Virginia

[Beltway]

Back when RRTPO was taking project suggestions for their 2050 LRTP, I submitted suggestions to complete the missing connection in the I-95/VA 150/VA 895 interchange (southbound I-95 to eastbound VA 895) and get VA 895 signed as I-895 since AASHTO and FHWA seem to approve pretty much anything nowadays (I-343 I'm looking at you).

I appealed to VDOT in 2017 to get this done, including VA-288. They did a detailed study but said that they didn't see a clear reason to upgrade them.

I think the thing that was missing is any local official support. So I think it is key to get them onboard.

[Rothman]

Was the study done in 2017 as well, or later on?

[Mapmikey]

I wonder if they'll be doing something similar to US 19 (Lebanon and Tazewell) and US 460 (Richlands)? Those routes do not have border-to-border mile markers.

This makes sense.  Both of these routes have exit numbers on bypasses that start at 1 each time.

In addition to some routes that have had segment mile-marked (e.g. US 13, US 17, US 301), US 460 now has mile markers on several segments statewide.  US 360 now also has a chunk of them.

[sprjus4]

US-17 has milemarkers in Chesapeake between the North Carolina state line and I-64.

Same with VA-168 south of I-64.

VA-168 uses mileage based exit numbers, though the three freeway exits on US-17 do not.

[Beltway]

Was the study done in 2017 as well, or later on?

In 2017. Asked them again 4 years later and it was still not interested.

[1995hoo]

VDOT is embarking upon the next phase of its project to revamp the US 1/Princess Anne Street/Hanson Avenue intersection in Fredericksburg. Unfortunately, this phase will include the removal of the now-erroneous but vintage overhead signs on southbound US 1 just over the Falmouth Bridge.

https://www.vdot.virginia.gov/news-events/news/fredericksburg-district/overnight-full-stops-on-route-1-near-falmouth-bridge-in-fredericksburg-next-week.php

VDOT tweeted that these signs are to come down tonight , although who knows whether the wind might delay that.

[wriddle082]

VDOT to renumber the exits along US 23 in Norton and Big Stone Gap to mileage-based.

Exits 1 & 2 in Big Stone Gap --> exits 33 & 35
Exits 1 & 2 in Norton --> exits 42 & 44

Well I did not see US 23 getting mileage exit numbers coming. Maybe this is why VDOT put them in the traffic logs.

US 23 has had border-to-border mileposts (well, nearly border to border, the numbers cut off somewhere between Pound and the Kentucky state line) for about 20 years.

I think I did see mileposts today going down the mountain towards Pound (every 2/10 of a mile).  But the Exit 1's and 2's in Norton and Big Stone Gap are still there.

[WahooBill]

We need exit numbers on VA-288 here in Richmond.  30+ mile loop and no exit numbers at all.  VA-150 could use them as well.

[The Ghostbuster]

It seems unlikely to me that will happen, but if it does, the exit numbers should be mileage-based.

[Takumi]

Should really be a formality on both 288 and 150/895 since both now have mileposts.

[WillWeaverRVA]

VDOT has updated its ArcGIS map for 2026 and I can't find any obvious changes. It still shows US 311 ending at SR 872 instead of at US 58, though.

https://www.virginiaroads.org/maps/77bd3dffa6e74d90be88800ee6de70c0

[Mapmikey]

VDOT is embarking upon the next phase of its project to revamp the US 1/Princess Anne Street/Hanson Avenue intersection in Fredericksburg. Unfortunately, this phase will include the removal of the now-erroneous but vintage overhead signs on southbound US 1 just over the Falmouth Bridge.

https://www.vdot.virginia.gov/news-events/news/fredericksburg-district/overnight-full-stops-on-route-1-near-falmouth-bridge-in-fredericksburg-next-week.php

VDOT tweeted that these signs are to come down tonight , although who knows whether the wind might delay that.

got back from SC today...can confirm they came down...

[WillWeaverRVA]

VDOT has updated its ArcGIS map for 2026 and I can't find any obvious changes. It still shows US 311 ending at SR 872 instead of at US 58, though.

https://www.virginiaroads.org/maps/77bd3dffa6e74d90be88800ee6de70c0

So it looks like VA 402 is shown as ending at VA 420, which is odd because the VDOT traffic data showed it ending at VA 7 in 2024.

[1995hoo]

VDOT has updated its ArcGIS map for 2026 and I can't find any obvious changes. It still shows US 311 ending at SR 872 instead of at US 58, though.

https://www.virginiaroads.org/maps/77bd3dffa6e74d90be88800ee6de70c0

So it looks like VA 402 is shown as ending at VA 420, which is odd because the VDOT traffic data showed it ending at VA 7 in 2024.

Perhaps interestingly, if you view the area in Google Street View, the street name in the upper left corner changes from "N Quaker Ln" south of the 420 intersection to "VA-402" north of it. The Wikipedia article about that route also lists the one end as being at that intersection.

Edited to add: Also interesting, if you open that traffic data spreadsheet, look at rows 404 and 405, listing traffic counts for the Seminary Road and Janneys Lane portions, respectively, of VA-420. Both rows refer to Quaker Lane at the intersection by the Episcopalian seminary as "SR 402 Quaker Lane."

[noelbotevera]

Photography trip that went a little farther than expected...

I picked up a lens at Ace Photo in Ashburn (Canon nFD 35mm f/2; bought it at $300 but will probably never see a price that good again), then made an effort to clinch Skyline Drive. I was missing the piece between US 33 and US 250, but started at US 211. I spent the evening driving Skyline Drive (took longer than I thought), then headed home via I-64 and I-81. Commence the notes!

• The Leesburg Bypass was a bigger slog than I thought, and has more traffic lights than I remember. Apparently there's a bunch of development on Battlefield Parkway. US 15 also has some fresh rumble strips for the center line (there used to be none).
• I must've missed this, but the VA 28/I-66 interchange no longer has traffic lights. In fact, I can't find any trace of the old interchange as it seems like the freeway was extended southward a little bit. Was this part of the I-66 Express Lanes project? I'm not west of Manassas often, so it was a surprise to me.
• Speaking of the Express Lanes, they don't make it to US 15/Exit 40. Of course the 6 lanes stop there, but why not have an express exit to US 15? I guess most traffic to Warrenton would take US 29?
• If Warrenton was cutout heaven, it no longer is. It seems like a bunch of signs were replaced, but some are old enough to refer to US 211 running through town.
• US 211 being 4 lanes is a little surprising since it was practically empty (another road that's 4 lanes for some reason is VA 42 between Harrisonburg and Broadway).
• If I had to nominate a favorite section of Skyline Drive, it's probably the US 33 to US 211 section. There's an equal amount of overlooks between west and east, though IMO the westward views are less interesting and more repetitive than the eastward views. I tried to shoot some twilight/sunset photos on film once I was south of US 33, but they'll probably be crap (was shooting at f/2 at 1/30).
• Heading home, I-81 NB was closed at I-64. This required a detour onto VA 262, which is...not one of the best bypasses out there. While VA 37 has a crappy interchange with I-81 at one end (and doesn't even make it to I-81 at the other), VA 262 is a super 2 with two brutal traffic lights at the north end (at US 11 and I-81). The closure probably made things worse, and maybe this isn't normal.

[LilianaUwU]

• I must've missed this, but the VA 28/I-66 interchange no longer has traffic lights. In fact, I can't find any trace of the old interchange as it seems like the freeway was extended southward a little bit. Was this part of the I-66 Express Lanes project? I'm not west of Manassas often, so it was a surprise to me.

I-366 soon? 👀

[74/171FAN]

I must've missed this, but the VA 28/I-66 interchange no longer has traffic lights. In fact, I can't find any trace of the old interchange as it seems like the freeway was extended southward a little bit. Was this part of the I-66 Express Lanes project? I'm not west of Manassas often, so it was a surprise to me.

Yes, it was.  That is so 2022 at this point. 

[1995hoo]

.... US 15 also has some fresh rumble strips for the center line (there used to be none)....

That pleases me. About 18 years ago, a friend lost her father and brother on that road when they were hit head-on by someone who crossed the center line. (Yes, their accident was on the Maryland portion, but it still pleases me.)

[Beltway]

US 211 being 4 lanes is a little surprising since it was practically empty (another road that's 4 lanes for some reason is VA 42 between Harrisonburg and Broadway).

US-211 was one of the highways in the 1,738 mile 1965 Arterial System designated for 4-lane expansion. It had a more central role connecting the Washington area to I-81 South before I-66 was completed in 1980.

14.5 miles of the 59 miles has not been widened. Two segments probably will not be, due to both cost and environmental issues.

US-211 Shenandoah Nat. Park, 5.0 miles, Reloc.      
US-211 GW Nat. Forest, 4.0 miles, Reloc.      

[Mapmikey]

If Warrenton was cutout heaven, it no longer is. It seems like a bunch of signs were replaced, but some are old enough to refer to US 211 running through town.

Warrenton hasn't had cutouts in at least 35 years.  The older shields that existed when I moved to Northern Virginia in 1995 looked like the 2002 Tim Reichard photo below.  I tried to find US 211 signs without business banners through town on GMSV (2024/25) but didn't see any.  US 211 bypassed Warrenton in 1937 and the route through town was US 211 ALT until 1974.

Luray, however, had US 211 cutouts with no Business banners until fairly recently - https://maps.app.goo.gl/c9NoTg4cRUxiEfTd6

[plain]

Another toll increase for the Pocahontas Pkwy (VA 895). And no, this is not an April fools post.

https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/henrico-county/toll-increase-pocahontas-parkway/

[WillWeaverRVA]

Another toll increase for the Pocahontas Pkwy (VA 895). And no, this is not an April fools post.

https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/henrico-county/toll-increase-pocahontas-parkway/

Maybe if they lowered the tolls, people would actually use 895 considering it actually serves its purpose thanks to VA 281 existing. Instead it becomes more and more of a boondoggle every year.

[plain]

Another toll increase for the Pocahontas Pkwy (VA 895). And no, this is not an April fools post.

https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/henrico-county/toll-increase-pocahontas-parkway/

Maybe if they lowered the tolls, people would actually use 895 considering it actually serves its purpose thanks to VA 281 existing. Instead it becomes more and more of a boondoggle every year.

Nah, that makes too much sense. Which is why they can't make more cents.

The mainline toll is higher than every other toll in the metro COMBINED. Like literally, if you add up every mainline & ramp toll on all of the RMTA facilities, plus all tolls on the VDOT portion of the Powhite, it's still cheaper. This ain't NY or even MD.

The residents around here ain't feeling this at all.

And I still don't understand why the toll at the Airport exit is the same price as the Laburnum exit. The Airport exit toll should be half of (if not lower) the Laburnum exit.

The only toll that I can justify as being high in the entire state is the CBBT. And yes, I'm looking at you NOVA HOT lanes.

[sprjus4]

$6.15 for 7 miles of roadway is absurd... but what's more absurd is $3.55 for 1.5 miles to connect from I-295 to the airport.

And even more absurd... $6.15 for 2.5 miles for most of that traffic using it as a link between I-95 and VA-5! That is $2.45 PER MILE.

And still no ramp from I-95 South to VA-895 East.

No wonder it is a failing roadway... 19,000 AADT between I-95 and VA-5, and less than 9,000 AADT east of there. The ramps to/from the airport and I-295 see less than 500 AADT.

[WahooBill]

All I can figure out is that enough people use it through an expense account or their company's EZPass, that they don't care what the cost is.  But for normal folks, $6.15 to get across the James River is highway robbery.  It's a shame the state can't buy it out, attach a $1.50 toll tops on the road, and actually make the road useful.