U.S. 29 Business - Lynchburg / Madison Heights

Entering the community of Monroe along U.S. 29 (Amherst Highway) south of Five Forks at Francis Avenue (former U.S. 29).

06/05/05

U.S. 29 (Amherst Highway) transitions from a rural divided highway into a commercial arterial on the approach to Madison Heights. Pictured here is the approach to SR 130 (Elon Road west / Amelon Road east) at SR 792 (Clearview Road) west.

06/05/05

SR 130 travels west to Elon, Glasgow, and its end at U.S. 11 in Natural Bridge. The state route travels 34.69 miles overall, ending at SR 669 opposite the U.S. 29 freeway.

06/05/05

SR 130 originally ended at the traffic light with U.S. 29 Business (Amherst Highway), but saw an easterly extension over SR 669 (Amelon Road) to a new alignment (Amelon Expressway) connecting with U.S. 29.

06/05/05

Commercialized U.S. 29 Business meets the beginning of the Lynchburg Expressway south of its split with SR 163 (Amherst Highway / former U.S. 29).

06/05/05

U.S. 29 Business follows the Lynchburg Expressway southward toward downtown Lynchburg and Wards Road. Old U.S. 29 Business, now designated SR 163, continues along the Amherst Highway to 5th Street in the city.

06/05/05

A diamond interchange quickly follows between U.S. 29 Business (Lynchburg Expressway) and SR 210 (Colony Road). SR 210 comprises a short connector between SR 163 (Amherst Highway) and U.S. 29 (Lynchburg-Madison Heights Bypass) through the Madison Heights and Colony area. SR 210 originally originally ended at the Central Virginia Training Center, but now follows an expressway alignment east to U.S. 29.

06/05/05

Southbound drivers lower toward the Lynchburg Expressway crossing of the James River into Lynchburg proper. Exit 1 lies one half mile ahead with Main Street south of downtown.

06/05/05

The James River separates Amherst County from the independent city of Lynchburg.

06/05/05

Concord Turnpike lines the James River and passes under U.S. 29 Business, ending at Washington and Jefferson Street in this northward facing scene.

06/05/05

A loop ramp carries all traffic interests to Main Street from U.S. 29 Business (Lynchburg Expressway) southbound. Main Street heads directly north into the central business district, eventually becoming Rivermont Avenue (former U.S. 501) northward to Rivermont. Main Street south joins the freeway with White Rock Hill and Florida Avenue.

06/05/05

U.S. 29 Business winds southward toward the folded diamond interchange (Exit 2) with Miller Street and Robins Road. Mill Street connects the Lynchburg Expressway with Monroe Street north and Grace Street.

06/05/05

A swath of open space lines the westbound lanes of the Lynchburg Expressway by this southbound shield for U.S. 29 between Main and Grace Streets.

06/05/05

Grace Street travels west from Florida Avenue on a northerly course into Downtown Lynchburg. Monroe Street connects Exit 2 with 12th Street and SR 163 (5th Street) at Park Avenue.
U.S. 29 Business advances south to meet the north end of U.S. 221 and U.S. 460-501 Business.

06/05/05

Exit 3A leaves U.S. 29 Business (Lynchburg Expressway) south for U.S. 221 south and U.S. 460-501 Business on Kemper Street. The three routes head northward to Fort and Park Avenues. Fort Avenue carries U.S. 460 Business west to Exit 10 of the Lynchburg Expressway. U.S. 221 follows Fort Avenue to Oakley Avenue north. U.S. 501 Business runs along Langhorne Road north to Rivermont Avenue.

06/05/05

Exit 3B follows within the cloverleaf interchange between U.S. 29 Business and Kemper Street. U.S. 460 Business east / U.S. 501 Business south continue on Kemper Street to merge with Campbell Avenue at Fairview Heights. The pair end at U.S. 29-460-501 (Richmond Highway).

06/05/05

U.S. 29 Business southbound emerges from underneath Campbell Avenue, an abandoned railroad bridge, and the Norfolk Southern Railroad overpasses on the one-fifth of a mile approach to Exit 4, Stadium Road. Stadium Road connects Carroll Avenue with Calvin Falwell Field, home of the Lynchburg Hillcats (Carolina League Baseball).

06/05/05

Drivers bound for Stadium Road depart U.S. 29 Business (Lynchburg Expressway) south. Stadium Road connects with Wythe Road north to U.S. 221/460 Business (Fort Avenue).

06/05/05

A loop ramp follows between U.S. 29 Business south and James Street. James Street connects Stadium Road with Carroll Avenue. Carroll Avenue meanders southward to SR 128 at Perkins Park.

06/05/05

Odd Fellows Road ties into the Lynchburg Expressway at a trumpet interchange (Exit 7) next.

06/05/05

Heading southeast, Odd Fellows Road leads toward SR 128 (Mayflower Drive) at Perkins Park.

06/05/05

Reassurance shield that was posted for U.S. 29 south after the Odd Fellows Road on-ramp.

06/05/05

Continuing west along the Lynchburg Expressway toward the cloverleaf interchange (Exit 8) with U.S. 501 south and SR 128 (Candlers Mountain Road).

06/05/05

SR 128 (Candlers Mountain Road) links U.S. 501/29 Business with Wards Road (SR 163 / former U.S. 29 Business).

06/05/05

U.S. 501/SR 128 (Candlers Mountain Road) combine briefly between the Lynchburg Expressway and Mayflower Drive by River Ridge Mall. U.S. 501 continues from there to combine with U.S. 29 north / U.S. 460 (Liberty Mountain Road) east.

06/05/05

U.S. 501/29 Business briefly overlap by River Ridge Mall between Candler Mountain Road and Wards Road south. Signed here as U.S. 29, U.S. 29 Business follows Wards Road back to U.S. 29 by Lynchburg Regional Airport.

05/30/05

Exit 9 comprises a left side directional ramp from the Lynchburg Expressway south to Wards Road near Central Virginia Community College. U.S. 29 Business continues to Vista Acres before ending at U.S. 460.

06/05/05

U.S. 29 Business (Wards Road) enters a cloverleaf interchange with its parent and U.S. 460 (Lynchburg Highway) south of Vista Acres and Wards Ferry Road.

05/30/05

U.S. 29 Business begins and follows Wards Road north from U.S. 29/460 to U.S. 501 (Lynchburg Expressway) at River Ridge Mall. A loop ramp carries drivers onto U.S. 460 (Lynchburg Highway) west in this scene toward Bedford and Roanoke.

05/30/05

Wards Ferry Road snakes its way northwest from U.S. 29 Business (Wards Road) to Vista and Southland Acres, ending at U.S. 460 Business (Timberlake Road) near Brookville.

05/30/05

Exit 8B loops onto SR 128 (Candler Mountain Road) leading west to Wards Road and U.S. 460 Business/SR 163 (Fort Avenue) from U.S. 29 Business (Lynchburg Expressway) north.

05/30/05

Odd Fellows Road spurs east from the Lynchburg Expressway to SR 128 (Mayflover Drive) and the Perkins Park section of Lynchburg.

05/30/05

U.S. 29 Business northbound at the trumpet interchange (Exit 7) with Odd Fellows Road. A 3.47 mile long route, SR 128 concludes east of Odd Fellows Road at U.S. 460-501 Business (Campbell Avenue) at Fairview Heights.

05/30/05

Exit 6 follows and joins the Lynchburg Expressway with parallel Carroll Avenue near James Street. Carroll Avenue meanders northward from SR 128 (Mayflower Avenue) to 12th Street and Langhorne Road (U.S. 501 Business).

05/30/05

Most of the signs posted within the city of Lynchburg feature a one-piece design. This U.S. 29 reassurance marker was typical of the style.

05/30/05

Exit 6 departs U.S. 29 Business north for Carroll Avenue to Stadium Road. Stadium Road travels west to Wythe Road and Calvin Falwell Field, home of the Lynchburg Hillcats (Carolina League Baseball).

05/30/05

A parclo interchange follows with James Street directly at Exit 5. James Street leads northwest from Carroll Avenue to Stadium Road.

05/30/05

A partial-diamond interchange brings traffic from Carroll Avenue onto U.S. 29 Business (Lynchburg Expressway) one half mile ahead of the Exit 3 cloverleaf interchange with U.S. 221, U.S. 460 Business, and U.S. 501 Business (Kemper Street). The junction represents U.S. 221's northern terminus.

05/30/05

U.S. 29 Business drops below grade under Campbell Avenue, an abandoned railroad overpass, and the Norfolk Southern Railroad. Exit 3B departs immediately afterward for U.S. 401-501 Business (Kemper Street) east. The business route overtakes Campbell Avenue en route to Fairview Heights and U.S. 29-460-501 (Richmond Highway).

05/30/05

Exit 3A loops onto Kemper Street north to the southbound beginning of U.S. 221 and the continuation of U.S. 401-501 Business along Kemper Street to 12th Street and Fort Avenue. U.S. 221 runs 158 miles in Virginia between Lynchburg and the North Carolina line south of Independence.

05/30/05

Northbound drivers bound for Kemper Street depart U.S. 29 Business at Exit 3A. U.S. 460 Business travels 11.56 miles from U.S. 29-460-501 to New London. The route follows Kemper Street north to 12th Street and Fort Avenues west. U.S. 501 Business follows Kemper Street north to Fort Avenue west to Langhorne Road north to Dearington and Rivermont Avenue east of Peakland within the city.

05/30/05

The Lynchburg Expressway winds eastward toward downtown, next meeting Grace Street via a folded diamond interchange with Robins Road and Miller Street.

05/30/05

Northbound reassurance shield that was posted for U.S. 29 near the Exit 2 off-ramp onto Robins Road.

05/30/05

Grace Street connects U.S. 29 Business with Florida Avenue to the east near White Rock Hill and Jackson Heights and downtown Lynchburg to the north.

05/30/05

Exits 1B/A follow with separate ramps to Main Street south of the central business district and north of White Rock Hill.

05/30/05

A loop ramp (Exit 1A) joins Main street north through downtown. Main Street historically represented a portion of U.S. 501 Alternate to Rivermont Avenue. This alignment was retired in 1990 when U.S. 501 shifted to its bypass alignment.¹

05/30/05

Exit 1B ascends from U.S. 29 Business to Main Street south to Florida Avenue and Buena Vista Street. Motorists can connect with Concord Turnpike leading south along the James River to Pleasant Valley Boulevard and U.S. 29/460 (Richmond Highway).

05/30/05

U.S. 29 Business (Lynchburg Expressway) descends toward its crossing of the Jame River beyond Exit 1A. Main Street travels through downtown to SR 163 (5th Street) before merging with Church Street to form Rivermont Avenue.

06/05/05

Spanning the James River along U.S. 29 Business north. The waterway separates the city of Lynchburg from Amherst County.

05/30/05

Continuing north, U.S. 29 enters Madison Heights and sees a diamond interchange with SR 210 (Colony Road). SR 210 travels north to SR 163 (Amherst Highway) and east to Colony and U.S. 29.
Both signs were altered since the time of this photograph: the left panel now displays U.S. 29 Business; the right hand panel now displays "TO Route 163". SR 163 follows the original path of U.S. 29, and later U.S. 29 Business, from Lynchburg through Madison Heights.

05/30/05

A half diamond interchange joins SR 163 (Amherst Highway) with U.S. 29 Business at the Lynchburg Expressway end. SR 163 loops east of U.S. 29 Business briefly before ending at the U.S. 29 over taking of Amherst Highway north.

05/30/05

A sea of traffic lights await northbound drivers along U.S. 29 Business (Amherst Highway) after the freeway end. The first signal resides at the entrance to Riversize Plaza Shopping Center. The second represents the north end of SR 163 and SR 1040 (Lyttleton Lane) west to a residential area.

05/30/05

Northbound traffic lowers from the merge with SR 163 to a traffic light with SR 681. SR 681 spurs west along the residential Mays Street and east on Seminole Drive to SR 833 (Wright Shop Road) near Wright Shop and City Gomingo.

05/30/05

Approaching SR 130 (Elon Road west / Amelon Road east) crosses paths with U.S. 29 Business (Amherst Highway) north at a commercialized intersection in north Madison Heights. The state route originally ended at U.S. 29 Business, traveling only westward to Elon, Glasgow, and Natural Bridge. An extension opened in 2005 to join it with the U.S. 29 Lynchburg-Madison Heights Bypass.

05/30/05

SR 130 overtook SR 669 (Amelon Road) briefly before joining a new four lane Amelon Expressway linking Madison Heights with U.S. 29 and the rural intersection of SR 670 (Izaak Walton Road) and SR 669 (Glade Road). Overall the highway travels 34.69 miles between Madison Heights and U.S. 11 at Natural Bridge.

05/30/05

U.S. 29 Business (Amherst Highway) travels two miles north from SR 130 (Elon Road) to Monroe and ten miles to Amherst.

05/30/05

SR 730 (Oak Grove Drive) heads west from U.S. 29 Business to Winesap and SR 705 (old SR 130). SR 678 (Highwayview Drive) constitutes a short loop (original U.S. 29) to the east.

05/30/05

Just south of Monroe, U.S. 29 Business (Amherst Highway) expands to a four lane divided highway at the intersection with SR 646 (Woodrow Avenue) west.

05/30/05

Descending into Monroe, U.S. 29 Business becomes more rural and approaches SR 1210 (Lynchburg Avenue) and SR 1215 (Myrtle Street).

05/30/05

U.S. 29 Business (Amherst Highway) converges with the U.S. 29 Lynchburg-Madison Heights Bypass at its transition to the Amherst bypass. U.S. 29 Business turns northward onto Main Street, with ramps to both directions of the U.S. 29 freeway at Sweet Briar Station.

05/30/05

Sweet Briar Road was relocated due to construction of the U.S. 29 freeway to meet U.S. 29 Business (Amherst Highway) just west of its ramp to U.S. 29 south. Sweet Briar Road travels west to Sweet Briar College.

05/30/05

A look at the southbound U.S. 29 return ramp to Lynchburg a few months before completion. U.S. 29 shifted to its a new alignment in October 2005.

05/30/05

U.S. 29 overtakes becomes the Amherst Highway on its bypass of the county seat. The highway shifted to a freeway east of town in 1971.² A folded diamond interchange joins the two highways as they cross paths with one another.

05/30/05

A directional ramp leaves U.S. 29 Business north for U.S. 29 (Amherst Highway) north to Colleen, Charlottesville, and Culpeper. A Norfolk-Southern Railroad line parallels nearby.

05/30/05