Misplaced Pages

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51-487: During World War II, the military build-up meant more people locating in the South Hampton Roads area, bringing many automobiles to the area. The military needed to move personnel and materials fast and could not be bogged down in traffic. Federal, state and officials of the independent city of Norfolk came up with a plan to build a more efficient highway to alleviate traffic problems. All parties agreed on

102-559: A T-intersection with SR 170 at its eastern terminus on Little Creek Road. United States Military Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.226 via cp1108 cp1108, Varnish XID 255373253 Upstream caches: cp1108 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 10:45:58 GMT Interstate 64 (Virginia) Interstate 64 ( I-64 ) in

153-655: A Wal-Mart Supercenter. After both shopping centers, the highway continues onto its intersection with SR 166 (Princess Anne Road) and Northampton Boulevard, to which it finally loses its U.S. 13 designation. It then, however picks up designation as SR 165 . It reduces to an undivided four-lane roadway, crosses I-64 in a partial interchange, and curves northwestward, passing the runways at Norfolk International Airport . As it continues to wind its way through Norfolk, it remains four lanes undivided, and crosses its final two state routes of SR 192 (Azalea Garden Road) and SR 247 (Norview Avenue). The road then continues until it ends in

204-492: A 15-mile (24 km) long semi-circumferential section, from the western edge of Norfolk County just outside Portsmouth through a portion of Princess Anne County to reach Admiral Taussig Boulevard (then VA 170 ) near the Norfolk Navy Base at Sewell's Point . The proposed "super" highway, named Military Highway, was designed and built in 1943 for approximately $ 2.5 million. Military Highway can lay claim to

255-603: A candidate build that was financially and physically feasible to build. On October 29, 2020, a groundbreaking ceremony was held in Hampton for the HRBT Expansion Project. After nearly two decades of studies and planning, the CTB and the two regional boards responsible for the project (HRTPO/ Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission (HRTAC)) voted unanimously in 2016 to a $ 3.3-billion expansion of

306-489: A cloverleaf interchange. Continuing as North Military Highway , it then expands to ten lanes, passing Military Circle Mall (formerly known as the Gallery at Military Circle) as it crosses with U.S. 58 at Virginia Beach Boulevard with a hybrid single-point urban interchange . After the interchange, Military Highway reduces back to eight lanes and continues past several shopping centers, including JANAF Shopping Center , and

357-483: A four-lane divided highway, continuing its concurrency with US 60 through Covington into Lexington where the two routes split. From Lexington, I-64 then turns northward to Staunton , overlapping I-81 in the Shenandoah Valley . From Staunton, I-64 leaves I-81, passes through Waynesboro , crosses Rockfish Gap , and continues eastward, passing just to the south of Charlottesville , closely following

408-497: A lot of "firsts." It was one of the first multi-lane highways (4-lanes, two in each direction) constructed in the area. The new roadway included several overpasses, bridges, interchanges, and a roundabout called Lansdale Traffic Circle. The cloverleaf interchange constructed at Military Highway and Virginia Beach Boulevard was the first ever built in Virginia. Near the western end, there were 45 mph (72 km/h) S-curves as

459-400: A major national motel chain (now Econolodge ). Even with the new Interstate Highways in the area built beginning in the 1960s, by the 1980s, more than 50,000 vehicles traveled along Military Highway daily with 67,000 vehicles expected by the year 2010. The old "super" highway could no longer support the increased traffic volumes. The existing lanes were insufficient to handle the traffic and

510-689: A new drawbridge , was built to cross the Southern Branch Elizabeth River , a location which provides access to port facilities and is a portion of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway . Military Highway also crosses the Eastern Branch Elizabeth River on a fixed span bridge . After World War II, businesses and residential development soared. In 1959, JANAF Shopping Yard at the intersection of Virginia Beach Boulevard became

561-686: A pileup on I-64 westbound at the Queen's Creek Bridge near exit 238 ( SR 143 east). 51 injuries were reported, including two life-threatening. Per reports, ice and fog were seen at that time. Two segments on I-64 have been identified as candidates for widening: I-64 on the Virginia Peninsula from New Kent County to Newport News and I-64 in South Hampton Roads from the I-464 / US 17 / SR 168 interchange in Chesapeake to

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612-453: A study that would consider widening the highway with either additional general purpose lanes in the median and/or on the outside shoulder, adding two-lane, fully reversible managed lanes (either as a tolled express lane or an HOT-lane facility) or the addition of full tolling on the entire span. The approved plan selected by VDOT and partners included the plan that added an additional general purpose lane in each direction by either expanding into

663-601: Is speculation that the decision involved "back-room" politics of the Kennedy administration. I-64 has four auxiliary routes, all of which are in the Hampton Roads Area: Both of the bypass routes are shorter than the main leg for through traffic—I-664 is about 15 miles (24 km) shorter than the bypassed main leg while I-264 is about a mile (1.6 km) shorter than the main leg it bypasses. On December 22, 2019, around 69 cars were involved in

714-884: The Bowers Hill Interchange in Suffolk. Peninsula On the Peninsula, most of the I-64 corridor is a four-lane roadway and is one of the most-traveled segments in the region, connecting the Hampton Roads metropolitan area to the Greater Richmond Region . In recent years, the corridor has become a major bottleneck for traffic, with over half of the entire 75-mile (121 km) stretch having failing or near failing levels of service and continued increased safety concerns. In 2011, VDOT initiated

765-502: The Greater Richmond Region , I-64 interchanges and overlaps with I-95 on a stretch of highway which was a part of the former Richmond–Petersburg Turnpike , passing near Downtown Richmond and through the historic Black neighborhood of Jackson Ward . Once on the south side of Downtown Richmond, I-64 diverges from its concurrency with I-95 and continues southeasterly down the Virginia Peninsula through New Kent County and

816-556: The HRBT ), and crossover roads are in place near the aforementioned exits. About a mile (1.6 km) before the southern interchange with State Route 199 (SR 199), I-64 becomes a six-lane divided highway as it continues toward Hampton Roads. Shortly after entering its interchange with SR 173 (Denbigh Boulevard), I-64 enters the Hampton Roads metropolitan area and widens out to an eight-lane divided highway, continuing generally south-southeasterly into Hampton where it meets

867-852: The Hampton Roads Executive Airport , picking up the designations of U.S. 13, U.S. 460, and U.S. 58 from Portsmouth Boulevard. It continues generally northeastward as West Military Highway , crossing under and interchanging in Bowers Hill with I-664 (which shortly thereafter splits in its own Y-interchange with I-264 and I-64 ). It also intersects in this same area with Airline Boulevard, to which it loses US 58 . After this complex set of interchanges and intersections, it becomes South Military Highway and turns southeastward, paralleling I-64 before crossing under it 2 miles later. It then continues east through Chesapeake, intersecting George Washington Highway ( US 17 ) and crosses

918-633: The Historic Triangle , into Newport News . This portion of I-64 was set up by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) with a contraflow lane reversal system in place in the event of a mass evacuation of the Hampton Roads area region due to a hurricane or other catastrophic event. Gates are installed at the eastbound I-64 entrance and exit ramps from exit 200 ( I-295 ) to exit 273 ( US 60 east of

969-616: The Southern Branch Elizabeth River on the Gilmerton Bridge . After crossing the river, the road loses U.S. 460 to Bainbridge Blvd ( SR 166 ), and continues through its interchange with I-464 , paralleling I-64 for the rest of its journey through Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. Military Highway then crosses under and interchanges with State Route 168 at Battlefield Boulevard on a cloverleaf interchange, and then expands to six lanes, which continues until it narrows back to four lanes after Greenbrier Parkway. After Greenbrier Parkway,

1020-465: The HRBT Expansion Project continues and would open at the same time as the new HRBT opens in 2024. Segment 4 would convert the remaining diamond lanes on I-64 in Hampton & Newport News to HOT-2 lanes as an extension of the HRBT Expansion Project. Detailed studies for this project, including operational hours, planning, and design, will occur in 2018 and would open along with the completion of

1071-400: The HRBT Expansion Project. According to VDOT , in 1958, an average of 6,000 vehicles a day used the facility whereas an average of 88,000 vehicles a day were using the crossing in 2008, with volumes exceeding 100,000 during the tourist season, well exceeding the original design capacity of 77,000 vehicles per day, which sparked decades of debate on how to improve traffic flow at

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1122-584: The I-64 Express Lanes. According to a 2016 study by VDOT, only 1,600 vehicles travel through the Norfolk HOV lanes during the morning HOV restriction (6:00–8:00 am) and only 1,300 vehicles through the lanes through Virginia Beach and Chesapeake. The plans for the I-64 Express Lanes have been divided into individual segments, all of which have been endorsed by the regions transportation planning organization. Segment 1 converted

1173-591: The I-64 from I-464 in Chesapeake to the Bower's Hill Interchange. This included replacing the functionally obsolete High Rise Bridge, which was completed one year after the study corridor opened, in 1969. This study, completed in 2013, showed that the corridor frequently performed at near-failing levels of service ( level of service grades D and E), with the High Rise Bridge itself outright failing, resulting in higher crash rates when compared to other areas in

1224-511: The US state of Virginia runs east–west through the middle of the state from West Virginia to the Hampton Roads region, for a total of 299 miles (481 km). From the West Virginia state line to Chesapeake , it passes through the major cities of Lexington , Staunton , Charlottesville , the state capital of Richmond , Newport News , Hampton , and Norfolk . It is notable for crossing

1275-582: The bridges, especially at the Military Highway/Virginia Beach Boulevard cloverleaf, which had physically deteriorated to a point where restricting commercial vehicles, due to their weight, and reduction of speed was necessary. Reconstruction work began in 1985, and the busiest sections of the Military Highway, mostly a local thoroughfare, were modernized. Military Highway effectively begins in Suffolk outside

1326-479: The city of Chesapeake . It soon comes to a complex interchange between another of its spur routes, I-464 , along with US 17 and SR 168 . I-64, now running westward, crosses the Southern Branch Elizabeth River using the High Rise Bridge . The road then curves northwesterly and ends at Bower's Hill , where it meets both the western terminus of I-264 and the southern terminus of I-664 near

1377-545: The construction of a new, four-lane 135-foot (41 m) fixed-span bridge to the south of the current High Rise Bridge. Construction will be conducted in multiple phases, similar to the widening project on the Peninsula: Once completed, the entire corridor would be an eight-lane stretch of highway, with two 135-foot (41 m) fixed-span bridges. Estimated costs for the entire project are currently estimated at $ 2.3 billion. Currently, only part of first phase of

1428-775: The current bridge–tunnel and its approaches from two to four lanes in both directions from the I-664 interchange to the I-564 interchange, with two new, two-lane bridge–tunnels built to carry traffic eastbound (Hampton to Norfolk). A final environmental impact statement (EIS) was published in May ;2017, and the Record of Decision (ROD) from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) was granted in June. The project

1479-443: The eastern boundary of Naval Station Norfolk and Chambers Field and the spur route supplying it, I-564 . It then becomes a six-lane divided highway with a two-lane reversible roadway in the middle, which is used for HOV traffic during morning and afternoon rush hours. It continues through Norfolk, curving multiple times and eventually ending up heading due south as it passes the interchange with another of its spur routes, I-264 on

1530-551: The highway continues on a north-northeasterly heading through Chesapeake until it enters the city of Virginia Beach (and subsequently re-expanding to six lanes) and intersects at Indian River Road (to SR 407 ), where it then expands to eight lanes and continues almost due north. It then crosses the Elizabeth River for the second time near the Broad Creek, enters the city of Norfolk, and interchanges with I-264 again in

1581-488: The highway passed on a bridge over the Virginian Railway , with short approach fills and considerable grades. The newly created feature became known as Bower's Hill , although the area had that name much earlier, by the mid 19th century, according to old maps. As one of the highest features for miles around, Bower's Hill on the Military Highway became something of a landmark for travelers. The Gilmerton Bridge ,

Military Highway - Misplaced Pages Continue

1632-458: The installation of the tubular road markers separating the general purpose lanes from the tolled express lanes), and new 12-foot (3.7 m) lanes would be built extend across the I-64/I-464 interchange and be built into the new High Rise Bridge and all the way to the Bower's Hill interchange. These lanes would be continuously operational once activated and would be variably priced depending on

1683-432: The largest shopping center in Virginia for many years. As the area grew, Military Circle Mall (Norfolk's first indoor shopping mall in 1970), Best Square Shopping Center and other large developments soon located nearby. These brought thousands of additional people into the area to live, work and shop. With the influx of people came even more cars. The road was the site of the first Econo-Travel motel, which grew to become

1734-508: The late 1950s, a number of interested citizens, including Virginia Senator Mosby Perrow Jr. , proposed that I-64 be realigned to run along US 220 , US 460 , SR 307 , and US 360 from Clifton Forge via Cloverdale (near Roanoke ), Lynchburg , and Farmville to Richmond. This southern route was favored by Governor J. Lindsay Almond and most members of the State Highway Commission. The decision

1785-566: The median or on the outside shoulder. In June 2013, the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) included $ 100 million (equivalent to $ 129 million in 2023 ) in funding for the project in its Six-Year Improvement Program, allowing the project to move forward into the design and build phases. The Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) allocated an additional $ 44 million (equivalent to $ 54.8 million in 2023 ) to Segment I of

1836-648: The mouth of the harbor of Hampton Roads on the Hampton Roads Bridge–Tunnel (HRBT), the first bridge–tunnel to incorporate artificial islands, concurrent with U.S. Route 60 (US 60). Also noteworthy is a section through Rockfish Gap , a wind gap in the Blue Ridge Mountains , which was equipped with an innovative system of airport-style runway lighting embedded into the pavement to aid motorists during periods of poor visibility due to fog or other conditions. I-64 enters Virginia as

1887-705: The newly expanded High Rise Bridge and associated lanes of I-64 from the I-464/I-64 interchange. Both directions would have a primary entrance/exit near the Bowers Hill interchange, with a midpoint entrance/exit near the Greenbrier Parkway/Battlefield Boulevard interchanges and a terminal entrance/exit that ties in at the Twin Bridges. The current HOV lanes would be reduced from 16 to 12 feet (4.9 to 3.7 m) (allowing

1938-802: The northeastern corner of the Great Dismal Swamp . I-64's lanes continue northbound as I-664 to Newport News across the Monitor–Merrimac Memorial Bridge–Tunnel (MMMBT), ending at I-64 in Hampton, completing the beltway. In early studies and proposals of the Interregional Highway System (the predecessor title of the Eisenhower Interstate System ), I-64 was to use the US ;250 alignment west of Richmond . However, in

1989-757: The northern terminus of I-664 beginning the Inner Loop of the Hampton Roads Beltway . I-64 curves north-northeast to pass north of Downtown Hampton and cross the Hampton River , turning back southward to reach the Hampton Roads Bridge–Tunnel , which it utilizes to cross the main shipping channel at the entrance to the harbor of Hampton Roads from the Chesapeake Bay . Once on the Southside , I-64 turns south through Norfolk , passing

2040-616: The northwest side of Virginia Beach . After I-264, there are no more directional markers on I-64 from here to its "eastern" terminus because I-64 "east" will actually head west after its current southward course, and vice-versa. From I-264 to its "eastern" terminus, it is simply only signed as I-64 and either the Inner and Outer loop of the Hampton Roads Beltway. Shortly after the I-264 interchange, I-64 leaves Virginia Beach for

2091-600: The other side of the interchange. Outer Loop (westbound from Chesapeake to Norfolk) traffic enters the lanes at the ramp just after the I-64 Twin Bridges at the Elizabeth River, I-264 west traffic (from Virginia Beach to Downtown Norfolk ) uses the flyover ramp from mainline I-264 to the Express Lanes, and I-264 east traffic (from Downtown Norfolk to Virginia Beach) merges onto the Outer Loop and utilizes

Military Highway - Misplaced Pages Continue

2142-746: The path of the historic colonial-era Three Notch'd Road , which had been established in the Colony of Virginia by the 1730s and was largely replaced in the 1930s by US 250 . Just outside of Charlottesville in Zion Crossroads , I-64 received the state's first diverging diamond interchange at its interchange with US 15 , which opened to traffic on February 21, 2014, and was completed on April 15, 2014. After Charlottesville, I-64 then turns more east-southeasterly and heads toward Richmond , passing through Fluvanna , Goochland , and Louisa counties. After entering Henrico County and

2193-486: The plan has been funded, which includes preliminary engineering and right-of-way service. A final design for the project is expected in December ;2016, and a final contract award date is tentatively scheduled for August 2017. State and regional leaders have come up to convert the region's 32 miles (51 km) of existing high occupancy vehicle (HOV-2) lanes into high occupancy toll (HOT-2) lanes called

2244-421: The problem. In March 2015, the CTB identified and approved of the addition of two lanes of capacity in each direction, with the possibility of them being either two HOT lanes, one HOV and one general-purpose lane, or all four lanes being tolled. Widening would be accomplished by adding the lanes in the median east of US 17 and to the outside shoulder west of US 17. The approved plan also calls for

2295-561: The project to extend the boundaries beyond the Fort Eustis interchange. The project is broken down into three operationally independent segments, which are independently funded, designed and built by a different company. Southside Similar to I-64 west of Newport News on the Peninsula, VDOT and the HRTPO undertook environmental and preliminary engineering studies for the improvement of the eight-mile (13 km), 48-year-old corridor of

2346-596: The region's most important water crossing. Studies into the growing traffic at the HRBT have roots back to the early 1990s. In 1992, the Virginia General Assembly had requested that VDOT study growing traffic at the HRBT. The conclusion of that study determined that a longterm large-scale solution to the problem would be required to alleviate backups. For the next 14 years, VDOT would undertake numerous studies in 1999, 2008, 2012, and 2016 to help choose

2397-543: The region. This is because most of the interchange ramps were built to previous Interstate standards and were based on then-rural development in the Western Chesapeake and Eastern Suffolk. In addition, since the start of tolling at the Elizabeth River Tunnels , the High Rise Bridge and the corridor has received a nearly seven-percent increase in traffic during peak hours, further exacerbating

2448-426: The slip ramp entry. Tolling is only operational from Monday–Friday from 5:00–9:00 am and from 2:00–6:00 pm. Minimum toll during these periods is $ 0.50 and increases proportionally to traffic. Toll gantry installation and conversion was completed January 10, 2018, slightly behind schedule. Segment 2 would convert the single HOV-2 diamond lanes in each direction to HOT-2 lanes and would also include

2499-587: The traffic in the general-purpose lanes. This segment is scheduled to be completed as part of the High Rise Bridge project, which is scheduled for completion in 2021. Segment 3 would be built as part of the HRBT Expansion Project and would build from the existing reversible HOV northern terminus at I-564/I-64 through, across the expanded bridge–tunnel, and through the existing HOV-2 diamond lanes in Hampton. Planning for this segment (such as operational times and tolling pricing) will continue as

2550-601: The two-lane reversible roadway in Norfolk between the I-64/I-564 interchange and the I-64/I-264 interchange to HOT-2 lanes. Inner Loop traffic (eastbound from Hampton through Norfolk) enters through the ramp just prior to the I-564 interchange and exits through either the left exit directly to I-264 east, the slip ramp back to the Inner Loop for the interchange to I-264 west, or continue straight into mainline Inner Loop on

2601-440: Was on hold for three years while the state continued planning for the piece of the US 250 alignment from Richmond to Short Pump , which would be needed anyway to handle traffic. In 1961, US Secretary of Commerce Luther H. Hodges rejected that plan and chose the present route, leaving Lynchburg as the largest city in Virginia not served by an Interstate. Officially, the chosen route was considered more efficient. However, there

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