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[Dirt Roads]

The WV 16 freeway in Beckley was built in 1958-60 and has two interchanges.

Ooh, forgot about that one.  Wasn't this stretch of Valley Drive (now named after Robert C. Byrd, like everything else) originally divided with Botts Dots?  It's now undivided, except over the railroad.

[18 wheel warrior]

I was surprised by how few heavy commercial vehicles were on that segment of the system.   I would think that there were would be at least some commercial vehicles headed to and from the Ports of Virginia around Hampton Roads, and some of that traffic would use I-64 from states like West Virginia, Kentucky and Indiana.  Or are all of the trucks going to the Virginia Inland Port in Front Royal instead?

There are PLENTY of trucks running from the Port of Virginia along I-64. I'm one of them! My company runs shipping containers to points in Kentucky all the time! I've gone to Kentucky, Indiana, Illlinois, Missouri and Kansas via I-64.

[cpzilliacus]

There are PLENTY of trucks running from the Port of Virginia along I-64. I'm one of them! My company runs shipping containers to points in Kentucky all the time! I've gone to Kentucky, Indiana, Illlinois, Missouri and Kansas via I-64.

I agree.  But compared to other Interstates in Virginia, these generally have higher truck percentages, such as I-81 (especially), I-95, I-66 (I-81 to I-495), I-64 (Hampton Roads to I-81) and I-77.  Maybe not I-85, which is remarkably empty of all traffic between South Hill and Petersburg.

[sprjus4]

Maybe not I-85, which is remarkably empty of all traffic between South Hill and Petersburg.

It’s empty portion seems to really stretch all the way from Petersburg to Durham. This long segment is adequate at 4 lanes and will likely never need to be widened. The portion between the Virginia state line and Henderson was recently rehabilitated without new lanes with new mainline bridges and increased vertical clearances, along with increasing the speed limit from 65 mph to 70 mph to provide a consistent 70 mph limit for the entire Durham to Petersburg stretch.

US-58 at South Hill is a traffic generator from Hampton Roads, but the volumes aren’t that high in the grand scheme, and doesn’t congest I-85 south of there.

[Alps]

Maybe not I-85, which is remarkably empty of all traffic between South Hill and Petersburg.

It’s empty portion seems to really stretch all the way from Petersburg to Durham. This long segment is adequate at 4 lanes and will likely never need to be widened. The portion between the Virginia state line and Henderson was recently rehabilitated without new lanes with new mainline bridges and increased vertical clearances, along with increasing the speed limit from 65 mph to 70 mph to provide a consistent 70 mph limit for the entire Durham to Petersburg stretch.

US-58 at South Hill is a traffic generator from Hampton Roads, but the volumes aren’t that high in the grand scheme, and doesn’t congest I-85 south of there.

You say this, but it's not really all that empty, and it does get congested approaching Petersburg. The northern several miles ought to be 6-laned now.

[sprjus4]

^

Near Petersburg is a different story, I’m talking about south of US-460 relatively.

And I’m not saying it’s empty, but even on peak weekends, it still usually flows free-flow with little interruption, and can get relatively empty off-peak.

[Alps]

^

Near Petersburg is a different story, I’m talking about south of US-460 relatively.

And I’m not saying it’s empty, but even on peak weekends, it still usually flows free-flow with little interruption, and can get relatively empty off-peak.

I'll agree with you. It's free-flow, though I've never found it to be as empty as, say, WV corridor expressways. 460 is where I'd like to pick up a lane.

[sprjus4]

^

Ultimately, I'd like to see 6 lane widening as well between US-460 and I-95, along with an overhaul of the I-95 interchange, though given budget constraints, traffic usually flows along there adequately at or above the 60 mph speed limit (which could reasonably be 65 mph, but that's another story), albeit heavy, during peak times, enough to the point where widening is not currently a priority or something that would come any time soon.

[cpzilliacus]

You say this, but it's not really all that empty, and it does get congested approaching Petersburg. The northern several miles ought to be 6-laned now.

Agree regarding I-85 at and north of U.S. 460 (Exit 61) in Dinwiddie County. Four good reasons related to truck trip producers and attractors for widening I-85 between there and I-95:

- Big WalMart distribution center at Sutherland (west of I-85 on U.S. 460);
- Aldi distribution center on U.S. 1 (Boydton Plank Road) just south of I-85 Exit 61.
- Large Vulcan quarry on VA-226 less than 2 miles from Exit 61; and
- Amazon fulfillment center less than a miles from Exit 61.

And all of these have employees, so there are non-truck trips involved too.