Virginia State Route 419
Encyclopedia
State Route 419, also known as Electric Road, is a primary state highway
in the U.S. state
of Virginia
. It runs from the south split of U.S. Route 220 and U.S. Route 220 Business in southern Roanoke west and north via Cave Spring
and Salem to State Route 311. It is a major road through the Roanoke Valley
.
, just north of Salem
. It begins briefly as a two lane road before expanding to four lanes for the remainder of its length. SR 419 has an interchange with Interstate 81 less than a mile from its origin. SR 419 enters the city of Salem and is a divided highway until its intersection with U.S. Route 460 a little over one mile (1.6 km) away. The former Lakeside Amusement Park
was located at this intersection until its closure in 1986.
Through the city of Salem, SR 419 has several traffic signals and a 35 mile per hour speed limit. General Electric
manufactures drive systems for electrical power generation and other industrial applications in a large facility beside SR 419 in Salem. As a result, SR 419 is known as Electric Road for most of its length. The next major intersection is with U.S. Route 11. 419 then parallels the Roanoke River
for a stretch. The Willow River apartments, which have been flooded many times since their construction,http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/66002 are located here. SR 419 passes Lewis Gale Hospital after it crosses the river, just before the road exits Salem and reeenters Roanoke County.
Through southwest Roanoke County, SR 419 generally has a 45 mile per hour speed limit and had few traffic signals during its early history. The road functioned as something of a surface street western bypass around the city of Roanoke. SR 419 eventually developed into a focus of retail, commercial, and residential development as southwest Roanoke County became the most affluent suburb
of Roanoke. Traffic signals have been steadily added since the 1980s, though some stretches without signals remain.
SR 419 intersects U.S. Route 221 in the Cave Spring
area of Roanoke County. The main Roanoke County library is located near this intersection. SR 419 is heavily developed past the next intersection with Colonial Avenue. The SR 419 designation terminates at the interchange with U.S. Route 220; U.S. Route 220 Business (Franklin Road) continues northeast. Tanglewood Mall
is located at the intersection of SR 419 and US 220.
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
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
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...
. It runs from the south split of U.S. Route 220 and U.S. Route 220 Business in southern Roanoke west and north via Cave Spring
Cave Spring, Virginia
Cave Spring is a census-designated place in Roanoke County, Virginia, United States. The population was 24,922 at the 2010 census. Cave Spring covers much of the area known locally as "Southwest County" which has the most affluent suburbs of Roanoke...
and Salem to State Route 311. It is a major road through the Roanoke Valley
Roanoke Valley
The Roanoke Valley in southwest Virginia is an area adjacent to and including the Roanoke River between the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Appalachian Plateau to the west...
.
Route
SR 419 begins at an intersection with State Route 311 in the Hanging Rock section of Roanoke CountyRoanoke 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...
, just north of Salem
Salem, Virginia
Salem is an independent city in Virginia, USA, bordered by the city of Roanoke to the east but otherwise adjacent to Roanoke County. It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 24,802 according to 2010 U.S. Census...
. It begins briefly as a two lane road before expanding to four lanes for the remainder of its length. SR 419 has an interchange with Interstate 81 less than a mile from its origin. SR 419 enters the city of Salem and is a divided highway until its intersection with U.S. Route 460 a little over one mile (1.6 km) away. The former Lakeside Amusement Park
Lakeside Amusement Park (Salem, Virginia)
Lakeside Amusement Park was an amusement park located in Salem, Virginia at the intersection of U.S. Route 460 and State Route 419 . The park was named after a very large swimming pool which was opened on the site in 1920...
was located at this intersection until its closure in 1986.
Through the city of Salem, SR 419 has several traffic signals and a 35 mile per hour speed limit. General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
manufactures drive systems for electrical power generation and other industrial applications in a large facility beside SR 419 in Salem. As a result, SR 419 is known as Electric Road for most of its length. The next major intersection is with U.S. Route 11. 419 then 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...
for a stretch. The Willow River apartments, which have been flooded many times since their construction,http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/66002 are located here. SR 419 passes Lewis Gale Hospital after it crosses the river, just before the road exits Salem and reeenters Roanoke County.
Through southwest Roanoke County, SR 419 generally has a 45 mile per hour speed limit and had few traffic signals during its early history. The road functioned as something of a surface street western bypass around the city of Roanoke. SR 419 eventually developed into a focus of retail, commercial, and residential development as southwest Roanoke County became the most affluent suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Roanoke. Traffic signals have been steadily added since the 1980s, though some stretches without signals remain.
SR 419 intersects U.S. Route 221 in the Cave Spring
Cave Spring, Virginia
Cave Spring is a census-designated place in Roanoke County, Virginia, United States. The population was 24,922 at the 2010 census. Cave Spring covers much of the area known locally as "Southwest County" which has the most affluent suburbs of Roanoke...
area of Roanoke County. The main Roanoke County library is located near this intersection. SR 419 is heavily developed past the next intersection with Colonial Avenue. The SR 419 designation terminates at the interchange with U.S. Route 220; U.S. Route 220 Business (Franklin Road) continues northeast. Tanglewood Mall
Tanglewood Mall
Tanglewood Mall is a shopping mall in southwest Roanoke County, Virginia. It originally opened for business in 1973. The mall is currently managed by Urban Retail Properties....
is located at the intersection of SR 419 and US 220.