did. I will be posting the images on the Wikimedia Commons hopefully before the month is over.

This reminds me of a pic I found online a few years back of the toll plaza. I'm thinking this was not long after it was moved off the bridge and placed on the northern end.


SM-S820L

Here's what it's like now. Sorry I don't have a full view:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Richmond_Boulevard_Bridge;_NB_Toll_Booths.jpg

I'm also sorry I didn't get the bicycle route sign before the toll plaza.

[plain]

New Topic: I mentioned that my recently proposed road trip to NYC and back was going to include a detour to VA 161 so I could take the Boulevard Bridge, and I did. I will be posting the images on the Wikimedia Commons hopefully before the month is over.

This reminds me of a pic I found online a few years back of the toll plaza. I'm thinking this was not long after it was moved off the bridge and placed on the northern end.


SM-S820L

Here's what it's like now. Sorry I don't have a full view:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Richmond_Boulevard_Bridge;_NB_Toll_Booths.jpg

I'm also sorry I didn't get the bicycle route sign before the toll plaza.

Nice to see RMTA replaced the red & green orbs with X's & arrows, plus the digital signs right below them. The plaza looks even cooler now. Thanks for posting, I will drive the bridge tomorrow to get a look.

[sprjus4]

Don't know how long this has been proposed, but there's a "proposed" project to do a $75 million rehabilitation to the Berkley Bridge on I-264 outside Downtown Norfolk.

http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/hamptonroads/berkley_bridge_rehabilitation.asp

The Berkley Bridge opened in 1952 and is part of the I-264 Downtown Tunnel complex crossing the eastern branch of the Elizabeth River and connecting the South Hampton Roads cities of Portsmouth and Norfolk.The bridge also merges I-464 traffic traveling from Chesapeake with I-264 traffic in the City of Norfolk.

In 1991, the bridge was expanded to eight lanes with a pedestrian walkway on the eastern side. An average of 55,000 vehicles cross this double leaf drawbridge daily.

Benefits
The purpose of this project is to replace existing drive motors, resistor banks, and brakes. It will include a new power room, replacement of electrical switchgear, submarine cables, transformers and backup generators, new starters, associated conduit, cable and terminal boxes and removal of all existing

[Beltway]

http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/hamptonroads/berkley_bridge_rehabilitation.asp

The Berkley Bridge opened in 1952 and is part of the I-264 Downtown Tunnel complex crossing the eastern branch of the Elizabeth River and connecting the South Hampton Roads cities of Portsmouth and Norfolk.The bridge also merges I-464 traffic traveling from Chesapeake with I-264 traffic in the City of Norfolk.
In 1991, the bridge was expanded to eight lanes with a pedestrian walkway on the eastern side. An average of 55,000 vehicles cross this double leaf drawbridge daily.

They could have worded it better.   One bridge was opened in 1952 and was 4 lanes undivided.  The second 4-lane bridge was opened in 1991 and has the pedestrian walkway.  The older bridge then received a major rehab, with the roadway deck removed and replaced, substructure rehab, and I think the bascule spans were replaced also.  It was the 2nd part of the project to build a parallel Downtown Tunnel.  Each bridge carries about 55,000 AADT today.

Looks like the current project items are all in the area of bascule electrical and mechanical system replacements.  For $75 million that price probably provides that for both bridges.

[sprjus4]

They could have worded it better.   One bridge was opened in 1952 and was 4 lanes undivided.  The second 4-lane bridge was opened in 1991 and has the pedestrian walkway.  The older bridge then received a major rehab, with the roadway deck removed and replaced, substructure rehab, and I think the bascule spans were replaced also.  It was the 2nd part of the project to build a parallel Downtown Tunnel.  Each bridge carries about 55,000 AADT today.

Agreed. I was a little surprised at the 55,000 AADT number, I had thought the number was over 100,000 (and indeed it is).

[roadman65]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_564
Someone did a goof in I-564 history.  They got the fact that I-564 replaced VA 170, but they got the information wrong about VA 170 though.  They confused it with VA 168 as that went across Hampton Roads and was where I-64 is now to VA 30.

[sprjus4]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_564
Someone did a goof in I-564 history.  They got the fact that I-564 replaced VA 170, but they got the information wrong about VA 170 though.  They confused it with VA 168 as that went across Hampton Roads and was where I-64 is now to VA 30.

I think VA-168 used to be VA-170 at one point, so that could be why. Who knows though.

[plain]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_564
Someone did a goof in I-564 history.  They got the fact that I-564 replaced VA 170, but they got the information wrong about VA 170 though.  They confused it with VA 168 as that went across Hampton Roads and was where I-64 is now to VA 30.

I think VA-168 used to be VA-170 at one point, so that could be why. Who knows though.

This was the case south of Norfolk, but not north of it.

http://www.vahighways.com/route-log/va168.htm

And thank you Mapmikey for recently finding this AWESOME! pic of the pre-I-64 VA 168/US 258 interchange.

[amroad17]

Check out Mapmikey's Virginia Highways Project for the histories concerning both VA 168 and VA 170.  Originally, VA 168 was only on the Peninsula and VA 170 was only on the Southside and in North Carolina. It wasn't until the HRBT was completed that VA 168 was extended to the Southside and replaced much of VA 170 from South Norfolk down to the North Carolina line.  VA 170 then received a different routing when that occurred.

Check out that 1958 photo of the VA 168 (now I-64) freeway at the Military Hwy (now Mercury Blvd, Exit 263) interchange.  Not much of suburbia there.  That is really looking into the past. https://goo.gl/maps/Wuvk1yr1GWR4ZEu68  This is approximately the same view now.

Disclaimer: all statements above concerning the histories of VA 168 and VA 170 courtesy of Mapmikey's Virginia Highways Project.

[amroad17]

I see plain was checking out the site and this board also. 

[plain]

I see plain was checking out the site and this board also. 

It's all good.... because roadgeekism.

EDIT: roadgeek-izm

[Mapmikey]

There have been 3 VA 170s...

The second one which used VA 168 south to NC did use the US 60 ferry to Hampton but followed today's VA 134 towards Yorktown.  Note that VA 168 did come to Southside about 15 years before HRBT, but went by ferry from Newport News to Norfolk Naval Base and was the predecessor to VA 170 east to Little Creek Rd and over to US 60 at the Amphib Base.

The Virginia Hwys Bulletin was a good source for some historic photos.  But I know VDOT has many more...some are trickling out on their Twitter feed as most Thursdays they publish one.

[froggie]

Disclaimer: all statements above concerning the histories of VA 168 and VA 170 courtesy of Mapmikey and froggie's Virginia Highways Project.

FTFY.  While Mike does do the bulk of the work on the site, I have made contributions (I also "pay the bills")...especially where the Norfolk routes are involved since I was stationed there twice.

[amroad17]

Disclaimer: all statements above concerning the histories of VA 168 and VA 170 courtesy of Mapmikey and froggie's Virginia Highways Project.

FTFY.  While Mike does do the bulk of the work on the site, I have made contributions (I also "pay the bills")...especially where the Norfolk routes are involved since I was stationed there twice.

I'm sorry I did not include froggie as well.  I did see froggie's name at the bottom of the index page the day after I posted.  No disrespect to you froggie.

[roadman65]

Just out of curiosity, which side of I-264 across the East Branch of the Elizabeth River (the Berkley Bridge) is the original draw span of that structure?

Also why is US 460 aligned to bypass Portsmouth but not Norfolk?  I always thought that sending US 460 on Military Highway to the south of the Hampton Roads area and then directly north into Norfolk was kind of odd.  Then the ALT route of US 460 (that should be really US 460) starting off with US 58 from Bowers Hill then hopping on the freeway of I-264 to go through the Downtown Tunnel over the Midtown Tunnel is odd as well.  Considering that US 58 goes through the Midtown and meets US 460 mainline in Downtown Norfolk at the Scope Coliseum should have had that designation stay on 58 all the way.

I understand that before the freeways US 58 going through both cities was the way to serve their downtowns and other neighborhoods more direct along with US 13 on Military Highway being the bypass of those cities, but US 460's awkward routing makes no sense for a straight through motorists to use in the pre-freeway era.  In fact US 460 heading east of Suffolk IMO seems like a waste of US route designation.

[Beltway]

Just out of curiosity, which side of I-264 across the East Branch of the Elizabeth River (the Berkley Bridge) is the original draw span of that structure?

The western span / westbound I-264.  You can see on aerial views that it is the narrower bridge of the two, 4 full width lanes but minimal shoulders.

Also why is US 460 aligned to bypass Portsmouth but not Norfolk?  I always thought that sending US 460 on Military Highway to the south of the Hampton Roads area and then directly north into Norfolk was kind of odd.  Then the ALT route of US 460 (that should be really US 460) starting off with US 58 from Bowers Hill then hopping on the freeway of I-264 to go through the Downtown Tunnel over the Midtown Tunnel is odd as well.  Considering that US 58 goes through the Midtown and meets US 460 mainline in Downtown Norfolk at the Scope Coliseum should have had that designation stay on 58 all the way.

Military Highway makes an arc about equidistant from downtown Norfolk and Portsmouth.

Historical aerials of the area would probably show that eastern Norfolk was sparsely populated back when Military Highway was built.

[Mapmikey]

Also why is US 460 aligned to bypass Portsmouth but not Norfolk?  I always thought that sending US 460 on Military Highway to the south of the Hampton Roads area and then directly north into Norfolk was kind of odd.  Then the ALT route of US 460 (that should be really US 460) starting off with US 58 from Bowers Hill then hopping on the freeway of I-264 to go through the Downtown Tunnel over the Midtown Tunnel is odd as well.  Considering that US 58 goes through the Midtown and meets US 460 mainline in Downtown Norfolk at the Scope Coliseum should have had that designation stay on 58 all the way.

I understand that before the freeways US 58 going through both cities was the way to serve their downtowns and other neighborhoods more direct along with US 13 on Military Highway being the bypass of those cities, but US 460's awkward routing makes no sense for a straight through motorists to use in the pre-freeway era.  In fact US 460 heading east of Suffolk IMO seems like a waste of US route designation.

US 460 in the Tidewater area has been a strange bird.

First, when it was created in 1933, US 460 did not follow US 58 from Suffolk to Portsmouth either.  It instead used today's VA 337 via Driver, until 1942.

Initially, 460 briefly used the US 58 ferry from Portsmouth to Norfolk then northeast to Chesapeake Beach (makes some sense as a way to get to the Kiptopeke Ferry area).  In late 1934, US 460 was rerouted to use the original Jordan Bridge.

Not long after Military Highway opened from Bowers Hill to east of the Gilmerton Bridge, US 460 was routed that way as a free alternative to get to Norfolk (US 58 ferry and Jordan Br were both tolled).  At about the same time, US 13 was extended south across the ferry and US 460 was rerouted to end in downtown Norfolk, still as a free alternative to the toll crossings to Norfolk.  This was in the 1942-43 timeframe.

When the Downtown Tunnel and Berkley Bridge opened in 1952, the Bowers Hill split presented Norfolk as being via tunnel (US 460 ALT) or bridge (via US 460), although the free vs toll thing was still in play. See the pic below from the 1957 Virginia Highways Bulletin. As was common at the time in Virginia (though not absolute), bypass routes were given the ALTERNATE designation.  US 460 ALT today is terribly posted so its utility today is highly questionable.

What is more curious to me is the 1959 extension out to Ocean View.  Would've made some sense if the new Tidewater Dr was where they put it to give a path to the new HRBT but to have two primary routes head that way (VA 168) seems odd.

[1995hoo]

It's amusing to me that while we all think fondly of cutouts as old-style shields, those are definitely not cutouts.

Looking at those, I'm picturing a roadgeek Queen tribute band singing "Fat Bottomed Shields."

[oscar]

It's amusing to me that while we all think fondly of cutouts as old-style shields, those are definitely not cutouts.

I think of them as "fake cutouts". Lots of them around Roanoke.

[sprjus4]

It's amusing to me that while we all think fondly of cutouts as old-style shields, those are definitely not cutouts.

I think of them as "fake cutouts". Lots of them around Roanoke.

That is true. I recall seeing them all over Roanoke when visiting last year. I was surprised they've been standing this long.

[Mapmikey]

It's amusing to me that while we all think fondly of cutouts as old-style shields, those are definitely not cutouts.

I think of them as "fake cutouts". Lots of them around Roanoke.

That is true. I recall seeing them all over Roanoke when visiting last year. I was surprised they've been standing this long.

It's amusing to me that while we all think fondly of cutouts as old-style shields, those are definitely not cutouts.

I think of them as "fake cutouts". Lots of them around Roanoke.

That is true. I recall seeing them all over Roanoke when visiting last year. I was surprised they've been standing this long.

The miniature white border shields in Roanoke only date back to early 90s and some are brand new. These are what replaced the Roanoke cutouts.

There are not many vintage white border shields remaining in Virginia who started using them in the late 40s and phased out new installs around 1970 or so.

Independent cities and towns where VDOT is not maintaining do what they want. The 400 series routes commissioned in 1981 in Alexandria were posted in full size white border shields and Vienna still uses them at the 123-243 jct

[1995hoo]

Independent cities and towns where VDOT is not maintaining do what they want.

Indeed Alexandria has some very new seriously ugly unisigns.

[Mapmikey]

Virginia's Draft FY 2020 six year plan (SYIP) is out...

Unfortunately, they do not appear to put out anything that says what was new or changed from the FY 2019 like North Carolina does.

Below is a list of primary system projects of note that have not had any $ allocated through FY 2019 and so at least some of these would be new projects to reach the SYIP (not necessarily newly announced projects altogether).  You can look at their dashboard here or separate pdfs with expanded entries in one place here

meter ramp VA 123 to I-95 NB
auxilliary lane btw VA 123 and VA 294 (construction FY 28)
rehab and widen I-195 over CSX RR (construction FY 25)
I-81 SB between VA 311 and VA 419 "reconstruction w/added capacity" (no schedule)
roundabout US 33 and VA 20
roundabout US 1 Bus and US 17 Bus/VA 2
widen VA 171 btw US 17 and VA 134 (construction FY 25)
roundabout US 15 and US 360 near Wylliesburg (construction FY 23)
US 311 reroute onto Berry Hill Connector (no schedule) - http://www.wppdc.org/content/wppdc/uploads/PDF/transportation/corridor_studies/mpo_conn_rd_summary.pdf
US 15 finally grade separate RR south of VA 55 (construction FY 25)
US 15 widen to 4 lanes from Battlefield Blvd to a little south of Lucketts (construction FY 23)
VA 286 interchange with Popes Hill Rd (construction FY 23)
roundabout VA 5 and VA 106 (construction FY 28)