State Route 895 - Pocahontas Parkway

SR 895 is Pocahontas Parkway, a 7.80 mile long toll road connecting I-95 and SR 150 (Chippenham Parkway) to the west with Richmond International Airport (RIC) and I-295 to the east.

A Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) study in 1981 advocated building a connector from the end of Chippenham Parkway at I-95 east across the James River to I-295. A corridor was selected in 1983, and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) approved an Environmental Impact Study in 1984. Money was tentatively allocated for preliminary engineering in 1986, but never spent.¹

The proposed highway and lift bridge spanning the James River linking Chippenham Parkway in Chesterfield County with I-295 in eastern Henrico County was added to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) six-year road building plan in 1985. VDOT however dropped the $174 million project to construct Interstate 895 from the six-year plan in 1987 due to cuts in federal highway aid.²

Richmond area officials continued to lobby for construction of Interstate 895 in 1988, including the possibility of financing the 6.8 mile long project with tolls.³ A preliminary study by VDOT for the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization concluded that a one-way toll as high as $1.50 along with another extension of tolling along the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike were needed to pay for $127.1 million in construction for the "Chippenham-Laburnum Connector" between Chippenham Parkway (SR 150) and Laburnum Avenue in Henrico County. The study in July 1988 also concluded that if Interstate 895 were built all the way to I-295, local jurisdictions and the state would need an additional $41 million beyond the potential toll revenue for $175 million in total construction.⁴

Interstate 895 was eventually added back to the VDOT six-year highway program in 1992 at the urging of Dr. M. Philmore Howlette, the Richmond District representative on the Virginia Commonwealth Transportation Board. The plan outlined spending $2 million per year over a five year period followed by another $1 million for preliminary engineering.¹

The Commonwealth Transportation Board eventually approved $8 million for design work on December 15, 1994. This included $5.4 million to design 3.6 miles of highway, including the James River span, and $2.6 million to a separate engineering firm for the rest of the project.⁵

The I-895 project was submitted under the Virginia Public-Private Transportation Act of 1995, with plans detailed on November 9, 1995 by the group FD/MK Ltd. The group indicated that it would build the 8.8 mile long road for $250 million, with construction finished by 2000.⁶ The Commonwealth Transportation Board approved the preliminary plans to build I-895 as a private toll road on March 21, 1996.⁷ The state and FD/MK LLC came to an agreement on June 3, 1998 for construction of the $324 million, I-895 connector.⁸

Construction was scheduled to begin in November 1998 and be completed by early 2002.⁸ State Route 895 was named Pocahontas Parkway in a vote by the Commonwealth Transportation Board on January 21, 1999.⁹ The toll road opened fully eastbound on May 22, 2002 and westbound from I-295 to Laburnum Avenue the following day.¹⁰ The remainder of Pocahontas Parkway westbound opened following a dedication ceremony on September 20, 2002 formally naming the high rise span over the James River as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge:¹¹

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge will stand in remembrance of the 1,305 Virginians who died during that conflict and to the more than 50 who remain missing in action.

• East

• West

• East

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SR 895 (Pocahontas Parkway) ascends from the end of SR 150 (Chippenham Parkway) onto the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge. 08/08/04

The toll plaza for Pocahontas Parkway lies just beyond the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge eastbound. 08/08/04

The flyover from I-95 north onto the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge spanning the James River rises steeply. There is no access to SR 895 from southbound I-95. 05/28/21

SR 895 west becomes SR 150 (Chippenham Parkway) north, a freeway straddling the Chesterfield County and Richmond city line to SR 76 (Powhite Parkway) near Bon Air. 05/28/21

Spanning the James River at a height of 145 feet, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge is 4,765 feet long. The span cost $111 million to build.12 05/28/21

SR 895 (Pocahontas Parkway) east crosses the Henrico County line midway across the James River. 05/28/21

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge fully opened to traffic on September 20, 2002.11 05/28/21

The James River bridge lowers eastbound into the Pocahontas Parkway mainline toll plaza. The plaza partitions with two lanes in each direction for all electronic toll (AET) collection using E-ZPass transponders. 05/28/21

Tolls for the Pocahontas Parkway rose significantly from rates in 2002 of $1.00 for SmartTag account holders and $1.50 for cash paying customers. 2009 rates of $2.75 per passenger vehicle increased to $3.00 on February 7, 2011. Further increases by 2016 increased rates to $4.00. 05/28/21

The Pocahontas Toll Plaza has three toll booths along the outside roadways in each direction. The E-ZPass lanes continue at the 65 MPH speed limit. 05/28/21

Interchanges along SR 895 were previously unnumbered. The first exit joins Pocahontas Parkway with Laburnum Avenue north to SR 5 (New Market Road) beyond the Osborne Turnpike overpass. 05/28/21

Prior to 2011, Laburnum Avenue provided the most direct route from SR 895 to Richmond International Airport (RIC). 05/28/21

SR 895 (Pocahontas Parkway) east expands to three lanes ahead of the trumpet interchange with Laburnum Avenue. Laburnum Avenue constitutes an arterial belt route leading northeast toward Highland Springs and west to I-95 and U.S. 1/301 in north Richmond. 05/28/21

SR 5 begins in Richmond at U.S. 60 and leads southeast along New Market Road to Varina and Interstate 295 at Exit 22. SR 5 continues along the James River valley to Charles City and Williamsburg. 05/28/21

Eastbound SR 895 at the exit for Laburnum Avenue to SR 5 (New Market Road) and Capitol View. The succeeding exit is with the Airport Connector to Richmond International Airport (RIC). 05/28/21

SR 5 (New Market Road) passes over SR 895 beyond this eastbound reassurance shield. 05/28/21

Opened on January 14, 2011,13 the extension of Airport Drive leads north from Exit 3 beyond the Darbytown Road under crossing. 05/28/21

SR 895 provides part of a bypass of Richmond with I-295 from northbound I-95 to Interstate 64 east. 05/28/21

Airport Drive links Pocahontas Parkway with the passenger terminal at Richmond International Airport (RIC). Costing $50 million, the 1.6 mile long expressway took two years to build.13 05/28/21

Eastbound SR 895 at the trumpet interchange (Exit 3) with Airport Drive. Airport Drive leads north to become a part of SR 156 near Sandston. Interchanges along SR 156 connect with I-64 (Exit 197) and I-295 (Exit 31). 05/28/21

SR 895 advances east to Interstate 295 beyond the Britton Road overpass. 05/28/21

Interstate 295 leads northward into the interchange complex with U.S. 60 and I-64 near Seven Pines. I-64 travels southeast from Richmond to Williamsburg and Hampton Roads. 05/28/21

SR 895 partitions into single lane ramps for I-295 south to Hopewell and I-95 south to Rocky Mount, North Carolina and I-295 north to I-95 north for Washington. 05/28/21

Eastbound SR 895 ends at the trumpet interchange with I-295. Interstate 295 constitutes an easterly bypass between Petersburg and north of Richmond. 05/28/21

• West

West

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A trumpet interchange (Exit 2) joins SR 895 (Pocahontas Parkway) with Laburnum Avenue north to SR 5 (New Market Road) in one mile.
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SR 5 (New Market Road) passes over Pocahontas Parkway just east of the exchange with Laburnum Avenue.
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Connecting Richmond with Williamsburg, SR 5 measures 53.78 miles in length.
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SR 895 (Pocahontas Parkway) transitions into SR 150 (Chippenham Parkway) north ahead of the cloverleaf interchange with U.S. 1/301 (Jefferson Davis Highway).
05/28/21

There is no direct access from I-95 south to SR 895 (Pochahontas Parkway) east. Instead motorists are directed west along SR 895/150 to U-turn via the loop ramps at U.S. 1/301.
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scenes

Airport Drive concludes at the trumpet interchange with SR 895 (Pocahontas Parkway), east of SR 5 and west of Interstate 295. 01/16/11

Tolls are charged electronically along the connection from Airport Drive south to I-295 and from SR 895 west to Airport Drive north. 01/16/11

Connect with:
Interstate 95
Interstate 295
State Route 150 - Chippenham Parkway

Page Updated 08-11-2021.