Interstate 195 Virginia
Overview
Interstate 195 is an urban freeway spur branching southwest from I-64/95 (Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike) to Carytown in the city of Richmond. The Beltline Expressway accompanies a CSX Railroad corridor between the Malvern Gardens community and the Museum District. The south end splits into branches for the tolled Powhite Parkway (SR 76) west to Midlothian and the tolled Downtown Expressway (SR 195) back to Interstate 95.
History
Plans for the Richmond Expressway System were announced in October 1966. As originally envisioned, the $90 to 95 million system would consist of four segments:1
- Beltline Expressway – a four to six lane route running northeast from near Willow Oaks on the south banks of the James River to Bryan Park on the North Side of the city.
- Downtown Expressway – a six lane roadway angling southeast from the Beltline Expressway along Idlewood Avenue to the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike near Main Street Station.
- Powhite Parkway – an expressway linking Chippenham Parkway in Chesterfield County to the Beltline Expressway at Willow Oaks. This route would follow the Powhite creekbed and Southern Railway line.
- Riverside Parkway – paralleling the south bank of the James River, between the Powhite Parkway and Huguenot Bridge. Provisions were considered for an extension of this leg west into Henrico County, including a bridge across the James to the west of the Huguenot Bridge.
Tolls collected on the expressway system were proposed mostly at 15 cents, with selected locations levying either 10 or 25 cents. Speed limits were to be set at 50 miles per hour.1
Route Information
Source: December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List
I-195 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)
Source: 2016 VDOT Traffic Volume
The Beltline Expressway opened in 1975.2 The route of I-195 was approved by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) on June 9, 1986. The application sent to AASHTO by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) provided the following reasoning:
The requested designation is for Interstate Route 195 which provides, in conjunction with the Downtown Expressway, ingress and egress to the central business district of Richmond. This designation conforms with current FAI designation and signing in this area and forms part of the Interstate System in Virginia.
Photo Guides
North End
– Richmond, Virginia
North at
East at
South atÂ
West
North at
Left Exit 186 drops from Interstate 64 west to the Beltline Expressway south back into Richmond to Powhite Parkway (SR 76) south and SR 195 east. 12/17/20
North End Throwback
North at
South at
Guide signs for Exit 79 to Interstate 195 and I-64 west on I-95 south in Richmond were replaced in 2020. 01/04/19, 12/31/16
South End
– Richmond, Virginia
South at
West at
North atÂ
Sources:
- “Expressway Plans Unveiled 20 Years Ago.” Richmond Times-Dispatch (VA), October 30, 1986.
- I-195 Beltline Expressway. RoadstotheFuture (Scott Kozel).
Page updated April 7, 2023.