Virginia State Route 116
Encyclopedia
Virginia State Route 116 (SR 116) is a primary state highway
in the U.S. state of Virginia
. The state highway runs 20.66 miles (33.2 km) from SR 122
at Burnt Chimney north to SR 101
in Roanoke
. SR 116 connects northwestern Franklin County
with the southeastern part of Roanoke. The state highway forms a major street through Downtown Roanoke
and the city's north side.
. The state highway descends from the summit then has a short climb to Windy Gap, where the highway enters Roanoke County
. SR 116 descends to Back Creek and continues northwest as Jae Valley Road, which passes under the Blue Ridge Parkway
with no access. The state highway enters the city of Roanoke as Mount Pleasant Boulevard, then veers west as Riverland Road, which parallels the Roanoke River
on the northeastern flank of Mill Mountain, down the slope from the Roanoke Star. SR 116 follows Riverland Road to Piedmont Street, onto which the highway turns south for one block to Walnut Street. The state highway uses a viaduct to cross the Roanoke River and the intersection of Norfolk Southern Railway
's Winston-Salem and Altavista district rail lines just north of the historic Virginian Railway Passenger Station
. Immediately after passing under U.S. Route 220 (US 220) (Roy L. Webber Expressway), SR 116 turns north onto four-lane Jefferson Street to pass through the Old Southwest
neighborhood and by the Jefferson College of Health Sciences
.
SR 116 reaches the southern edge of Downtown Roanoke at Elm Avenue, which heads west as US 221
and east as SR 24
. SR 116 and US 221 continue north on Jefferson Street past the Patrick Henry Hotel
to Franklin Road, where the highways turn east. After one block on Franklin Road, the highways turn north onto four-lane Williamson Road, on which they head north along the eastern side of Downtown Roanoke. SR 116 and US 221 are joined by US 11
at Campbell Avenue. The three highways expand to a divided highway and cross over Norfolk Southern's Blue Ridge District rail line between the Roanoke Shops
to the east and the O. Winston Link Museum
and Hotel Roanoke
to the west. SR 116, US 221, and US 11 have a partial interchange with Interstate 581
(I-581) and US 220 east of the Gainsboro
neighborhood; the interchange features ramps from northbound SR 116 to northbound I-581 and from southbound I-581 to southbound SR 116. The highways pass the Roanoke Civic Center before intersecting Orange Avenue in the middle of the Williamson Road
neighborhood. Orange Avenue carries US 460
and U.S. Route 220 Alternate through the intersection, and U.S. Route 11 Alternate west of the intersection. US 11 continues north on Williamson Road, US 221 turns east onto Orange Avenue, and SR 116 turns west onto Orange Avenue.
SR 116, US 460, US 11 Alternate, and US 220 Alternate head west as a six-lane boulevard through a cloverleaf interchange
with I-581 and US 220; US 220 Alternate has its southern terminus at the interchange. The other three highways continue west as a four-lane undivided street that passes along the southern edge of the Washington Park
neighborhood. At 20th Street, the three highways veer southwest on Salem Turnpike, then west again on Melrose Avenue. The highways expand to a divided highway shortly before SR 116 leaves US 460 and US 11 Alternate by turning north onto two-lane Lafayette Boulevard. At the northern end of Lafayette Boulevard, the state highway heads northwest on Cove Road. SR 116 reaches its northern terminus at an oblique intersection with SR 101 (Hershberger Road).
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in the U.S. state of 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 state highway runs 20.66 miles (33.2 km) from SR 122
Virginia State Route 122
Virginia State Route 122 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from SR 40 in Rocky Mount north to U.S. Route 501 in Big Island. SR 122 passes through the Blue Ridge foothills of Franklin and Bedford, connecting Rocky Mount with the independent city of...
at Burnt Chimney north to SR 101
Virginia State Route 101
Virginia State Route 101 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. Known as Hershberger Road, the state highway runs from SR 117 east to U.S. Route 11 within Roanoke...
in Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
. SR 116 connects northwestern Franklin County
Franklin County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 47,286 people, 18,963 households, and 13,918 families residing in the county. The population density was 68 people per square mile . There were 22,717 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile...
with the southeastern part of Roanoke. The state highway forms a major street through Downtown Roanoke
Downtown Roanoke
Downtown is the central business district of Roanoke, Virginia, United States. Located geographically at the center of the city, Downtown began its development with the completion of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad in 1882...
and the city's north side.
Route description
SR 116 begins at an intersection with SR 122 (Booker T. Washington Highway) at the hamlet of Burnt Chimney. The state highway heads northwest as Jubal Early Highway, a two-lane road that passes through northwestern Franklin County. After passing through the foothills, SR 116 has a short but steep and curvaceous crossing of the Blue Ridge MountainsBlue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
. The state highway descends from the summit then has a short climb to Windy Gap, where the highway enters Roanoke County
Roanoke County, Virginia
Roanoke County is a county located in the U.S. state of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area and located within the Roanoke Region of Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 85,778. As of 2010, the population was 92,376...
. SR 116 descends to Back Creek and continues northwest as Jae Valley Road, which passes under the Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...
with no access. The state highway enters the city of Roanoke as Mount Pleasant Boulevard, then veers west as Riverland Road, which parallels 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...
on the northeastern flank of Mill Mountain, down the slope from the Roanoke Star. SR 116 follows Riverland Road to Piedmont Street, onto which the highway turns south for one block to Walnut Street. The state highway uses a viaduct to cross the Roanoke River and the intersection of 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 Winston-Salem and Altavista district rail lines just north of the historic Virginian Railway Passenger Station
Virginian Railway Passenger Station
The Virginian Railway Passenger Station, also known as the Virginian Station is a former rail station listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the South Jefferson neighborhood of the independent city of Roanoke, Virginia, U.S.A...
. Immediately after passing under U.S. Route 220 (US 220) (Roy L. Webber Expressway), SR 116 turns north onto four-lane Jefferson Street to pass through the Old Southwest
Old Southwest, Roanoke, Virginia
Old Southwest is a neighborhood of the independent city of Roanoke, Virginia, U.S.A.. Located geographically near the center of the city, Old Southwest was annexed from Roanoke County in 1890 and developed as one of Roanoke's more affluent residential areas...
neighborhood and by the Jefferson College of Health Sciences
Jefferson College of Health Sciences
Jefferson College of Health Sciences is an independent, private, coeducational, health sciences college located in Downtown Roanoke, Virginia, U.S.A....
.
SR 116 reaches the southern edge of Downtown Roanoke at Elm Avenue, which heads west as US 221
U.S. Route 221 in Virginia
U.S. Route 221 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Perry, Florida to Lynchburg, Virginia. In Virginia, the U.S. Highway runs from the North Carolina state line near Independence north to its northern terminus at US 29 Business, US 460 Business, and US 501 Business in Lynchburg...
and east as SR 24
Virginia State Route 24
Virginia State Route 24 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 221 and SR 116 in Roanoke east to US 60 in Mt. Rush. SR 24 connects Roanoke with several small communities in southern Bedford County and central Campbell County...
. SR 116 and US 221 continue north on Jefferson Street past the Patrick Henry Hotel
Patrick Henry Hotel
The Patrick Henry Hotel is a Colonial Revival former hotel listed on both the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register in Downtown Roanoke, Virginia, United States. Located at 617 South Jefferson Street at the southern end of Downtown, the Patrick Henry was designed...
to Franklin Road, where the highways turn east. After one block on Franklin Road, the highways turn north onto four-lane Williamson Road, on which they head north along the eastern side of Downtown Roanoke. SR 116 and US 221 are joined by US 11
U.S. Route 11 in Virginia
U.S. Route 11 in Virginia runs north–south through the western part of the state, parallel to Interstate 81.-History:What is now US 11 was added to the state highway system in 1918 as portions of State Route 10 and State Route 3 . SR 3 became State Route 33 in 1923, and US 11 was applied to...
at Campbell Avenue. The three highways expand to a divided highway and cross over Norfolk Southern's Blue Ridge District rail line between the Roanoke Shops
Roanoke Shops
thumb|250px|[[Norfolk Southern]] Roanoke Shops in 2004.The Roanoke Shops of the Norfolk and Western Railway in Roanoke, Virginia were founded in 1881 as the Roanoke Machine Works. It came under the control of the railroad in 1883. Locomotive production started in 1884 and 152 locomotives were...
to the east and the O. Winston Link Museum
O. Winston Link Museum
thumb|250px|[[Norfolk & Western Railway]]'s [[Roanoke, Virginia]] depotThe O. Winston Link Museum is a museum dedicated to the photography of O...
and Hotel Roanoke
Hotel Roanoke
The Hotel Roanoke is a luxury hotel located in the Gainsboro neighborhood of Roanoke, Virginia. Originally built in 1882, the hotel has been renovated many times. It is currently owned by Virginia Tech and operated under the Doubletree Hotels brand...
to the west. SR 116, US 221, and US 11 have a partial interchange with Interstate 581
Interstate 581
Interstate 581 is a spur off Interstate 81 into Roanoke, Virginia, United States, completely overlapping U.S. Route 220.-Route description:...
(I-581) and US 220 east of the Gainsboro
Gainsboro, Roanoke, Virginia
Gainsboro is a Roanoke, Virginia neighborhood located in central Roanoke immediately north of Downtown, across the Norfolk Southern Railway right of way, between Interstate 581 and Orange Avenue. It borders the neighborhoods of Harrison and Gilmer on the west, Washington Park on the north,...
neighborhood; the interchange features ramps from northbound SR 116 to northbound I-581 and from southbound I-581 to southbound SR 116. The highways pass the Roanoke Civic Center before intersecting Orange Avenue in the middle of the Williamson Road
Williamson Road, Roanoke, Virginia
Williamson Road is a Roanoke, Virginia neighborhood located in north, central Roanoke. It borders the neighborhoods of Roundhill and Preston Park on the north, Belmont on the south, Hollins on the east, and Gainsboro and Washington Park on the west opposite Interstate 581...
neighborhood. Orange Avenue carries US 460
U.S. Route 460 in Virginia
U.S. Route 460 in Virginia runs east–west through the southern part of the state. It has two separate pieces in Virginia, joined by a relatively short section in West Virginia...
and U.S. Route 220 Alternate through the intersection, and U.S. Route 11 Alternate west of the intersection. US 11 continues north on Williamson Road, US 221 turns east onto Orange Avenue, and SR 116 turns west onto Orange Avenue.
SR 116, US 460, US 11 Alternate, and US 220 Alternate head west as a six-lane boulevard through a cloverleaf interchange
Cloverleaf interchange
A cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which left turns, reverse direction in left-driving regions, are handled by ramp roads...
with I-581 and US 220; US 220 Alternate has its southern terminus at the interchange. The other three highways continue west as a four-lane undivided street that passes along the southern edge of the Washington Park
Washington Park, Roanoke, Virginia
Washington Park is a Roanoke, Virginia neighborhood located in central Roanoke, that initially developed in the 1920s as an early Roanoke suburb. It borders the neighborhoods of Roundhill on the north and Williamson Road on the north and east, Gainsboro and Harrison on the south and Melrose-Rugby...
neighborhood. At 20th Street, the three highways veer southwest on Salem Turnpike, then west again on Melrose Avenue. The highways expand to a divided highway shortly before SR 116 leaves US 460 and US 11 Alternate by turning north onto two-lane Lafayette Boulevard. At the northern end of Lafayette Boulevard, the state highway heads northwest on Cove Road. SR 116 reaches its northern terminus at an oblique intersection with SR 101 (Hershberger Road).