Virginia State Route 164
Encyclopedia
Virginia State Route 164 (SR 164) is a primary state highway
in the U.S. state of Virginia
. Known as the Western Freeway, the state highway runs 7.27 miles (11.7 km) from U.S. Route 17
(US 17) in Suffolk
east to US 58
in Portsmouth
. SR 164 is a four- to six-lane freeway that connects the northern parts of Suffolk and Portsmouth—and Newport News
and Hampton
via Interstate 664
(I-664)—with Downtown Portsmouth and through the Midtown Tunnel to Downtown Norfolk
.
, in the Belleville
area of the independent city
of Suffolk. Eastbound SR 164 receives another ramp from US 17, then the freeway meets I-664 (Hampton Roads Beltway) at a partial cloverleaf interchange that includes a flyover ramp from southbound I-664 to eastbound SR 164. Just east of the interchange, the eastbound carriageway crosses over the Commonwealth Railway
, which settles into the media of SR 164. The state highway has a partial diamond interchange
with SR 135
(College Drive) that allows access to the crossroad to and from the direction of Portsmouth, which the freeway enters immediately to the east of the interchange.
SR 164 and the railroad pass to the north of the community of Churchland, which is served via a diamond interchange with Towne Point Road and a partial cloverleaf interchange with Cedar Lane. East of Cedar Lane, a spur of the Commonwealth Railway splits to the north to serve APM Terminals
's Portsmouth terminal while the main line exits the median and begins to parallel the south side of the freeway. Truck access to the terminal is provided by a diamond interchange with APM Terminals Boulevard. Within the West Norfolk neighborhood, SR 164 crosses the railroad and has a partial cloverleaf interchange with West Norfolk Road. The state highway crosses the Western Branch of the Elizabeth River
on the West Norfolk Bridge, which passes through an S-curve as it crosses the channel of the river then parallels the shore of the residential Port Norfolk neighborhood. SR 164 expands to six lanes at the south end of the river crossing part of the bridge. East of the bridge, the freeway enters the actual Port Norfolk, curves south, and reaches its eastern terminus at the Pinners Point Interchange, a full Y interchange with US 58 (Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway). US 58 heads east into the Midtown Tunnel toward Norfolk and south toward Downtown Portsmouth. Port Norfolk is accessed via ramps with Railroad Avenue within the interchange.
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...
. Known as the Western Freeway, the state highway runs 7.27 miles (11.7 km) from U.S. Route 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...
(US 17) in Suffolk
Suffolk, Virginia
Suffolk is the largest city by area in Virginia, United States, and is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 84,585. Its median household income was $57,546.-History:...
east to 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...
in Portsmouth
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
. SR 164 is a four- to six-lane freeway that connects the northern parts of Suffolk and Portsmouth—and Newport News
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
and Hampton
Hampton, Virginia
Hampton is an independent city that is not part of any county in Southeast Virginia. Its population is 137,436. As one of the seven major cities that compose the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, it is on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula. Located on the Hampton Roads Beltway, it hosts...
via Interstate 664
Interstate 664
Interstate 664 is an Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The Interstate runs from I-64 and I-264 in Chesapeake north to I-64 in Hampton. I-664 forms the west side of the Hampton Roads Beltway, a circumferential highway serving the Hampton Roads metropolitan area...
(I-664)—with Downtown Portsmouth and through the Midtown Tunnel to Downtown Norfolk
Downtown Norfolk, Virginia
As the traditional center of shipping and port activities in the Hampton Roads region, Norfolk, Virginia's downtown waterfront historically played host to numerous and often noxious port and shipping-related uses...
.
Route description
SR 164 begins as a pair of two-lane flyover ramps from southbound US 17 (Bridge Road) and to northbound US 17, in the direction of the James River BridgeJames River Bridge
The James River Bridge is a four-lane divided highway lift bridge across the James River in the U.S. state of Virginia. Owned and operated by the Virginia Department of Transportation, it carries U.S. Route 17, U.S. Route 258, and State Route 32 across the river near its mouth at Hampton Roads...
, in the Belleville
Belleville, Virginia
Belleville is an unincorporated community in the independent city of Suffolk, Virginia, United States. It is located at the junction of Interstate 664, U.S. Route 17, and State Route 164....
area of the independent city
Independent city
An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. These type of cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other sovereign state.-Historical precursors:In the Holy Roman Empire,...
of Suffolk. Eastbound SR 164 receives another ramp from US 17, then the freeway meets I-664 (Hampton Roads Beltway) at a partial cloverleaf interchange that includes a flyover ramp from southbound I-664 to eastbound SR 164. Just east of the interchange, the eastbound carriageway crosses over the Commonwealth Railway
Commonwealth Railway
The Commonwealth Railway, Inc. is a Class III short-line railroad operating of track of a former Norfolk, Franklin and Danville Railway line from Suffolk, Virginia, to Portsmouth, Virginia. The main office is in the Wilroy area of Suffolk. Commonwealth Railway is owned by Genesee & Wyoming Inc....
, which settles into the media of SR 164. The state highway has a partial 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...
with SR 135
Virginia State Route 135
Virginia State Route 135 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. Known as College Drive, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 17 north to the entrance of Tidewater Community College, where the highway continues as SR 367, within the independent city of Suffolk...
(College Drive) that allows access to the crossroad to and from the direction of Portsmouth, which the freeway enters immediately to the east of the interchange.
SR 164 and the railroad pass to the north of the community of Churchland, which is served via a diamond interchange with Towne Point Road and a partial cloverleaf interchange with Cedar Lane. East of Cedar Lane, a spur of the Commonwealth Railway splits to the north to serve APM Terminals
APM Terminals
APM Terminals is an international container terminal operating company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands. It is one of the world's leading port and terminal operators as well as providing cargo support and container Inland Services, and is the largest port and terminal operating company in...
's Portsmouth terminal while the main line exits the median and begins to parallel the south side of the freeway. Truck access to the terminal is provided by a diamond interchange with APM Terminals Boulevard. Within the West Norfolk neighborhood, SR 164 crosses the railroad and has a partial cloverleaf interchange with West Norfolk Road. The state highway crosses the Western Branch of the Elizabeth River
Elizabeth River (Virginia)
The Elizabeth River is a tidal estuary forming an arm of Hampton Roads harbor at the southern end of Chesapeake Bay in southeast Virginia in the United States. It is located along the southern side of the mouth of the James River, between the cities of Portsmouth and Norfolk...
on the West Norfolk Bridge, which passes through an S-curve as it crosses the channel of the river then parallels the shore of the residential Port Norfolk neighborhood. SR 164 expands to six lanes at the south end of the river crossing part of the bridge. East of the bridge, the freeway enters the actual Port Norfolk, curves south, and reaches its eastern terminus at the Pinners Point Interchange, a full Y interchange with US 58 (Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway). US 58 heads east into the Midtown Tunnel toward Norfolk and south toward Downtown Portsmouth. Port Norfolk is accessed via ramps with Railroad Avenue within the interchange.