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[sprjus4]

Edit - Looking at VDOT's Truck Routes map, the segment between Meadows of Dan and Stuart is "Restricted Route - No Tractor Truck Semi-Trailer combinations over 65' total length". The rest of US-58 west of Meadows of Dan is not restricted, though two-lane, albeit straighter.

Lovers Leap area, between Meadows of Dan and Stuart.  Steep grades, some sharp curves.

Assuming the 4 lane divided highway would be built on new alignment in this area?

[hbelkins]

There may be a truck prohibition, but there's also a truck escape ramp on eastbound US 58 descending toward the VA 8 intersection.

[sprjus4]

There may be a truck prohibition, but there's also a truck escape ramp on eastbound US 58 descending toward the VA 8 intersection.

The restriction is for trucks over 65 feet in total length. Smaller trucks could presumably still use the route.

[1995hoo]

It's probably not a bad idea to have the ramp there even with the prohibition simply as a precaution in case a big truck does wind up on that road (regardless of whether the driver just messed up or whether he intentionally ignored the prohibition). I note US-219 just south of Ridgway, Pennsylvania, has at least one runaway truck ramp on the downhill grade approaching the town despite there being a dedicated trucks-only road bypassing the area to the east. I don't know whether the ramp was there before they built the truck road (or, for that matter, whether the truck road is in fact newer), but it seems sensible to have it as a "just in case," especially since there are residential houses at the bottom of that hill.

[Jmiles32]

Heres a detailed update on plans to finish widening US-58 between Hillsville and Stuart: http://www.ctb.virginia.gov/resources/2018/mar/pres/1_route_58.pdf

For the Lover's Leap segment the roadway will indeed be relocated but will still closely parallel the current 2-lane section for the most part.

[Beltway]

Heres a detailed update on plans to finish widening US-58 between Hillsville and Stuart: http://www.ctb.virginia.gov/resources/2018/mar/pres/1_route_58.pdf
For the Lover's Leap segment the roadway will indeed be relocated but will still closely parallel the current 2-lane section for the most part.

Thanks, I was looking for that presentation.

I e-mailed them about that 9% grade, and the problem is that with the topo in that area you basically have a huge change in elevation from one plateau to another.  Other than a huge relocation miles away, that is what they have, and not something that a tunnel could address.

It will be slow going for trucks on the upgrade, and given the light traffic (about 5,000 AADT) they said there will not be a third climbing lane.
 

[sprjus4]

Heres a detailed update on plans to finish widening US-58 between Hillsville and Stuart: http://www.ctb.virginia.gov/resources/2018/mar/pres/1_route_58.pdf

For the Lover's Leap segment the roadway will indeed be relocated but will still closely parallel the current 2-lane section for the most part.

It appears for the most part, it will mainly straighten the existing roadway where possible, only relocating where necessary.

Will the new road utilize a consistent typical section as the other sections (40 foot median) or will it have a reduced footprint (I.E. jersey barrier, etc.)?

[sprjus4]

I e-mailed them about that 9% grade, and the problem is that with the topo in that area you basically have a huge change in elevation from one plateau to another.  Other than a huge relocation miles away, that is what they have, and not something that a tunnel could address.

It will be slow going for trucks on the upgrade, and given the light traffic (about 5,000 AADT) they said there will not be a third climbing lane.

I suppose the bigger concern would be downhill in combination with the straighter alignments. Certainly going to have a few runaway truck ramps needed.

[Beltway]

I suppose the bigger concern would be downhill in combination with the straighter alignments. Certainly going to have a few runaway truck ramps needed.

Both directions will have issues.  Can a heavily loaded truck maintain at least 25 mph on a grade like that?

[skluth]

Gov. Northam broke ground today on the project to widen Route 58 in Patrick County.

[cpzilliacus]

Gov. Northam broke ground today on the project to widen Route 58 in Patrick County.

A pretty big change in elevation there. Does anyone know what the steepest grade will be on this new section of U.S. 58? 

This was discussed upthread but maybe someone knows now that
final design is complete or nearly complete.

[hbelkins]

I probably should have mentioned US 58 as among my favorite US routes. From Danville east is agonizing, but it's (for the most part) a really enjoyable drive from Danville west to Cumberland Gap, with two significant exceptions. I never really minded the part between Stuart and Hillsville, but I'm not a fan of the stretch between the VA 16 intersection and Damascus, nor the portion between Bristol and Gate City. I'd like to see some sort of westward or northwestward connection made between the end of the four-lane at Independence and I-81; possibly following VA 16 to Marion. That's the route I always take if I am traveling in that area. I'll use VA 16 to Marion and then take I-81 south rather than following US 58 all the way through the Mt. Rogers area to Damascus.

Between Abingdon and Jonesville, the four-lane follows the Alternate US 58 corridor, but the two-lane segment between US 23 at Duffield and Alt. 58 at Jonesville isn't a bad route.

[cpzilliacus]

I probably should have mentioned US 58 as among my favorite US routes. From Danville east is agonizing, but it's (for the most part) a really enjoyable drive from Danville west to Cumberland Gap, with two significant exceptions. I never really minded the part between Stuart and Hillsville, but I'm not a fan of the stretch between the VA 16 intersection and Damascus, nor the portion between Bristol and Gate City. I'd like to see some sort of westward or northwestward connection made between the end of the four-lane at Independence and I-81; possibly following VA 16 to Marion. That's the route I always take if I am traveling in that area. I'll use VA 16 to Marion and then take I-81 south rather than following US 58 all the way through the Mt. Rogers area to Damascus.

Between Abingdon and Jonesville, the four-lane follows the Alternate US 58 corridor, but the two-lane segment between US 23 at Duffield and Alt. 58 at Jonesville isn't a bad route.

Thanks for sharing this.

[Dirt Roads]

I probably should have mentioned US 58 as among my favorite US routes. From Danville east is agonizing, but it's (for the most part) a really enjoyable drive from Danville west to Cumberland Gap, with two significant exceptions. I never really minded the part between Stuart and Hillsville, but I'm not a fan of the stretch between the VA 16 intersection and Damascus, nor the portion between Bristol and Gate City. I'd like to see some sort of westward or northwestward connection made between the end of the four-lane at Independence and I-81; possibly following VA 16 to Marion. That's the route I always take if I am traveling in that area. I'll use VA 16 to Marion and then take I-81 south rather than following US 58 all the way through the Mt. Rogers area to Damascus.

Between Abingdon and Jonesville, the four-lane follows the Alternate US 58 corridor, but the two-lane segment between US 23 at Duffield and Alt. 58 at Jonesville isn't a bad route.

When confronted with US-58/US-221 across Mount Rogers area, I usually have to take I-77 to I-81 even though I prefer the Virginia Creeper route.  It's only about 1h20m from Hillsville to Abingdon staying on the Interstate, whereas US-58 isn't even mentioned as an option (66min to Troutdale and another 48min to Abingdon on US-58).  Still always wish I had time to go the scenic route.

[hbelkins]

I've mentioned this before. My preferred route to Boone and Winston-Salem is to take US 58 to Damascus, then VA 91, which becomes TN 91, to Mountain City. From there, US 421 the rest of the way. The posted truck route for US 421 serves as a decent bypass of downtown Boone.

I have been known to go one way (through Boone) if I'm headed to the Triad area and return the other way (US 52/I-74/I-77/I-81.)

The route to Abingdon is pretty much set -- KY 15, US 119, US 23, and Alternate US 58. This is the best way to Bristol as well, although sometimes to change it up I'll dip into Tennessee and then take US 11W north.

I just wonder if Virginia will ever finish the four-lane through or around Jonesville. There's also a two-lane section near Big Stone Gap.

[The Ghostbuster]

I believe there was once a proposal to extend US 58 to Chattanooga, Tennessee (my only source is the defunct US Highways 1-830 page, which I copied all files onto my computer before it went defunct). Obviously, the extension was rejected, but had the extension been approved, here is how I think it would have gone: followed US 25E to TN 63; followed TN 63 to US 25W; followed US 25W to TN 61; replaced TN 95 to TN 58; replaced TN 58 to Chattanooga, and terminate at the W. 20th St./Broad St. intersection.

[Alps]

I believe there was once a proposal to extend US 58 to Chattanooga, Tennessee (my only source is the defunct US Highways 1-830 page, which I copied all files onto my computer before it went defunct). Obviously, the extension was rejected, but had the extension been approved, here is how I think it would have gone: followed US 25E to TN 63; followed TN 63 to US 25W; followed US 25W to TN 61; replaced TN 95 to TN 58; replaced TN 58 to Chattanooga, and terminate at the W. 20th St./Broad St. intersection.

That'd be one hell of a turn in a route that's as close to due east-west as you can get in Appalachia.

[Mapmikey]

I believe there was once a proposal to extend US 58 to Chattanooga, Tennessee (my only source is the defunct US Highways 1-830 page, which I copied all files onto my computer before it went defunct). Obviously, the extension was rejected, but had the extension been approved, here is how I think it would have gone: followed US 25E to TN 63; followed TN 63 to US 25W; followed US 25W to TN 61; replaced TN 95 to TN 58; replaced TN 58 to Chattanooga, and terminate at the W. 20th St./Broad St. intersection.

That'd be one hell of a turn in a route that's as close to due east-west as you can get in Appalachia.

The Application for this can be found here:  https://grmservices.grmims.com/vsearch/portal/public/na4/aashto/default

Then search TN and "other" document type.  The application is the 1941 document and the rejection is in the 1942 document.

The route is a bit different than speculated above...TN 95 didn't exist north of US 70 then, so US 58 would've used TN 61 then today's TN 29 to US 70 then TN 58.  Does not say  where in Chattanooga the endpoint would've been but most likely it would be 4th/Market or 11th/Market.

The sudden turn sdouth is one of 2 points cited for rejection.  The other is that US 11 and US 27 already serve the corridor.

[hbelkins]

Might be straying into fictional territory here, but I think a logical extension of US 58 would be at least to US 25W. If necessary, it could run concurrent with 25W to I-75. This route is an ADHS corridor so the US designation would be appropriate.

[Alps]

Might be straying into fictional territory here, but I think a logical extension of US 58 would be at least to US 25W. If necessary, it could run concurrent with 25W to I-75. This route is an ADHS corridor so the US designation would be appropriate.

Question is, does that serve anything that's worthy of a US Highway connection? I see various options for an extension but nothing that screams "connect me." I like US 58 being the longest single-state US highway except for the tiniest possible piece in TN.

[hbelkins]

Might be straying into fictional territory here, but I think a logical extension of US 58 would be at least to US 25W. If necessary, it could run concurrent with 25W to I-75. This route is an ADHS corridor so the US designation would be appropriate.

Question is, does that serve anything that's worthy of a US Highway connection? I see various options for an extension but nothing that screams "connect me." I like US 58 being the longest single-state US highway except for the tiniest possible piece in TN.

Cumberland Gap, possibly. And it makes for a decent alternate truck route for I-75 if there are issues between the TN 63 exit and the state line, which have happened in the past with breaks and slides.

The tunnel eliminated US 58's single-state status, but it also did away with US 25E's status as having one of the shortest runs of a US route in a state. I think it was less than two miles in Virginia, but the intersection was fully signed with Virginia-standard signage back in the day. I remember it from the late 60s and early 70s. No cutouts, and I never saw updated signage between some of those family trips and the mid-1990s, by which time US 58 had already been extended into Tennessee.