| Revision as of 07:48, 31 March 2006 editSPUI (talk | contribs)75,418 edits fuck you, remove speculation← Previous edit | Revision as of 08:14, 31 March 2006 edit undoJkatzen (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users1,981 edits calm down. it's not speculation that the road was originally planned to continue as a seamless extention of I-295Next edit → | ||
| Line 8: | Line 8: | ||
| ==Description of route== | ==Description of route== | ||
| VA 288 may be thought of as the southwestern "outer beltway" of ]. The southern terminus begins at ] near ] and it extends northwesterly through Metropolitan Richmond's ] through ] and ]. It crosses the ] on the ] and into ] in Richmond's ] where it terminates at ] near ]. | VA 288 may be thought of as the southwestern "outer beltway" of ]. The southern terminus begins at ] near ] and it extends northwesterly through Metropolitan Richmond's ] through ] and ]. It crosses the ] on the ] and into ] in Richmond's ] where it terminates at ] near ]. | ||
| The highway has been built entirely to ] standards, and it is unclear why it has never been awarded an I-95 spur route designation. This is especially unusual considering the road's history: it was initially planned to continue as an expressway connection at the terminus of I-295 northwest of the city, creating a seamless looping highway (named I-295 north of I-64 and named VA 288 south of I-64). | |||
| ==Major intersections and points== | ==Major intersections and points== | ||
| * ] (formerly ]) in Chesterfield County | * ] (formerly ]) in Chesterfield County | ||
| * ] (] and ]) in Chesterfield County | * ] (] and ]) in Chesterfield County | ||
Revision as of 08:14, 31 March 2006
Virginia State Highway 288 is a semi-circumferential limited-access highway near Richmond, Virginia. It was officially dedicated as the "World War II Veterans Memorial Highway" in 2004.
History
Sections of the road were built over a period of more than 15 years. The 17.4-mile-long southern portion of VA-288 in Chesterfield County (from I-95 to the Powhite Parkway near Midlothian, Virginia) was completed in 1989. Initially, the highway was planned to continue north and west of this temporary terminus to connect with I-64 at I-295, creating a seamless straight connection between I-295 and VA-288.
However, this planned corridor and a river crossing into Henrico County was abandoned in 1988 due to heavy development of residential neighborhoods along the intended path in Chesterfield County during the years after initial planning. Instead, a more westerly right-of-way was selected through Powhatan and Goochland Counties, causing a break in what would have been a continuous loop between I-295 and VA-288. In 2004, construction was completed including a new crossing of the James River.
Description of route
VA 288 may be thought of as the southwestern "outer beltway" of Metropolitan Richmond. The southern terminus begins at Interstate 95 near Chester, Virginia and it extends northwesterly through Metropolitan Richmond's Southside area through Chesterfield County and Powhatan County. It crosses the James River on the World War II Veterans Memorial Bridge and into Goochland County in Richmond's Far West End area where it terminates at Interstate 64 near Short Pump.
The highway has been built entirely to Interstate standards, and it is unclear why it has never been awarded an I-95 spur route designation. This is especially unusual considering the road's history: it was initially planned to continue as an expressway connection at the terminus of I-295 northwest of the city, creating a seamless looping highway (named I-295 north of I-64 and named VA 288 south of I-64).
Major intersections and points
- Interstate 95 (formerly Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike) in Chesterfield County
- Jefferson Davis Highway (U.S. Route 1 and U.S. Route 301) in Chesterfield County
- Virginia State Highway 10 (Ironbridge Road) in Chesterfield County
- Courthouse Road in Chesterfield County
- U.S. Highway 360 (Hull Street Road) in Chesterfield County
- Powhite Parkway (Virginia State Highway 76) in Chesterfield County
- Luck's Lane/Charter Colony Road in Chesterfield County
- U.S. Highway 60 (Midlothian Turnpike) in Chesterfield County
- Virginia Secondary Route 711 Huguenot Trail in Powhatan County
- World War II Veterans Memorial Bridge across the James River
- Virginia State Highway 6 Patterson Avenue in Goochland County
- U.S. Highway 250 (Broad Street Road in Goochland County
- Interstate 64 in Goochland County
Trivia
- The abandoned corridor planned for VA 288 in western Henrico County became the John Rolfe Parkway, a connector street, rather than a limited-access highway. John Rolfe and Pocahontas lived at their plantation Varina Farms in the eastern end of Henrico County after their marriage in 1614. The tiny village of Varina which sprang up on their plantation was the first county seat of Henrico County (from 1634 until 1752).
- Henrico County was able to preserve its planned corridor for Route 288 from development while Chesterfield County was not. This was partially due to the fact that Henrico and Arlington County are the only two counties in Virginia which control and maintain their own secondary highways and streets. VDOT handles this for Chesterfield and all other counties, but has little control of residential development.