Favorite short (or very short) Virginia primary system highways

[cpzilliacus]

Va. 79 (Apple Mountain Road) in Warren County is 0.23 miles long (the ramp to I-66 eastbound is the same length)

Va. 124 (Spout Run Parkway) in Arlington County is 0.17 miles long (the federally-maintained section, a spur off of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, is a little longer).

Va. 213 (Manassas Drive) in the City of Manassas Park manages to be between 1 and 2 miles long, impressive when we stop to think about how small Manassas Park is.

Va. 233 (access road to National Airport), also in Arlington County, is 0.36 miles long, between U.S. 1 and the airport property.  It is the only legal way for trucks to enter and exit the airport.

Va. 338 (Hillwood Avenue) mostly in the City of Falls Church, is just slightly over a mile long.  Only 0.06 miles of it is in Fairfax County. 

Va. 243 (Nutley Street) in Fairfax County is less than 2 miles long, between U.S. 29 at the south end and Va. 123 in the Town of Vienna at the north end.

Other favorites?

EDIT: Not including primaries that serve colleges, universities and other state facilities.

[Mapmikey]

I've always liked VA 300 in Powhatan (0.64 mi); VA 290 in Dayton (0.61 mi); VA 298 in West Point (0.75 mi); old VA 163 Williamsburg

For some reason, I don't have affection for VA 296 West Point (0.4 mi); VA 270 St Paul (0.26 mi); or VA 306 Newport News (0.9 mi)

I have actual dislike for current VA 162 Williamsburg (0.13 mi)

Mapmikey

[kendancy66]

I like that road that connects GW Parkway to two different intersections of Route 1, VA 235. I also like Sunset Lane in Annandale, even though it is technically a secondary road, it shares route number 895, with that primary route 895 in Richmond.

[Takumi]

-VA 183 (7 miles) on the Eastern Shore. No traffic, no posted speed limit outside Exmore, lots of curves. Makes for a wild ride.
-VA 182 (3 miles), also on the Eastern Shore. Scenic and quiet.
-VA 272 (1 mile or so) in Suffolk, from a historical standpoint since it's mostly ancient concrete. Very bumpy.
-VA 146 (1 mile or so) in Richmond. Connector between VA 76 and VA 195.
-The aforementioned VA 298, 306, and old 163. I feel pity for 162.

[froggie]

no posted speed limit outside Exmore,

Which officially means 55, as you well know...

Though not "short", I've always liked VA 316 on the Eastern Shore.

[Takumi]

Which officially means 55, as you well know...

Right, but in any other part of the state it probably would be posted at 45 or less. I was quite surprised it wasn't that way already.

[NJRoadfan]

Why does VA-213 even exist? Is any part of this route maintained by VDOT anymore seeing that its in an independent city?

[amroad17]

VA 196.  A primary highway through a neighborhood in northern Chesapeake.  The last time I drove that road, it still had the original concrete slabs.

[cpzilliacus]

Why does VA-213 even exist? Is any part of this route maintained by VDOT anymore seeing that its in an independent city?

Good question.  I don't believe any of it is maintained by VDOT, though that is certainly not the only primary system road in the Virginia that is not maintained by the state.

[Mapmikey]

Virtually none of the primary routing in any of the independent cities is maintained by VDOT.  Virginia pays a certain rate per mile for each type of road through independent cities for their maintenance.

As for VA 213 specifically, it was created in August 1964 (see bottom of pdf page 103 at http://www.ctb.virginia.gov/meetings/minutes_pdf/CTB-08-1964-01.pdf) when Manassas Park was still a town.  The reason was "the Highway Commission is authorized to select streets in towns as may best handle traffic from or to any road in the state highway system"

This makes some sense for Manassas Park, as VA 28 only travels 0.32 miles through Manassas Park as opposed to the nearly 2 miles VA 213 traverses lenghtwise.  But I am in the boat with those who think primary routes should be signed in some way if they receive primary money.  Try following VA 171 in Poquoson!

Incidentally, Prince William County tried to get the CTB to extend VA 213 over to today's VA 234 Business in June 1971 but were turned down.

Mapmikey

[cpzilliacus]

This makes some sense for Manassas Park, as VA 28 only travels 0.32 miles through Manassas Park as opposed to the nearly 2 miles VA 213 traverses lenghtwise.  But I am in the boat with those who think primary routes should be signed in some way if they receive primary money.  Try following VA 171 in Poquoson!

I strongly agree as far as signage goes. At least for primary system roads.  IMO, no signs, no money.

Incidentally, Prince William County tried to get the CTB to extend VA 213 over to today's VA 234 Business in June 1971 but were turned down.

Mapmikey

That would actually make some sense, as not all traffic in Manassas Park wants (or needs) to get to Va. 28 (Centreville Road).  Some of it does want to reach Va. 234 Business.

[dfnva]

Virtually none of the primary routing in any of the independent cities is maintained by VDOT.  Virginia pays a certain rate per mile for each type of road through independent cities for their maintenance.

As for VA 213 specifically, it was created in August 1964 (see bottom of pdf page 103 at http://www.ctb.virginia.gov/meetings/minutes_pdf/CTB-08-1964-01.pdf) when Manassas Park was still a town.  The reason was "the Highway Commission is authorized to select streets in towns as may best handle traffic from or to any road in the state highway system"

This makes some sense for Manassas Park, as VA 28 only travels 0.32 miles through Manassas Park as opposed to the nearly 2 miles VA 213 traverses lenghtwise.  But I am in the boat with those who think primary routes should be signed in some way if they receive primary money.  Try following VA 171 in Poquoson!

Incidentally, Prince William County tried to get the CTB to extend VA 213 over to today's VA 234 Business in June 1971 but were turned down.

Mapmikey

Interesting -- I never knew that. Would the proposed VA-213 have turned at Lomond Drive (SR-1540, then turn onto SR-1530, both are Lomond Drive) to get to VA-234?  Both Manassas Drive and Lomond Drive are residential streets that I have used as cut-throughs from one end of town to the other, but seem to have little purpose as a primary route, in my opinion.

[Mapmikey]

Interesting -- I never knew that. Would the proposed VA-213 have turned at Lomond Drive (SR-1540, then turn onto SR-1530, both are Lomond Drive) to get to VA-234?  Both Manassas Drive and Lomond Drive are residential streets that I have used as cut-throughs from one end of town to the other, but seem to have little purpose as a primary route, in my opinion.

The entirety of the request read: "They asked the Commission to place in the primary system that portion of VA 213 extended which runs through the community of Westgate"

Mapmikey

[sbeaver44]

I've always had a thing for VA-292.  Very short (0.39 mi) connector between I-81 and US 11 in Mt. Jackson.  I think it's because one of my earliest out-of-state memories involved trekking down 81 and staying at the Best Western (now a Super 8) here en route to Skyline Drive.  If I'm traveling down this way, I usually stop at the Mega-Sheetz, and drive over to the Food Lion to clinch VA-292 before getting back on 81.

[dfnva]

Interesting -- I never knew that. Would the proposed VA-213 have turned at Lomond Drive (SR-1540, then turn onto SR-1530, both are Lomond Drive) to get to VA-234?  Both Manassas Drive and Lomond Drive are residential streets that I have used as cut-throughs from one end of town to the other, but seem to have little purpose as a primary route, in my opinion.

The entirety of the request read: "They asked the Commission to place in the primary system that portion of VA 213 extended which runs through the community of Westgate"

Mapmikey

That sounds like Lomond Drive (SR-1540 and SR-1530). Interesting-- Not really primary route material to encourage people to use residential streets to cut-through from VA-28 to VA-234 (Bus). Maybe that has something to do with the lack of postings for VA-213.

[Arkansastravelguy]

Virginia and their super short primaries... I spent quite a bit of gas trying to photograph all the primaries in VA.  A nice one I didn't see mentioned is 148 in Fancy Gap. My all time favorite VA primary will always be the unsigned VA 48- The Blue Ridge Pkwy and Skyline Dr



iPhone

[1995hoo]

I'm partial to Route 79, the first one cpzilliacus mentioned. There are two very good wineries located in the Linden area (Fox Meadow Winery on Freezeland Road north of I-66 and Linden Vineyards south of I-66 off the same road). We're members of Fox Meadow's wine club and we use Route 79 almost every time we go out there.

Where exactly is the northern end of the Virginia 79 designation? I'm not sure I've ever clinched that road. Never used the portion of the road that heads north from the diamond interchange because it doesn't go anywhere I've wanted to go.

[Mapmikey]

The northern end of VA 79 is the ramps to/from I-66 WB.  Distance from there to VA 55 matches the reported route length of 0.23 miles.

Mapmikey

[Arkansastravelguy]

I believe I-66 is the northern terminus if I remember correctly


iPhone

[1995hoo]

The northern end of VA 79 is the ramps to/from I-66 WB.  Distance from there to VA 55 matches the reported route length of 0.23 miles.

Thanks. In that case, I guess it's a clinch. I keep looking at the map trying to figure out if there's a route through the Apple Mountain area up to Freezeland Road, and I think there is, but it's so convoluted that I'm not sure it's worth the trouble.

[Arkansastravelguy]

It's technically possible to get to fox meadow but it's definitely not worth the trouble unless you are up for an adventure


iPhone

[cpzilliacus]

I believe I-66 is the northern terminus if I remember correctly

North of I-66, the road becomes privately-maintained for access to the subdivision there.

[roadman65]

VA 167 was once a short route in Williamsburg.  I do not know if it was state maintained or not, but went in a semi-circle from US 60 to VA 162. Its alignment was Parkway Drive.

Speaking of VA 162 it is now a short route, once again.  As it always was a connector between VA 143 and US 60, for a long while afterward it then acted as a business route for US 60 following a wrong way concurrency with US 60 along with VA 5, and then following VA 5 into the Business District then continuing along Lafayette Street to Richmond Road then turning west to end at US 60.  Now its been truncated back to its original function.

[Thing 342]

VA 167 was once a short route in Williamsburg.  I do not know if it was state maintained or not, but went in a semi-circle from US 60 to VA 162. Its alignment was Parkway Drive.

Speaking of VA 162 it is now a short route, once again.  As it always was a connector between VA 143 and US 60, for a long while afterward it then acted as a business route for US 60 following a wrong way concurrency with US 60 along with VA 5, and then following VA 5 into the Business District then continuing along Lafayette Street to Richmond Road then turning west to end at US 60.  Now its been truncated back to its original function.

I believe you are talking about VA 163. VA 167 Followed Jefferson Ave, 16th St, Chesapeake Ave, and LaSalle LaSalle Avenue to Langley AFB. It was decommissioned in 2001, but is still shown on many maps.

[roadman65]

I thinks so, as I tried to research it and found that it was indeed decommissioned.  I then automatically thought it was it as I have vague recollection of the signed route.

Another thing interesting I found is that Wikipedia states that VA 162 is only commissioned from the Williamsburg City Limit to VA 143, despite signage says otherwise.