U.S. Route 15 in Virginia
Encyclopedia
U.S. Route 15 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Walterboro, South Carolina
to Painted Post, New York
. In Virginia
, the U.S. Highway runs 230.37 miles (370.7 km) from the North Carolina
state line near Clarksville
north to the Maryland
state line at the Potomac River
near Lucketts
. US 15 is a major north–south highway through the Piedmont
of Virginia, connecting Clarksville and Farmville
in Southside Virginia with Culpeper
, Warrenton
, and Leesburg
in Northern Virginia
.
at the North Carolina state line several miles south of Clarksville
. The U.S. Highway continues south toward Oxford
and the Research Triangle. US 15 heads north as two-lane National Highway, which parallels the Virginia Southern Railroad
north across the Grassy Creek branch of Kerr Lake
. The U.S. Highway expands to a four-lane divided highway in an industrial area adjacent to Marks Municipal Airport. US 15 passes through a partial cloverleaf interchange with the US 58
bypass, then becomes an undivided highway on entering the town of Clarksville as College Street and crossing over the rail line. The U.S. Highway turns east onto Virginia Avenue, which also carries US 58 Business and SR 49
.
After passing through the Clarksville Historic District
, US 15, US 58 Business, and SR 49 leave the town of Clarksville by crossing the John H. Kerr Reservoir, an impoundment of the Roanoke River
that is also known as Buggs Island Lake, on the Phillip Saint Julian Wilson Bridge and a causeway. The bridge, which contains lights underneath used for nighttime fishing, includes a brief passage through Halifax County due to the thalweg
s of the Roanoke and Dan River
s, which were used to set the county boundaries, converging just south of Clarksville. At the east end of the causeway, access to US 58 is provided at a four-way intersection. Ramps to US 58 west and US 58 east form the southern and eastern legs of the intersection, which mainline US 58 avoids via a pair of flyover ramps just east of its bridge over the reservoir. US 15 and SR 49 turn north, cross over the Virginia Southern rail line, and parallel the eastern shore of the lake until the two highways split at the hamlet of Dortch Store.
US 15 heads north, crossing the Bluestone Creek arm of the reservoir and entering Charlotte County
, where the road becomes named Barnesville Highway. The U.S. Highway intersects SR 92 (Jeb Stuart Highway) at Barnes Junction and US 360
(Kings Highway) at Wylliesburg. The two U.S. Highways continue north along US 360's four-lane divided highway, which intersects SR 47
(Craftons Gate Highway) at Crafton Gate. South of Keysville
, US 15 and US 360 meet the southern end of US 15 Business and US 360 Business (Old Kings Highway); the sets of highways meet again at a partial interchange where the U.S. Highways also cross over the Virginia Southern Railroad. US 15 and US 360 meet SR 40
(Lunenburg County Highway) at a diamond interchange
just east of the town of Keysville. The U.S. Highways pass under the rail line and diverge immediately to the north at a partial cloverleaf interchange; the divided highway continues as US 360 while US 15 exits onto two-lane Farmville Highway, which meets the northern end of the business routes, which are named 4 Locust Highway.
US 15 enters Prince Edward County
as Farmville Road and crosses over Norfolk Southern Railway
's Blue Ridge District west of the hamlet of Briery
. The U.S. Highway passes through the hamlets of Redd Shop
and Worsham
before reaching Kingsville
, where the highway intersects SR 133
. SR 133 heads west to the community of Hampden Sydney
and its namesake college
. US 15 veers northeast and meets US 460 (Prince Edward Highway) at a diamond interchange. US 15 joins US 460 west on the four-lane freeway while .S. Route 15 Business (Farmville, Virginia)|US 15 Business heads toward the town of Farmville
, home of Longwood University
. US 15 and US 460 cross over Little Buffalo Creek, Buffalo Creek, and the High Bridge Trail
, a rail trail
on what was formerly a Norfolk Southern rail line. The U.S. Highways diverge at a trumpet interchange west of Farmville. US 15 exits onto Sheppards Road and has a brief concurrency with US 460 Business north to the northern end of US 15 Business (Third Street).
into Buckingham County, where the road's name changes to James Madison Highway. The highway passes to the west of Willis Mountain
before reaching US 60
(James Anderson Highway) at Sprouses Corner
. US 15 meets the southern end of SR 20
(Constitution Route) then passes through the town of Dillwyn
as Oak Street and Main Street. The U.S. Highway parallels the Buckingham Branch Railroad
out of town and passes through the community of Alpha
, where the highway passes by Buffards Mountain and veers away from the railroad. After passing through Arvonia
, the highway crosses the James River
at New Canton
on the John H. Cocke Memorial Bridge. The bridge passes over the Buckingham Branch Railroad on the south side of the river just south of its bridge across the river to join CSX
's Rivanna Subdivision, which parallels the north bank of the river through the hamlet of Bremo Bluff
.
US 15 continues north through the Fluvanna County
communities of Weber City
and Fork Union
. The U.S. Highway becomes concurrent with SR 6
(River Road) adjacent to Fort Union Military Academy. The two highways diverge at Dixie, from which US 15 passes through Carysbrook
. The highway meets the eastern end of SR 53
(Thomas Jefferson Parkway) just south of the U.S. Highway's crossing of the Rivanna River
into Palmyra
. US 15 passes through Wildwood
and Hunters
before intersecting US 250
(Three Notch Road) at Zion Crossroads
at the Fluvanna–Louisa
county line. The U.S. Highway expands to a four-lane divided highway at US 250 that continues north through its diamond interchange with I-64
. US 15 continues north along the edge of the Green Springs National Historic Landmark District
to its intersection with SR 22
(Louisa Road) at Boswells Tavern. The U.S. Highway meets US 33
(Spotswood Trail) just south of Gordonsville
. The two highways run together north onto Orange County
and the town of Gordonsville, where the highways parallel CSX's Piedmont Subdivision along Martinsburg Avenue. US 15 and US 33 veer onto Main Street and pass the Exchange Hotel
at their underpass of the Washington Subdivision
, the Charlottesville
–Orange
rail line owned by the Buckingham Branch Railroad
. US 15 leaves Main Street at the Gordonsville Roundabout; US 33 and SR 231
head northwest as Main Street, SR 231 heads southwest along Gordon Avenue toward Cismont
, and US 15 heads northeast along Gordon Avenue, which becomes James Madison Highway at the town limit.
North of Gordonsville, US 15 expands to a four-lane divided highway that parallels the Washington Subdivision and the eastern flank of the Southwest Mountains
, and passes Gordonsville Municipal Airport. The U.S. Highway becomes an undivided highway and passes the historic home Mayhurst
at the southern limit of the town of Orange
, where the highway becomes Caroline Street. US 15 meets SR 20 (Berry Hill Road) and runs concurrently with the state highway as a two-lane street under Norfolk Southern Railway's Washington District. SR 20 continues north on Caroline Street while the US 15 veers northeast onto four-lane Madison Road, which intersects SR 20 Business (Main Street) before leaving Orange as a two-lane road. US 15 crosses the Rapidan River
into Madison County
and meets the eastern end of SR 230
(Orange Road) at Madison Mills
. The U.S. Highway passes through Five Forks
, home of the Woodberry Forest School
. North of Locust Dale
, US 15 crosses the Robinson River and its tributary Crooked Run; at the latter stream, the U.S. Highway enters Culpeper County
. The highway passes to the west of Cedar Mountain
and meets the southern end of SR 299 (Madison Road) before reaching a diamond interchange with US 29
(James Monroe Highway), where US 15 Business continues north into the town of Culpeper
.
and SR 3
(Germanna Highway) at a diamond interchange. US 15 and US 29 pass under the rail line and meet the northern end of US 15 Business and US 29 Business at a partial cloverleaf interchange. The highways parallel the Washington District through Brandy Station
and by Culpeper Regional Airport
to the town of Remington
, where the road crosses the Rappahannock River
into Fauquier County
. US 15 and US 29 pass to the north of the town, which is directly served by US 15 Business and US 29 Business (James Madison Street). Immediately north of the northern junction with the business routes, US 15 and US 29 meet the southern end of SR 28
(Catlett Road), which follows the rail line toward Manassas
.
US 15 and US 29 become concurrent with US 17
, which heads southeast as Marsh Road toward Fredericksburg
, at Opal
on their way to Warrenton
. South of the town, the U.S. Highways' respective business routes split northwest and the U.S. Highways bypass the town on a freeway to the east. US 15, US 17, and US 29 have a diamond interchange with SR 643 (Meetze Road/Lee Street) before reaching a directional interchange where US 17 diverges from the other U.S. Highways toward Winchester
and US 15 and US 29 receive their business routes. US 15 and US 29 head northeast as Lee Highway, which passes through New Baltimore
and intersects SR 215
(Vint Hill Road) just west of Buckland
, where the highways enter Prince William County
cross Broad Run
. Just east of the county line, US 29 continues east as Lee Highway toward Washington
while US 15 turns north onto two-lane James Madison Highway.
US 15 continues north through Haymarket
, where the highway expands to a four-lane divided highway immediately south of its intersection with SR 55
(John Marshall Highway). The U.S. Highway passes through a diamond interchange with I-66
and runs through a suburban area between Catharpin
to the east and the Bull Run Mountains
to the west. At Woolsey, US 15 meets the northern end of SR 234
(Sudley Road) and reduces to two lanes. North of Bull Run
, where the road enters Loudoun County
, the highway passes through a pair of roundabouts at Gilberts Corner
. US 15 meets U.S. Route 50 in Virginia
(John Mosby Highway) at the second roundabout. The U.S. Highway runs along the east flank of the Bull Run Mountains as it passes James Monroe
's estate of Oak Hill just south of the Little River
and Oatlands Plantation
in the community of Oatlands
at its crossing of Goose Creek
.
At Virts Corner
east of Hogback Mountain
, US 15 enters the town of Leesburg
as King Street. At SR 7
(Leesburg Bypass), US 15 Business continues straight into the downtown area while US 15 joins the eastern side of the four-lane divided bypass. US 15 and SR 7 meet the western end of SR 267
(Dulles Greenway) at a trumpet interchange before the two highways diverge at a partial cloverleaf interchange with SR 7 Business (Harry Byrd Highway) that contains a flyover ramp for westbound SR 7. US 15 reduces to two lanes shortly before it meets the northern end of US 15 Business (King Street) west of Ball's Bluff Battlefield and National Cemetery
. Just north of the business route, the highway intersects SR 655 (Whites Ferry Road), which serves White's Ferry
, the last remaining ferry crossing of the Potomac River that connects Leesburg with Poolesville, Maryland
. US 15 passes by the historic homes Rockland
and Temple Hall
and through the community of Lucketts
, which is home to the historic Lucketts School
. The U.S. Highway veers west and runs along the eastern flank of Furnace Mountain
before crossing the Potomac River on the Point of Rocks Bridge, a camelback truss bridge, into the Maryland village of Point of Rocks
.
(at what was then North Carolina Highway 75) with Frederick, Maryland
through Virginia. It was added to the state highway system in 1918 as State Route 2 and renumbered State Route 32 in the 1923 renumbering. In 1926, US 15 was designated along the whole of SR 32. The SR 32 designation was dropped in the 1933 renumbering, and was immediately reused on another route south of Petersburg. The number was again reused on its current alignment in the early 1940s to match North Carolina Highway 32
.
!County
!Location
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=6|Mecklenburg
|
|0.00
|
|Southern terminus; North Carolina
state line
|-
|rowspan=4|Clarksville
|
|
|Partial cloverleaf interchange
|-
|6.08
|
|US 15 turns east onto Virginia Avenue; south end of concurrency with US 58 and SR 49
|-
|6.96
|colspan=2 align=center|John H. Kerr Reservoir – Roanoke River
|-
|7.80
|
|SR 49 and US 15 turn north at this intersection; east end of concurrency with US 58 Business
|-
|
|9.40
|
|North end of concurrency with SR 49
|-16.23
|rowspan=7|Charlotte
|Barnes Junction
|23.62
|
|
|-
|Wylliesburg
|26.86
|
|South end of concurrency with US 360
|-
|
|30.74
|
|
|-
|
|37.34
|
|
|-
|
|
|
|Interchange; no access from US 15 Business / US 360 Business to southbound US 15 / US 360
|-
|Keysville
|40.70
|
|Diamond interchange
|-
|
|42.72
|
|Partial cloverleaf interchange; north end of concurrency with US 360
|-44.40
|rowspan=4|Prince Edward
|Kingsville
|56.54
|
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Farmville
|59.48
|
|Diamond interchange; south end of concurrency with US 460
|-
|63.66
|
|Trumpet interchange; north end of concurrency with US 460; south end of concurrency with US 460 Business
|-
|63.80
|
|North end of concurrency with US 460 Business
|-65.57
|rowspan=2|Buckingham
|Sprouses Corner
|80.33
|
|
|-
|Dillwyn
|81.78
|
|
|-98.13
|colspan=2|
|98.13
|colspan=2 align=center|John H. Cocke Memorial Bridge – James River
|-
|rowspan=3|Fluvanna
|Fork Union
|102.67
|
|South end of concurrency with SR 6
|-
|Dixie
|104.66
|
|North end of concurrency with SR 6
|-
|Palmyra
|111.02
|
|
|-119.71
|rowspan=4|Louisa
|rowspan=2|Zion Crossroads
|119.71
|
|
|-
|120.16
|
|I-64 Exit 136
|-
|Boswells Tavern
|127.11
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Gordonsville
|130.72
|
|South end of concurrency with US 33
|-131.17
|rowspan=3|Orange
|132.29
|
|Gordonsville Circle; north end of concurrency with US 33
|-
|rowspan=2|Orange
|140.64
|
|South end of concurrency with SR 20
|-
|140.81
|
|US 15 turns east onto Madison Road; North end of concurrency with SR 20
|-144.08
|rowspan=1|Madison
|Madison Mills
|144.47
|
|
|-149.39
|rowspan=5|Culpeper
|rowspan=4|Culpeper
|157.24
|
|
|-
|158.06
|
|Diamond interchange; south end of concurrency with US 29
|-
|159.38
|
|Diamond interchange
|-
|163.26
|
|Partial cloverleaf interchange
|-
|rowspan=3|Remington
|170.22
|
|
|-170.46
|rowspan=7|Fauquier
|172.63
|
|
|-
|172.93
|
|
|-
|Opal
|176.93
|
|South end of concurrency with US 17
|-
|rowspan=3|Warrenton
|181.64
|
|
|-
|
|
|Diamond interchange
|-
|184.08
|
|Directional interchange; north end of concurrency with US 17
|-
|rowspan=2|Buckland
|191.14
|
|
|-191.27
|rowspan=4|Prince William
|192.09
|
|North end of concurrency with US 29
|-
|rowspan=2|Haymarket
|194.86
|
|
|-
|195.02
|
|I-66 Exit 40
|-
|
|198.91
|
|
|-203.16
|rowspan=6|Loudoun
|Gilberts Corner
|205.74
|
|Roundabout
|-
|rowspan=4|Leesburg
|216.28
|
|Partial cloverleaf interchange; south end of concurrency with SR 7
|-
|216.72
|
|Trumpet interchange
|-
|217.88
|
|Partial cloverleaf interchange; north end of concurrency with SR 7
|-
|220.40
|
|
|-
|
|230.37
|
|Northern terminus; Maryland
state line; Point of Rocks Bridge over Potomac River
Walterboro, South Carolina
Walterboro is a city in Colleton County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 5,153 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Colleton County.-History:...
to Painted Post, New York
Painted Post, New York
Painted Post is a village in Steuben County, New York, United States. The village is in the town of Erwin, west of the city of Corning. The population was 1,842 at the 2000 census. The name comes from a painted and carved post found by explorers at the junction of three local rivers...
. In Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, the U.S. Highway runs 230.37 miles (370.7 km) from the North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
state line near Clarksville
Clarksville, Virginia
Clarksville is a town founded in Mecklenburg County and overlapping across Halifax County in the U.S. state of Virginia, near the southern border of the state. The population was 1,139 at the 2010 census...
north to the Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
state line at the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
near Lucketts
Lucketts, Virginia
Lucketts is an unincorporated historic hamlet in Loudoun County, Virginia along U.S. Route 15 north of Leesburg. It was originally known as Black Swamp due to the large number of Black Oak trees growing in the area at the time of its settlement...
. US 15 is a major north–south highway through the Piedmont
Piedmont (United States)
The Piedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching from New Jersey in the north to central Alabama in the south. The Piedmont province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division...
of Virginia, connecting Clarksville and Farmville
Farmville, Virginia
Farmville is a town in Prince Edward and Cumberland counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 6,845 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Prince Edward County....
in Southside Virginia with Culpeper
Culpeper, Virginia
Culpeper is an incorporated town in Culpeper County, Virginia, United States. The population was 9,664 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Culpeper County. Culpeper is part of the Culpeper Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Culpeper County. Both the Town of Culpeper and...
, Warrenton
Warrenton, Virginia
Warrenton is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census, and 14,634 at the 2010 estimate. It is the county seat of Fauquier County. Public schools in the town include Fauquier High School, Warrenton Middle School, Taylor Middle School and two...
, and Leesburg
Leesburg, Virginia
Leesburg is a historic town in, and county seat of, Loudoun County, Virginia, United States of America. Leesburg is located west-northwest of Washington, D.C. along the base of the Catoctin Mountain and adjacent to the Potomac River. Its population according the 2010 Census is 42,616...
in Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
.
Clarksville to Farmville
US 15 enters Mecklenburg County, VirginiaMecklenburg County, Virginia
As of the census of 2010, there were 32,727 people, 12,951 households, and 8,962 families residing in the county. The population density was 52 people per square mile . There were 17,403 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
at the North Carolina state line several miles south of Clarksville
Clarksville, Virginia
Clarksville is a town founded in Mecklenburg County and overlapping across Halifax County in the U.S. state of Virginia, near the southern border of the state. The population was 1,139 at the 2010 census...
. The U.S. Highway continues south toward Oxford
Oxford, North Carolina
Oxford is a city in Granville County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,461 at the 2010 census It is the county seat of Granville County.-History:...
and the Research Triangle. US 15 heads north as two-lane National Highway, which parallels the Virginia Southern Railroad
Virginia Southern Railroad
The Virginia Southern Railroad is a shortline railroad division of the North Carolina and Virginia Railroad, a RailAmerica subsidiary, operating of track between Norfolk Southern Railway connections at Oxford, North Carolina and Burkeville, Virginia...
north across the Grassy Creek branch of Kerr Lake
Kerr Lake
Kerr Lake is a reservoir along the border of the U.S. states of North Carolina and Virginia created by the John H. Kerr Dam...
. The U.S. Highway expands to a four-lane divided highway in an industrial area adjacent to Marks Municipal Airport. US 15 passes through a partial cloverleaf interchange with the US 58
U.S. Route 58
U.S. Route 58 is an east–west U.S. Highway that runs for from U.S. Route 25E just northwest of Harrogate, Tennessee to U.S. Route 60 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Until 1996, when the Cumberland Gap Tunnel opened, US 58 ran only inside the commonwealth of Virginia...
bypass, then becomes an undivided highway on entering the town of Clarksville as College Street and crossing over the rail line. The U.S. Highway turns east onto Virginia Avenue, which also carries US 58 Business and SR 49
Virginia State Route 49
Virginia State Route 49 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from the North Carolina state line in Virgilina, Virginia in Halifax County, where the highway continues south as North Carolina Highway 49 , north to U.S. Route 360 near Burkeville in...
.
After passing through the Clarksville Historic District
Clarksville Historic District (Clarksville, Virginia)
The Clarksville Historic District in Clarksville, Virginia dates from 1818. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002....
, US 15, US 58 Business, and SR 49 leave the town of Clarksville by crossing the John H. Kerr Reservoir, an impoundment of the Roanoke River
Roanoke River
The Roanoke River is a river in southern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States, 410 mi long. A major river of the southeastern United States, it drains a largely rural area of the coastal plain from the eastern edge of the Appalachian Mountains southeast across the Piedmont...
that is also known as Buggs Island Lake, on the Phillip Saint Julian Wilson Bridge and a causeway. The bridge, which contains lights underneath used for nighttime fishing, includes a brief passage through Halifax County due to the thalweg
Thalweg
Thalweg in geography and fluvial geomorphology signifies the deepest continuous inline within a valley or watercourse system.-Hydrology:In hydrological and fluvial landforms, the thalweg is a line drawn to join the lowest points along the entire length of a stream bed or valley in its downward...
s of the Roanoke and Dan River
Dan River
The Dan River flows in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Virginia. It originates in Patrick County, Virginia, and crosses the state border into Stokes County, North Carolina. It then flows into Rockingham County. From there it goes back into Virginia. It reenters North Carolina near the...
s, which were used to set the county boundaries, converging just south of Clarksville. At the east end of the causeway, access to US 58 is provided at a four-way intersection. Ramps to US 58 west and US 58 east form the southern and eastern legs of the intersection, which mainline US 58 avoids via a pair of flyover ramps just east of its bridge over the reservoir. US 15 and SR 49 turn north, cross over the Virginia Southern rail line, and parallel the eastern shore of the lake until the two highways split at the hamlet of Dortch Store.
US 15 heads north, crossing the Bluestone Creek arm of the reservoir and entering Charlotte County
Charlotte County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,472 people, 4,951 households, and 3,435 families residing in the county. The population density was 26 people per square mile . There were 5,734 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...
, where the road becomes named Barnesville Highway. The U.S. Highway intersects SR 92 (Jeb Stuart Highway) at Barnes Junction and US 360
U.S. Route 360
U.S. Route 360 is a spur of US 60 in the U.S. state of Virginia. The U.S. Highway runs from US 58 Business, Virginia State Route 293, and SR 360 in Danville east to SR 644 in Reedville. US 360 connects Danville, South Boston, and Keysville in Southside Virginia with the state capital of...
(Kings Highway) at Wylliesburg. The two U.S. Highways continue north along US 360's four-lane divided highway, which intersects SR 47
Virginia State Route 47
Virginia State Route 47 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 1 and US 58 Business in South Hill north to US 460 Business in Pamplin City, Virginia...
(Craftons Gate Highway) at Crafton Gate. South of Keysville
Keysville, Virginia
Keysville is a town in Charlotte County, Virginia, United States. The population was 817 at the 2000 census. One of two branches of Southside Virginia Community College is in Keysville...
, US 15 and US 360 meet the southern end of US 15 Business and US 360 Business (Old Kings Highway); the sets of highways meet again at a partial interchange where the U.S. Highways also cross over the Virginia Southern Railroad. US 15 and US 360 meet SR 40
Virginia State Route 40
State Route 40 is a primary state highway in the southern part of the U.S. state of Virginia. It runs from State Route 8 at Woolwine east to State Route 10 at Spring Grove, about half the width of Virginia. It is the longest state-numbered route in Virginia.-Route description:SR 40 begins at SR 8...
(Lunenburg County Highway) at a diamond interchange
Diamond interchange
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a freeway crosses a minor road. The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge...
just east of the town of Keysville. The U.S. Highways pass under the rail line and diverge immediately to the north at a partial cloverleaf interchange; the divided highway continues as US 360 while US 15 exits onto two-lane Farmville Highway, which meets the northern end of the business routes, which are named 4 Locust Highway.
US 15 enters Prince Edward County
Prince Edward County, Virginia
Prince Edward County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 23,368. Its county seat is Farmville.-Formation and County Seats:...
as Farmville Road and crosses over Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
's Blue Ridge District west of the hamlet of Briery
Briery, Virginia
Briery is an unincorporated community in Prince Edward County, Virginia, United States....
. The U.S. Highway passes through the hamlets of Redd Shop
Redd Shop, Virginia
Redd Shop is an unincorporated community in Prince Edward County, Virginia, United States....
and Worsham
Worsham, Virginia
Worsham is an unincorporated community in Prince Edward County, Virginia, United States. It served as the county seat of Prince Edward County from 1754 to 1872, and as a result a number of historic public buildings may still be found there. Among these are the old debtor's prison and the old...
before reaching Kingsville
Kingsville, Virginia
Kingsville is an unincorporated community in Prince Edward County, Virginia, United States. It sits on the intersection of VA 133 and US 15...
, where the highway intersects SR 133
Virginia State Route 133
Virginia State Route 133 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. Known as Kingsville Road, the state highway runs from SR 692 at Hampden-Sydney east to U.S. Route 15 at Kingsville in central Prince Edward County...
. SR 133 heads west to the community of Hampden Sydney
Hampden Sydney, Virginia
Hampden Sydney is a census-designated place in Prince Edward County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,264 at the 2000 census...
and its namesake college
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden–Sydney College is a liberal arts college for men located in Hampden Sydney, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1775, Hampden–Sydney is the oldest private charter college in the Southern U.S., the last college founded before the American Revolution, and one of only three four-year,...
. US 15 veers northeast and meets US 460 (Prince Edward Highway) at a diamond interchange. US 15 joins US 460 west on the four-lane freeway while .S. Route 15 Business (Farmville, Virginia)|US 15 Business heads toward the town of Farmville
Farmville, Virginia
Farmville is a town in Prince Edward and Cumberland counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 6,845 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Prince Edward County....
, home of Longwood University
Longwood University
Longwood University is a four-year public, liberal-arts university located in Farmville, Virginia, United States. It was founded in 1839 and became a university on July 1, 2002...
. US 15 and US 460 cross over Little Buffalo Creek, Buffalo Creek, and the High Bridge Trail
High Bridge Trail State Park
High Bridge Trail State Park in Southside Virginia is a rail trail converted from a railway line last belonging to Norfolk Southern and having originated as a portion of the Southside Railroad....
, a rail trail
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
on what was formerly a Norfolk Southern rail line. The U.S. Highways diverge at a trumpet interchange west of Farmville. US 15 exits onto Sheppards Road and has a brief concurrency with US 460 Business north to the northern end of US 15 Business (Third Street).
Farmville to Culpeper
US 15 crosses the Appomattox RiverAppomattox River
The Appomattox River is a tributary of the James River, approximately long, in central and eastern Virginia in the United States, named for the Appomattocs Indian tribe who lived along its lower banks in the 17th century...
into Buckingham County, where the road's name changes to James Madison Highway. The highway passes to the west of Willis Mountain
Willis Mountain
Willis Mountain is a monadnock rising from the rolling Piedmont hills of Buckingham County, Virginia, near the geographic center of the state. It is composed of Kyanite-bearing quartz that weathers more slowly than the surrounding material...
before reaching US 60
U.S. Route 60 in Virginia
U.S. Route 60 in Virginia runs west to east through the central part of the state, generally close to and paralleling the Interstate 64 corridor, except for the crossing of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and in the South Hampton Roads area....
(James Anderson Highway) at Sprouses Corner
Sprouses Corner, Virginia
Sprouses Corner is an unincorporated community in Buckingham County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...
. US 15 meets the southern end of SR 20
Virginia State Route 20
Virginia State Route 20 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 15 in Dillwyn north to SR 3 in Wilderness. SR 20 is a C-shaped route that connects Charlottesville with Farmville in Southside Virginia...
(Constitution Route) then passes through the town of Dillwyn
Dillwyn, Virginia
Dillwyn is an incorporated town in Buckingham County, Virginia, in the United States. The population was 447 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Dillwyn is located at ....
as Oak Street and Main Street. The U.S. Highway parallels the Buckingham Branch Railroad
Buckingham Branch Railroad
Buckingham Branch Railroad is a Class III short-line railroad operating over 200 miles of historic and strategic trackage in Central Virginia...
out of town and passes through the community of Alpha
Alpha, Virginia
Alpha is an unincorporated community in Buckingham County, in the U.S. state of Virginia....
, where the highway passes by Buffards Mountain and veers away from the railroad. After passing through Arvonia
Arvonia, Virginia
Arvonia is an unincorporated community in Buckingham County, Virginia founded mainly by Welsh immigrants during the 19th century. The town derives its name from the popular port city of Caernarfon, Wales. Its major industry has been slate mining...
, the highway crosses the James River
James River
The James River may refer to:Rivers in the United States and their namesakes* James River * James River , North Dakota, South Dakota* James River * James River * James River...
at New Canton
New Canton, Virginia
New Canton is an unincorporated town in northeastern Buckingham County, Virginia, United States. It lies along U.S. Route 15 above the James River, northeast of the county seat of Buckingham...
on the John H. Cocke Memorial Bridge. The bridge passes over the Buckingham Branch Railroad on the south side of the river just south of its bridge across the river to join CSX
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
's Rivanna Subdivision, which parallels the north bank of the river through the hamlet of Bremo Bluff
Bremo Bluff, Virginia
Bremo Bluff is an unincorporated community located on the northern bank of the James River in Fluvanna County, Virginia, United States. The locale was established by the Cocke family in 1636. During the American Civil War, the family of General Robert E. Lee sought refuge in the community...
.
US 15 continues north through the Fluvanna County
Fluvanna County, Virginia
As of 2002, Fluvanna County's population was 20,047. There are 7,387 households, and 5,702 families residing in the county. The population density was 70 people per square mile . There were 8,018 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
communities of Weber City
Weber City, Fluvanna County, Virginia
Weber City, Fluvanna County is an unincorporated community in Fluvanna County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...
and Fork Union
Fork Union, Virginia
Fork Union is an unincorporated community in southern Fluvanna County, Virginia, along U.S. Highway 15. Its ZIP code is 23055; the population within that ZIP code was 1148 according to the 2000 Census...
. The U.S. Highway becomes concurrent with SR 6
Virginia State Route 6
Virginia State Route 6 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. Known for most of its length as River Road, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 250 in Afton east to SR 161 in Richmond. SR 6 is one of the main highways of mountainous Nelson County, where the highway runs...
(River Road) adjacent to Fort Union Military Academy. The two highways diverge at Dixie, from which US 15 passes through Carysbrook
Carysbrook, Virginia
Carysbrook is an unincorporated community in Fluvanna County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...
. The highway meets the eastern end of SR 53
Virginia State Route 53
Virginia State Route 53 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. Known as Thomas Jefferson Parkway, the state highway runs from SR 20 near Charlottesville east to U.S. Route 15 in Palmyra. SR 53 connects the county seats of Albemarle and Fluvanna counties...
(Thomas Jefferson Parkway) just south of the U.S. Highway's crossing of the Rivanna River
Rivanna River
The Rivanna River is a tributary of the James River in central Virginia in the United States. The Rivanna's tributaries originate in the Blue Ridge Mountains; via the James River, it is part of the watershed of Chesapeake Bay....
into Palmyra
Palmyra, Virginia
Palmyra is a census-designated place in and the county seat of Fluvanna County, Virginia, United States. The population as of the 2010 Census was 104. Palmyra lies on the eastern bank of the Rivanna River along U.S. Route 15...
. US 15 passes through Wildwood
Wildwood, Fluvanna County, Virginia
Wildwood, Fluvanna County is an unincorporated community in Fluvanna County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...
and Hunters
Hunters, Virginia
Hunters is an unincorporated community in Fluvanna County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...
before intersecting US 250
U.S. Route 250 in Virginia
U.S. Route 250 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Sandusky, Ohio to Richmond, Virginia. In Virginia, the U.S. Highway runs from the West Virginia state line near Hightown east to its eastern terminus at US 360 in Richmond...
(Three Notch Road) at Zion Crossroads
Zion Crossroads, Virginia
Zion Crossroads is an unincorporated community in Louisa and Fluvanna counties, Virginia, at the intersection of James Madison Highway and Three Notch Road . About 2½ miles north is Green Springs National Historic Landmark District, a U.S. National Historic Landmark...
at the Fluvanna–Louisa
Louisa County, Virginia
Louisa County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 33,153. The county seat is Louisa.- History :...
county line. The U.S. Highway expands to a four-lane divided highway at US 250 that continues north through its diamond interchange with I-64
Interstate 64 in Virginia
In the U.S. state of Virginia, Interstate 64 runs east–west through the middle of the state from West Virginia to the Hampton Roads region, a total of . It is notable for crossing the mouth of the harbor of Hampton Roads on the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, the first bridge-tunnel to...
. US 15 continues north along the edge of the Green Springs National Historic Landmark District
Green Springs National Historic Landmark District
Green Springs National Historic Landmark District is a national historic district in Louisa County, Virginia noted for its concentration of fine rural manor houses and related buildings in an intact agricultural landscape...
to its intersection with SR 22
Virginia State Route 22
Virginia State Route 22 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 250 in Shadwell east to US 522 and SR 208 in Mineral. SR 22 is one of two primary east–west highways in Louisa County, connecting the county seat of Louisa with...
(Louisa Road) at Boswells Tavern. The U.S. Highway meets US 33
U.S. Route 33 in Virginia
U.S. Route 33 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Elkhart, Indiana to Richmond, Virginia. In Virginia, the U.S. Highway runs from the West Virginia state line near Rawley Springs east to its eastern terminus at SR 33 in Richmond. US 33 is the primary east–west highway of...
(Spotswood Trail) just south of Gordonsville
Gordonsville, Virginia
Gordonsville is a town in Louisa and Orange counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 1,496 at the 2010 census.-History:Nathaniel Gordon purchased in 1787 and in 1794, or possibly earlier, applied for and was granted a license to operate a tavern...
. The two highways run together north onto Orange County
Orange County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,881 people, 10,150 households, and 7,470 families residing in the county. The population density was 76 people per square mile . There were 11,354 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile...
and the town of Gordonsville, where the highways parallel CSX's Piedmont Subdivision along Martinsburg Avenue. US 15 and US 33 veer onto Main Street and pass the Exchange Hotel
Exchange Hotel (Gordonsville, Virginia)
The Exchange Hotel in Gordonsville, Virginia, was built in 1860 for Richard F. Omohundro next to an important railroad junction, when the Exchange Hotel offered a welcome stopping place for weary passengers on the Virginia Central Railroad.-Civil War:...
at their underpass of the Washington Subdivision
Washington Subdivision
The Washington Subdivision is a railroad line leased and operated by the Buckingham Branch Railroad in the U.S. state of Virginia.The line runs from Orange southwest to Charlottesville, and was a CSX Transportation line until 2004. At Charlottesville, the North Mountain Subdivision continues west;...
, the Charlottesville
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
–Orange
Orange, Virginia
Orange is a town in Orange County, Virginia, United States. The population was 4,721 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Orange County...
rail line owned by the Buckingham Branch Railroad
Buckingham Branch Railroad
Buckingham Branch Railroad is a Class III short-line railroad operating over 200 miles of historic and strategic trackage in Central Virginia...
. US 15 leaves Main Street at the Gordonsville Roundabout; US 33 and SR 231
Virginia State Route 231
State Route 231 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. It runs from State Route 22 near Cismont north via Gordonsville, Somerset, Rochelle, Pratts, Madison, Banco, and Etlan to U.S. Route 522 near Sperryville.-Major intersections:...
head northwest as Main Street, SR 231 heads southwest along Gordon Avenue toward Cismont
Cismont, Virginia
Cismont is an unincorporated community in Albemarle County, Virginia....
, and US 15 heads northeast along Gordon Avenue, which becomes James Madison Highway at the town limit.
North of Gordonsville, US 15 expands to a four-lane divided highway that parallels the Washington Subdivision and the eastern flank of the Southwest Mountains
Southwest Mountains
The Southwest Mountains of Virginia are a mountain range centered around Charlottesville, parallel to and geologically associated with the Blue Ridge Mountains, which lie about 30 miles to the west...
, and passes Gordonsville Municipal Airport. The U.S. Highway becomes an undivided highway and passes the historic home Mayhurst
Mayhurst
Mayhurst is an 1859 Italianate mansion in Orange, Virginia. It was built by the Willis family relatives of President James Madison as the plantation house for an estate comprising of fields, pastures and forest. It was a scene of action in the Civil War...
at the southern limit of the town of Orange
Orange, Virginia
Orange is a town in Orange County, Virginia, United States. The population was 4,721 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Orange County...
, where the highway becomes Caroline Street. US 15 meets SR 20 (Berry Hill Road) and runs concurrently with the state highway as a two-lane street under Norfolk Southern Railway's Washington District. SR 20 continues north on Caroline Street while the US 15 veers northeast onto four-lane Madison Road, which intersects SR 20 Business (Main Street) before leaving Orange as a two-lane road. US 15 crosses the Rapidan River
Rapidan River
The Rapidan River, flowing through north-central Virginia in the United States, is the largest tributary of the Rappahannock River. The two rivers converge just west of the city of Fredericksburg...
into Madison County
Madison County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,520 people, 4,739 households, and 3,521 families residing in the county. The population density was 39 people per square mile . There were 5,239 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile...
and meets the eastern end of SR 230
Virginia State Route 230
State Route 230 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. It runs from U.S. Route 33 Business in Stanardsville northeast and east via McMullen, Hood, Wolftown, Pratts, Aroda, Radiant, and Burnt Tree to U.S. Route 15 at Madison Mills....
(Orange Road) at Madison Mills
Madison Mills, Virginia
-References:*...
. The U.S. Highway passes through Five Forks
Five Forks, Madison County, Virginia
Five Forks is an unincorporated community located in Madison County, Virginia.-References:*...
, home of the Woodberry Forest School
Woodberry Forest School
Woodberry Forest School is a private, all-male boarding school located in Woodberry Forest, Madison County, Virginia, in the United States. Woodberry's current enrollment is 402. Students come from 28 U.S...
. North of Locust Dale
Locust Dale, Virginia
-References:*...
, US 15 crosses the Robinson River and its tributary Crooked Run; at the latter stream, the U.S. Highway enters Culpeper County
Culpeper County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 34,262 people, 12,141 households, and 9,045 families residing in the county. The population density was 90 people per square mile . There were 12,871 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile...
. The highway passes to the west of Cedar Mountain
Cedar Mountain
Cedar Mountain, also known as Slaughter Mountain, is a piedmont monadnock in Culpeper County, Virginia. The ridge is south of the town of Culpeper and just to the northwest of the northern tip of the Southwest Mountains at Clark Mountain. The mountain was the site of the Battle of Cedar...
and meets the southern end of SR 299 (Madison Road) before reaching a diamond interchange with US 29
U.S. Route 29 in Virginia
U.S. Route 29 is a major north–south route in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It covers from the North Carolina border at the city of Danville to the Key Bridge in Washington, D.C....
(James Monroe Highway), where US 15 Business continues north into the town of Culpeper
Culpeper, Virginia
Culpeper is an incorporated town in Culpeper County, Virginia, United States. The population was 9,664 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Culpeper County. Culpeper is part of the Culpeper Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Culpeper County. Both the Town of Culpeper and...
.
Culpeper to Leesburg
US 15 and US 29 run concurrently as a four-lane divided highway around the east side of Culpeper, where the highways cross over the Washington District rail line and meet US 522U.S. Route 522 in Virginia
U.S. Route 522 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Powhatan, Virginia to Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. In Virginia, the U.S. highway runs from its southern terminus at US 60 in Powhatan north to the West Virginia state line near Cross Junction...
and SR 3
Virginia State Route 3
State Route 3 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia that extends from the town of Culpeper south and eastwardly to Gloucester in Virginia's Middle Peninsula region...
(Germanna Highway) at a diamond interchange. US 15 and US 29 pass under the rail line and meet the northern end of US 15 Business and US 29 Business at a partial cloverleaf interchange. The highways parallel the Washington District through Brandy Station
Brandy Station, Virginia
Brandy Station is an unincorporated community in Culpeper County, Virginia, United States. Its original name was Brandy. The name Brandy Station comes from the Orange and Alexandria Railroad station that was constructed in the 19th century....
and by Culpeper Regional Airport
Culpeper Regional Airport
Culpeper Regional Airport is a county-owned public-use airport located seven nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Culpeper, a city in Culpeper County, Virginia, United States. Located in Brandy Station, Virginia, the airport opened in 1968. The runway originally measured...
to the town of Remington
Remington, Virginia
Remington is a small incorporated town in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. The population was 624 at the 2000 census, and at the 2008 census, the population is 673. It is near the highways, U.S. Route 15, U.S. Route 17, U.S. Route 29, and Virginia State Route 28...
, where the road crosses the Rappahannock River
Rappahannock River
The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west, across the Piedmont, to the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Potomac River.An important river in American...
into Fauquier County
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
. US 15 and US 29 pass to the north of the town, which is directly served by US 15 Business and US 29 Business (James Madison Street). Immediately north of the northern junction with the business routes, US 15 and US 29 meet the southern end of SR 28
Virginia State Route 28
State Route 28 is a primary state highway that traverses the counties of Loudoun, Fairfax, Prince William, and Fauquier in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is a major artery through Northern Virginia.-Loudoun County:...
(Catlett Road), which follows the rail line toward Manassas
Manassas, Virginia
The City of Manassas is an independent city surrounded by Prince William County and the independent city of Manassas Park in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Its population was 37,821 as of 2010. Manassas also surrounds the county seat for Prince William County but that county...
.
US 15 and US 29 become concurrent with US 17
U.S. Route 17 in Virginia
U.S. Route 17 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Punta Gorda, Florida to Winchester, Virginia. In Virginia, the U.S. Highway runs from the North Carolina state line in Chesapeake north to its northern terminus at US 11, US 50, and US 522 in Winchester. US 17 is a major highway...
, which heads southeast as Marsh Road toward Fredericksburg
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia located south of Washington, D.C., and north of Richmond. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,286...
, at Opal
Opal, Virginia
Opal is a census-designated place in Fauquier County, Virginia, on U.S. Highway 15/U.S. Route 17 and Virginia State Route 28, at an elevation of 449 feet . The population as of the 2010 Census was 691....
on their way to Warrenton
Warrenton, Virginia
Warrenton is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census, and 14,634 at the 2010 estimate. It is the county seat of Fauquier County. Public schools in the town include Fauquier High School, Warrenton Middle School, Taylor Middle School and two...
. South of the town, the U.S. Highways' respective business routes split northwest and the U.S. Highways bypass the town on a freeway to the east. US 15, US 17, and US 29 have a diamond interchange with SR 643 (Meetze Road/Lee Street) before reaching a directional interchange where US 17 diverges from the other U.S. Highways toward Winchester
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
and US 15 and US 29 receive their business routes. US 15 and US 29 head northeast as Lee Highway, which passes through New Baltimore
New Baltimore, Virginia
New Baltimore, Virginia is a census-designated place in eastern Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. The population as of the 2010 Census was 8,119. Although the community has existed since the early 19th century, it has had its most significant growth since the 1980s...
and intersects SR 215
Virginia State Route 215
State Route 215 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. It connects U.S. Route 15/U.S. Route 29 with State Route 28, serving Warrenton-Manassas traffic.-External links:*...
(Vint Hill Road) just west of Buckland
Buckland, Virginia
Buckland is an unincorporated village in Prince William County, Virginia. Established in 1798, Buckland was an early inland stagecoach town, situated along the Fauquier and Alexandria Turnpike...
, where the highways enter Prince William County
Prince William County, Virginia
-National protected areas:* Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge* Manassas National Battlefield Park* Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge* Prince William Forest Park-Government and politics:...
cross Broad Run
Broad Run (Occoquan River)
Broad Run is a tributary of the Occoquan River in the U.S. state of Virginia....
. Just east of the county line, US 29 continues east as Lee Highway toward Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
while US 15 turns north onto two-lane James Madison Highway.
US 15 continues north through Haymarket
Haymarket, Virginia
Haymarket is a town in Prince William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 879 at the 2000 census, but the 2009 is 1,252. Haymarket is home to the Haymarket Senators of the Valley Baseball League...
, where the highway expands to a four-lane divided highway immediately south of its intersection with SR 55
Virginia State Route 55
Virginia State Route 55 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. Known for most of its length as John Marshall Highway, the state highway runs from the West Virginia state line, where the highway continues as West Virginia Route 55 , east to U.S. Route 29 in Gainesville...
(John Marshall Highway). The U.S. Highway passes through a diamond interchange with I-66
Interstate 66
Interstate 66 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. As indicated by its even route number, it runs in an east–west direction. Its western terminus is at Middletown, Virginia, at an intersection with Interstate 81; its eastern terminus is in Washington, D.C., at an...
and runs through a suburban area between Catharpin
Catharpin, Virginia
Catharpin is an unincorporated community in Prince William County, Virginia, in the United States. Catharpin lies on State Route 234 to the northwest of Manassas National Battlefield Park.-Geography:...
to the east and the Bull Run Mountains
Bull Run Mountains
The Bull Run Mountains are a mountain range of the Blue Ridge Mountains in northern Virginia in the United States. Located approximately east of the main chain, across the Loudoun Valley...
to the west. At Woolsey, US 15 meets the northern end of SR 234
Virginia State Route 234
State Route 234 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. It runs from U.S. Route 1 near Dumfries via Independent Hill, a bypass of Manassas, and Catharpin to U.S...
(Sudley Road) and reduces to two lanes. North of Bull Run
Bull Run (Occoquan River)
Bull Run is a free-flowing tributary stream of the Potomac River that originates from a spring in the Bull Run Mountains in Loudoun County, Virginia, and flows south to the Occoquan River...
, where the road enters Loudoun County
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
, the highway passes through a pair of roundabouts at Gilberts Corner
Gilberts Corner, Virginia
Gilberts Corner is an unincorporated area at the intersection of U.S. Route 50 and U.S. Route 15 in Loudoun County, Virginia to the east of Aldie....
. US 15 meets U.S. Route 50 in Virginia
U.S. Route 50 in Virginia
U.S. Route 50 is a transcontinental highway which stretches from Ocean City, Maryland to Sacramento, California. In the U.S. state of Virginia, US 50 extends from the border with Washington DC at a Potomac River crossing at Rosslyn in Arlington County to the West Virginia state line near Gore in...
(John Mosby Highway) at the second roundabout. The U.S. Highway runs along the east flank of the Bull Run Mountains as it passes James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
's estate of Oak Hill just south of the Little River
Little River (Goose Creek)
Little River is a tributary stream of Goose Creek in Fauquier and Loudoun counties in northern Virginia. Via Goose Creek, it is a tributary of the Potomac River....
and Oatlands Plantation
Oatlands Plantation
Oatlands Plantation is an estate located in Leesburg, Virginia. Oatlands is operated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a National Historic Landmark...
in the community of Oatlands
Oatlands, Virginia
Oatlands is an unincorporated community in Loudoun County, Virginia, USA. Oatlands is located on the James Monroe Highway along Goose Creek. The central feature is Oatlands Plantation. President James Monroe's plantation, Oak Hill, is a few miles south....
at its crossing of Goose Creek
Goose Creek (Potomac River)
Goose Creek is a tributary of the Potomac River in Fauquier and Loudoun counties in northern Virginia. It comprises the principal drainage system for the Loudoun Valley.-Course:...
.
At Virts Corner
Virts Corner, Virginia
Virts Corner is an unincorporated community in Loudoun County, Virginia. Virts Corner is located on U.S. Route 15 at an intersection with Gleedsville Road and Masons Lane to the south of Leesburg....
east of Hogback Mountain
Hogback Mountain (Loudoun County, Virginia)
Hogback Mountain is part of Catoctin Mountain, located southwest of Leesburg in Loudoun County, Virginia. The mountain rises immediately to the west of U.S. Route 15, just south of Sycolin Creek and extends south to the banks of Goose Creek. It is so named for its appearance when approaching it...
, US 15 enters the town of Leesburg
Leesburg, Virginia
Leesburg is a historic town in, and county seat of, Loudoun County, Virginia, United States of America. Leesburg is located west-northwest of Washington, D.C. along the base of the Catoctin Mountain and adjacent to the Potomac River. Its population according the 2010 Census is 42,616...
as King Street. At SR 7
Virginia State Route 7
State Route 7 is a major primary state highway and busy commuter route in Northern Virginia, United States. It travels southeast from downtown Winchester to State Route 400 in downtown Alexandria...
(Leesburg Bypass), US 15 Business continues straight into the downtown area while US 15 joins the eastern side of the four-lane divided bypass. US 15 and SR 7 meet the western end of SR 267
Virginia State Route 267
State Route 267 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. It consists of two end-to-end toll roads – the Dulles Toll Road and Dulles Greenway – as well as the Dulles Access Road,...
(Dulles Greenway) at a trumpet interchange before the two highways diverge at a partial cloverleaf interchange with SR 7 Business (Harry Byrd Highway) that contains a flyover ramp for westbound SR 7. US 15 reduces to two lanes shortly before it meets the northern end of US 15 Business (King Street) west of Ball's Bluff Battlefield and National Cemetery
Ball's Bluff Battlefield and National Cemetery
Ball's Bluff Battlefield Regional Park and National Cemetery is a battlefield area and an United States National Cemetery, located northeast of Leesburg, Virginia. The cemetery is the third smallest national cemetery in the United States...
. Just north of the business route, the highway intersects SR 655 (Whites Ferry Road), which serves White's Ferry
White's Ferry
White's Ferry is a cable ferry service operating across the Potomac River. It is located six miles west of Poolesville, Maryland, and north of Leesburg, Virginia. It is the only ferry still operating on the Potomac River. The General Jubal A...
, the last remaining ferry crossing of the Potomac River that connects Leesburg with Poolesville, Maryland
Poolesville, Maryland
Poolesville is a town in Montgomery County, Maryland United States with a population of approximately 5000 people. It is surrounded by the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve, and is considered a distant bedroom community for commuters to Washington, DC.The name of the town comes from the...
. US 15 passes by the historic homes Rockland
Rockland (Leesburg, Virginia)
Rockland is the home of Virginia's Rust family, near Leesburg, Virginia. The property was acquired by General George Rust from the heirs of Colonel Burgess Ball in 1817...
and Temple Hall
Temple Hall
Temple Hall is an early 19th-century Federal-style mansion and working farm near the Potomac River north of Leesburg in Loudoun County, Virginia.-History:...
and through the community of Lucketts
Lucketts, Virginia
Lucketts is an unincorporated historic hamlet in Loudoun County, Virginia along U.S. Route 15 north of Leesburg. It was originally known as Black Swamp due to the large number of Black Oak trees growing in the area at the time of its settlement...
, which is home to the historic Lucketts School
Lucketts School
The Lucketts School in Lucketts, Virginia was built in 1913. It is a wood-frame schoolhouse with elements of Colonial Revival and Craftsman style. It was originally known as Lucketts High School and was expanded in 1919 with additional classrooms and in 1929 with a small auditorium...
. The U.S. Highway veers west and runs along the eastern flank of Furnace Mountain
Furnace Mountain
Furnace Mountain is an American Zen Buddhist retreat center in Clay City, Kentucky, co-founded in 1986 by Seung Sahn Soen Sa Nim and Dae Gak Soen Sa Nim as part of the international Kwan Um School of Zen; it is now unaffiliated with the school in an official capacity...
before crossing the Potomac River on the Point of Rocks Bridge, a camelback truss bridge, into the Maryland village of Point of Rocks
Point of Rocks, Maryland
Point of Rocks is a community in Frederick County, Maryland. It is named for the striking rock formation on the adjacent Catoctin Mountain, which were formed by the Potomac River cutting through the ridge in a water gap, a typical formation in the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians...
.
History
US 15 generally follows the Old Carolina Road, which connected North CarolinaNorth Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
(at what was then North Carolina Highway 75) with Frederick, Maryland
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
through Virginia. It was added to the state highway system in 1918 as State Route 2 and renumbered State Route 32 in the 1923 renumbering. In 1926, US 15 was designated along the whole of SR 32. The SR 32 designation was dropped in the 1933 renumbering, and was immediately reused on another route south of Petersburg. The number was again reused on its current alignment in the early 1940s to match North Carolina Highway 32
North Carolina Highway 32
NC 32 is a north–south state highway in eastern North Carolina; it goes through several counties and small communities in the northeastern Inner Banks part of the state...
.
Major intersections
{| class=wikitable!County
!Location
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=6|Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg County, Virginia
As of the census of 2010, there were 32,727 people, 12,951 households, and 8,962 families residing in the county. The population density was 52 people per square mile . There were 17,403 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
|
|0.00
|
|Southern terminus; North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
state line
|-
|rowspan=4|Clarksville
Clarksville, Virginia
Clarksville is a town founded in Mecklenburg County and overlapping across Halifax County in the U.S. state of Virginia, near the southern border of the state. The population was 1,139 at the 2010 census...
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|
|Partial cloverleaf interchange
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|6.08
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|US 15 turns east onto Virginia Avenue; south end of concurrency with US 58 and SR 49
|-
|6.96
|colspan=2 align=center|John H. Kerr Reservoir – Roanoke River
Roanoke River
The Roanoke River is a river in southern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States, 410 mi long. A major river of the southeastern United States, it drains a largely rural area of the coastal plain from the eastern edge of the Appalachian Mountains southeast across the Piedmont...
|-
|7.80
|
|SR 49 and US 15 turn north at this intersection; east end of concurrency with US 58 Business
|-
|
|9.40
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|North end of concurrency with SR 49
|-16.23
|rowspan=7|Charlotte
Charlotte County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,472 people, 4,951 households, and 3,435 families residing in the county. The population density was 26 people per square mile . There were 5,734 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...
|Barnes Junction
|23.62
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|-
|Wylliesburg
|26.86
|
|South end of concurrency with US 360
|-
|
|30.74
|
|
|-
|
|37.34
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|
|-
|
|
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|Interchange; no access from US 15 Business / US 360 Business to southbound US 15 / US 360
|-
|Keysville
Keysville, Virginia
Keysville is a town in Charlotte County, Virginia, United States. The population was 817 at the 2000 census. One of two branches of Southside Virginia Community College is in Keysville...
|40.70
|
|Diamond interchange
|-
|
|42.72
|
|Partial cloverleaf interchange; north end of concurrency with US 360
|-44.40
|rowspan=4|Prince Edward
Prince Edward County, Virginia
Prince Edward County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 23,368. Its county seat is Farmville.-Formation and County Seats:...
|Kingsville
Kingsville, Virginia
Kingsville is an unincorporated community in Prince Edward County, Virginia, United States. It sits on the intersection of VA 133 and US 15...
|56.54
|
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Farmville
Farmville, Virginia
Farmville is a town in Prince Edward and Cumberland counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 6,845 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Prince Edward County....
|59.48
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|Diamond interchange; south end of concurrency with US 460
|-
|63.66
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|Trumpet interchange; north end of concurrency with US 460; south end of concurrency with US 460 Business
|-
|63.80
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|North end of concurrency with US 460 Business
|-65.57
|rowspan=2|Buckingham
|Sprouses Corner
Sprouses Corner, Virginia
Sprouses Corner is an unincorporated community in Buckingham County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...
|80.33
|
|
|-
|Dillwyn
Dillwyn, Virginia
Dillwyn is an incorporated town in Buckingham County, Virginia, in the United States. The population was 447 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Dillwyn is located at ....
|81.78
|
|
|-98.13
|colspan=2|
|98.13
|colspan=2 align=center|John H. Cocke Memorial Bridge – James River
James River
The James River may refer to:Rivers in the United States and their namesakes* James River * James River , North Dakota, South Dakota* James River * James River * James River...
|-
|rowspan=3|Fluvanna
Fluvanna County, Virginia
As of 2002, Fluvanna County's population was 20,047. There are 7,387 households, and 5,702 families residing in the county. The population density was 70 people per square mile . There were 8,018 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
|Fork Union
Fork Union, Virginia
Fork Union is an unincorporated community in southern Fluvanna County, Virginia, along U.S. Highway 15. Its ZIP code is 23055; the population within that ZIP code was 1148 according to the 2000 Census...
|102.67
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|South end of concurrency with SR 6
|-
|Dixie
|104.66
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|North end of concurrency with SR 6
|-
|Palmyra
Palmyra, Virginia
Palmyra is a census-designated place in and the county seat of Fluvanna County, Virginia, United States. The population as of the 2010 Census was 104. Palmyra lies on the eastern bank of the Rivanna River along U.S. Route 15...
|111.02
|
|
|-119.71
|rowspan=4|Louisa
Louisa County, Virginia
Louisa County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 33,153. The county seat is Louisa.- History :...
|rowspan=2|Zion Crossroads
Zion Crossroads, Virginia
Zion Crossroads is an unincorporated community in Louisa and Fluvanna counties, Virginia, at the intersection of James Madison Highway and Three Notch Road . About 2½ miles north is Green Springs National Historic Landmark District, a U.S. National Historic Landmark...
|119.71
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|
|-
|120.16
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|I-64 Exit 136
|-
|Boswells Tavern
|127.11
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Gordonsville
Gordonsville, Virginia
Gordonsville is a town in Louisa and Orange counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 1,496 at the 2010 census.-History:Nathaniel Gordon purchased in 1787 and in 1794, or possibly earlier, applied for and was granted a license to operate a tavern...
|130.72
|
|South end of concurrency with US 33
|-131.17
|rowspan=3|Orange
Orange County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,881 people, 10,150 households, and 7,470 families residing in the county. The population density was 76 people per square mile . There were 11,354 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile...
|132.29
|
|Gordonsville Circle; north end of concurrency with US 33
|-
|rowspan=2|Orange
Orange, Virginia
Orange is a town in Orange County, Virginia, United States. The population was 4,721 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Orange County...
|140.64
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|South end of concurrency with SR 20
|-
|140.81
|
|US 15 turns east onto Madison Road; North end of concurrency with SR 20
|-144.08
|rowspan=1|Madison
Madison County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,520 people, 4,739 households, and 3,521 families residing in the county. The population density was 39 people per square mile . There were 5,239 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile...
|Madison Mills
Madison Mills, Virginia
-References:*...
|144.47
|
|
|-149.39
|rowspan=5|Culpeper
Culpeper County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 34,262 people, 12,141 households, and 9,045 families residing in the county. The population density was 90 people per square mile . There were 12,871 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile...
|rowspan=4|Culpeper
Culpeper, Virginia
Culpeper is an incorporated town in Culpeper County, Virginia, United States. The population was 9,664 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Culpeper County. Culpeper is part of the Culpeper Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Culpeper County. Both the Town of Culpeper and...
|157.24
|
|
|-
|158.06
|
|Diamond interchange; south end of concurrency with US 29
|-
|159.38
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|Diamond interchange
|-
|163.26
|
|Partial cloverleaf interchange
|-
|rowspan=3|Remington
Remington, Virginia
Remington is a small incorporated town in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. The population was 624 at the 2000 census, and at the 2008 census, the population is 673. It is near the highways, U.S. Route 15, U.S. Route 17, U.S. Route 29, and Virginia State Route 28...
|170.22
|
|
|-170.46
|rowspan=7|Fauquier
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
|172.63
|
|
|-
|172.93
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|
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|Opal
Opal, Virginia
Opal is a census-designated place in Fauquier County, Virginia, on U.S. Highway 15/U.S. Route 17 and Virginia State Route 28, at an elevation of 449 feet . The population as of the 2010 Census was 691....
|176.93
|
|South end of concurrency with US 17
|-
|rowspan=3|Warrenton
Warrenton, Virginia
Warrenton is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census, and 14,634 at the 2010 estimate. It is the county seat of Fauquier County. Public schools in the town include Fauquier High School, Warrenton Middle School, Taylor Middle School and two...
|181.64
|
|
|-
|
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|Diamond interchange
|-
|184.08
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|Directional interchange; north end of concurrency with US 17
|-
|rowspan=2|Buckland
Buckland, Virginia
Buckland is an unincorporated village in Prince William County, Virginia. Established in 1798, Buckland was an early inland stagecoach town, situated along the Fauquier and Alexandria Turnpike...
|191.14
|
|
|-191.27
|rowspan=4|Prince William
Prince William County, Virginia
-National protected areas:* Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge* Manassas National Battlefield Park* Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge* Prince William Forest Park-Government and politics:...
|192.09
|
|North end of concurrency with US 29
|-
|rowspan=2|Haymarket
Haymarket, Virginia
Haymarket is a town in Prince William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 879 at the 2000 census, but the 2009 is 1,252. Haymarket is home to the Haymarket Senators of the Valley Baseball League...
|194.86
|
|
|-
|195.02
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|I-66 Exit 40
|-
|
|198.91
|
|
|-203.16
|rowspan=6|Loudoun
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
|Gilberts Corner
Gilberts Corner, Virginia
Gilberts Corner is an unincorporated area at the intersection of U.S. Route 50 and U.S. Route 15 in Loudoun County, Virginia to the east of Aldie....
|205.74
|
|Roundabout
|-
|rowspan=4|Leesburg
Leesburg, Virginia
Leesburg is a historic town in, and county seat of, Loudoun County, Virginia, United States of America. Leesburg is located west-northwest of Washington, D.C. along the base of the Catoctin Mountain and adjacent to the Potomac River. Its population according the 2010 Census is 42,616...
|216.28
|
|Partial cloverleaf interchange; south end of concurrency with SR 7
|-
|216.72
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|Trumpet interchange
|-
|217.88
|
|Partial cloverleaf interchange; north end of concurrency with SR 7
|-
|220.40
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|
|-
|
|230.37
|
|Northern terminus; Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
state line; Point of Rocks Bridge over Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
See also
Spurs of State Route 32 between 1923 and 1928- State Route 321, Zion east to Oilville, now part of U.S. Route 250
- State Route 322, Sprouses CornerSprouses Corner, VirginiaSprouses Corner is an unincorporated community in Buckingham County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...
west to Buckingham, now part of U.S. Route 60 - State Route 323, Keysville east to Blackstone, now part of State Route 40
- State Route 324, Clarksville east to Boydton, now part of U.S. Route 58
- State Route 325, Leesburg west to Berryville, now part of State Route 7
- State Route 326, short spur east to PalmyraPalmyra, VirginiaPalmyra is a census-designated place in and the county seat of Fluvanna County, Virginia, United States. The population as of the 2010 Census was 104. Palmyra lies on the eastern bank of the Rivanna River along U.S. Route 15...
, now part of State Route 601 - State Route 327, Bealeton southeast to Falmouth, now part of U.S. Route 17