VA 13 to 18
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U.S. 13
VA 13 now has its own superpage -- VA 13
VA 14 now has its own superpage -- VA 14
VA 15 now has its own superpage -- VA 15

 
From:  NC state line near Mouth of Wilson, Grayson County (continues as NC 16 to Waxhaw, NC)
To:  WV state line near Bishop, Tazewell County (continues as WV 16 to St. Mary's WV
Current Length:  84 miles (VA+NC+WV 16 = 462 miles) 
ROUTE LOG
NC STATE LINE: 0 - 0
US 58 EB: 4 - 4
US 58 WB: 4 - 8
SM-GY LINE: 8 - 16
I-81 (exit 45): 17 - 33
VA 217: 0.5 - 33.5
US 11 SB: 1 - 34.5
VA 217: 0.5 - 35
US 11 NB: 1 - 36
VA 348: 5 - 41
VA 42 WB: 11.5 - 52.5
VA 42 EB: 0.5 - 53
TZ-SM LINE: 6 - 59
US 19 Bus SB, US 460 Bus WB: 11 - 70
VA 16 ALT: 1 - 71
US 19 Bus NB, US 460 Bus EB: 1 - 72
US 19, US 460: 1 - 73
VA 61: 0.5 - 73.5
VA 16 ALT: 0.5 - 74
WV STATE LINE: 10 - 84
 Creation:  Appeared in 1941 as part of the state line renumbering, as the 2nd VA 16. It replaced all of the original VA 88, VA 92, 10 miles of the original US 58 alignment, and the part of original VA 81 north of Tazewell. It was a 2-piece discontinuous route, as there was no road over Brushy Mtn. The southern piece dead-ended 3 miles north of VA 42 and the northern piece at SR 601.
Adjustments:  The two sections were connected between 1947 and 1953.
Postings:  Fully posted. Many cutouts were present up and down VA 16 as late as 1993, including Marion, and cutouts still exist as of summer 2004 in Tazewell and North Tazewell. Error US 16 signs existed in Marion, though I believe they were gone when I passed through in 2000.
Comments:  Dave Strong accurately pointed out that one of the delights of doing a page like this is finding a road like Route 16.  What looks like a fairly nondescript route on the VDOT map is actually an epic three-state highway which very nearly goes through 5 states.  It begins in St. Marys, WV near a bridge which Ohio has unfortunately chosen to number OH 807.  From there it goes to the bottom of West Virginia, nipping the western part of Virginia, before entering North Carolina.  It heads down through Charlotte before ending a couple miles from the SC line. Pretty cool.   As late as 1939, none of the 3 states had this road numbered 16 at the state lines (WV 12, VA 81, VA 92, NC 681), so some coordination took place to get this thing numbered as one route.  One thought that occurred to me is that MSR 16 would be a natural extension for US 521, not that I really want 3-state 16 to disappear...
Previous VA 16's: VA 16 #1: An original state highway. Its 1922 routing began at VA 2 (curr. US 15) in Madison Mills, ran to Madison, Syria, then Stanley and ended at VA 21 (curr US 211 Bus) Luray. Thus, original VA 16 crossed the mountain and avoided Sperryville.
In 1923, VA 16 was rerouted north of Madison to end at VA 37(curr. US 522) in Woodville. The old crossing of the mountain went unnumbered for a while, but was the 1933 version of VA 231. Today it is SR 670, a trail over the mountain, SR 689, and US 340 Bus.
By 1927, VA 16 was rerouted to end at Sperryville. The piece to Woodville went unnumbered but eventually became VA 723 and VA 246. Today it is SR 618.
In July 1933 it became a 5-piece discontinuous route: 1. the Madison Mills to Sperryville piece 2. North Anna River to Ferncliff, replacing a piece of the original VA 46 (today this is last western piece of VA 208 plus SR 669) 3. from 8 miles North of Columbia to 2 miles south of VA 6 Columbia (curr SR's 605 and SR 690) 4. a short stub off VA 45 below Cartersville (also curr SR 690) 5. US 60 near Powhatan west to the Cumberland County Line replacing another part of VA 46 (curr SR 684). Pieces 2-5 all replaced pieces of original VA 46.
By 1937, pieces 3-5 became continuous.
When 16 was needed in Southwestern Virginia during the state line renumbering of 1940-41, all 3 pieces of VA 16 were renumbered as the 2nd VA 27.

 

From:  Tazewell (Tazewell County)
To:  River Jack (Tazewell County)
Current Length: 2 miles  
ROUTE LOG
US 19 Bus, US 460 Bus, VA 16: 0 - 0
US 19, US 460: 1 - 1
VA 16: 1 - 2
 Creation:  Appears to be in place by 1956. Explicitly shown and numbered on the Jan 1961 Tazewell County Map. This was unnumbered previously.
Adjustments:  None
Posting:  Fully posted; Cutouts exist in Tazewell and North Tazewell.
Comment:  Runs on Fairground Rd. just west of VA 16, as a bypass around central Tazewell. As of October 2003 there is an early 1920's bridge still in use at its northern end.
U.S. 17
VA 17  not currently assigned
Previous VA 17's: VA 17 #1:  An original state highway. In 1922 it ran from VA 13-14 (curr US 60) Covington to Warm Springs, Bath Alum, West Augusta, Bridgewater, Harrisonburg, then east to Elkton, Standardsville, finally ending at VA 2 (curr US 15) Gordonsville.
In 1923, VA 17 was rerouted from Warm Springs to go to Goshen, Craigville, Churchville to Bridgewater. The old routing here went largely unnumbered save for a little of original VA 39. Today this is SR 629, US 250, and SR 728.
By 1927, VA 17 was extended from Covington to Clifton Forge, then south to US 11 in Troutville. From Clifton Forge to Eagle Rock this replaced original VA 142. The rest was new routing.
In July 1933, VA 17 was decommissioned to: VA 12 #2 from Troutville to Clifton Forge (curr SR 670 and US 220), VA 18 from Covington to Clifton Forge (curr US 220), VA 501 #3 from Warm Springs to Goshen (curr VA 39), current VA 42 from Goshen to Harrisonburg, VA 4 from Harrisonburg to Gordonsville (curr US 33).
 
 
VA 17 #2:  This appeared in July 1933 as an extension to US 17. It originally went from US 1 in Falmouth to US 15/29 in Opal, replacing the western segment of original VA 38. In 1941, to accomodate MD 17, this VA 17 was extended along US 15 to The Plains (using curr. US 17 and VA 245). A discontinuous piece was extended from MD 17 at Brunswick, MD down to Purcellville, plus a stub 1 mile south of there. Today this is VA 287 and SR 690.
Between 1945-47 VA 17 was made into the same alignment as current US 17 all the way to Winchester. The northern piece to Md. became VA 287. The section from Old Tavern to The Plains became today's VA 245. VA 17 was upgraded to US 17 in 1965.

 
From:  Paint Bank, Craig County
To:  City of Covington
Current Length:  27 miles  
ROUTE LOG
VA 311: 0 - 0
AG-CG LINE: 5 - 5
COV-AG LINE: 20 - 25
US 60, US 220: 2 - 27
 Creation:  Appeared in July 1933 in the Great Renumbering II, replacing all of VA 800. It went from then-WV 28 north of Monterrey south through Covington and Potts Creek to end at the Craig County Line. This is the 2nd VA 18.
Adjustments:  VA 18 north was truncated to Covington around 1935 when US 220 was extended into Virginia. By 1937 VA 18 south was extended to VA 311.
Posting:  Fully posted. Cutouts still existed in Covington (thanks to Gribblenation!) when I drove this in July 2001. US 18 error signs appear on US 60/220.
Comment:  This is a very scenic drive through the Potts Creek Valley
Previous VA 18's: VA 18 #1:  An original state highway. Began at then-NC 13 south of South Boston and proceeded to Halifax, Brookneal (but NOT Volens - went through Nathalie instead), Lynchburg, Amherst, Lovingston, to VA 9 (curr SR 750) Afton. Today this is SR 707-704, VA 129, SR 626-603, then no current road (VA 18 followed the railroad), US 501, US 29 and VA 6.
In 1927, US 501 was attached to everything south of Halifax. Additionally, VA 18 was given a more direct route between Halifax and Brookneal (today's US 501)
In 1929, VA 18 south was truncated to Halifax. Also, VA 18 was given a less direct, but fully paved route between Amherst and Lovingston - Amherst to Clifford, Roseland, Colleen, then Lovingston. Today this is roughly US 29-VA 151-SR 655-US 29. The section from Amherst to Colleen became VA 312. Today it is SR 739 and US 29.
In 1932, US 29 was added to Virginia and this eliminated VA 18 from Lynchburg to Woods Mill. This made VA 18 a 2-piece discontinuous route. VA 18 was totally eliminated in the Great Renumbering II - the north piece became VA 6 and the south piece became the extended US 501 and VA 129.

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Page last modified 26 November 2006