Virginia State Route 54
Encyclopedia
Virginia State Route 54 (SR 54) is a primary state highway
in the U.S. state of Virginia
. Known for most of its length as Patrick Henry Road, the state highway runs 18.67 miles (30 km) from U.S. Route 33
in Montpelier
east to US 301
and SR 2
in Hanover Courthouse
. SR 54 is the main east–west highway of Hanover County
, connecting the western part of the county and the county seat
with the central town of Ashland
, where the highway meets US 1
and Interstate 95
(I-95).
, the estate of Patrick Henry
. SR 54 heads southeast and crosses the South Anna River
and Kings Pond, an impoundment of Falling Creek, before entering the town of Ashland, where the highway becomes Thompson Street. The state highway intersects CSX
's RF&P Subdivision just south of the Ashland Amtrak station
. SR 54 continues east as England Street, a three-lane road with center turn lane, and passes to the south of the campus of Randolph-Macon College
. The state highway expands to a six-lane divided highway at US 1 (Washington Highway) and passes through a commercial area between the U.S. Highway and the state highway's partial cloverleaf interchange with I-95. East of the Interstate, SR 54 reduces to two lanes and leaves the town of Ashland, becoming Patrick Henry Road again. The state highway intersects a Norfolk Southern Railway
rail line before reaching its eastern terminus at US 301 and SR 2 (Hanover Courthouse Highway) within the Hanover County Courthouse Historic District.
.
{| class=wikitable
!Location
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|Montpelier
|0.00
|
|Western terminus
|-
|rowspan=2|Ashland
|12.45
|
|
|-
|13.04
|
|I-95 Exit 92
|-
|Hanover Courthouse
|18.67
|
|Eastern terminus
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 for most of its length as Patrick Henry Road, the state highway runs 18.67 miles (30 km) from U.S. Route 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...
in Montpelier
Montpelier, Virginia
Montpelier is an unincorporated community in Hanover County in the central region of the U.S. state of Virginia. Montpelier is on U.S. Route 33, which was long named as "the Mountain Road" between Richmond and the Blue Ridge Mountains...
east to US 301
U.S. Route 301 in Virginia
U.S. Route 301 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Sarasota, Florida to Glasgow, Delaware. In Virginia, the U.S. Highway runs from the North Carolina state line near Skippers north to the Maryland state line at the Potomac River near Dahlgren. US 301 forms the local complement...
and SR 2
Virginia State Route 2
Virginia State Route 2 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 1 and US 301 in Richmond north to US 1 Business, US 17 Business, and SR 3 Business in Fredericksburg. SR 2 connects Richmond and Fredericksburg via Bowling Green...
in Hanover Courthouse
Hanover Courthouse, Virginia
Hanover Courthouse is a census-designated place in and the county seat of Hanover County, Virginia, United States. Hanover Courthouse is located at the junction of U.S. Route 301 and State Route 54 south of the Pamunkey River. While historically and technically known as Hanover Courthouse, the...
. SR 54 is the main east–west highway of Hanover County
Hanover County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 86,320 people, 31,121 households, and 24,461 families residing in the county. The population density was 183 people per square mile . There were 32,196 housing units at an average density of 68 per square mile...
, connecting the western part of the county and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
with the central town of Ashland
Ashland, Virginia
Originally known as Slash Cottage, Ashland is located on the Old Washington Highway U.S. Route One and the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad, a busy north-south route now owned by CSX Transportation...
, where the highway meets US 1
U.S. Route 1 in Virginia
U.S. Route 1 in the U.S. state of Virginia runs north–south through South Hill, Petersburg, Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Alexandria on its way from North Carolina to the 14th Street Bridge into the District of Columbia...
and Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Virginia
In the Commonwealth of Virginia, Interstate 95 runs through the state. It runs concurrently for with Interstate 64 in Richmond, and meets the northern terminus of Interstate 85 in Petersburg. Though Interstate 95 was originally planned to go straight through Washington, D.C., it was instead...
(I-95).
Route description
SR 54 begins at an intersection with US 33 (Mountain Road) just east of Montpelier. The state highway heads east as two-lane Patrick Henry Road, which intersects Scotchtown Road. Scotchtown Road heads north toward ScotchtownScotchtown (plantation)
Scotchtown is a plantation located in Hanover County, Virginia, that was once owned and used as a residence by Patrick Henry, revolutionary and first Governor of Virginia. It is located in Beaverdam, Virginia, northwest of Ashland, Virginia on VA 685...
, the estate of Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry was an orator and politician who led the movement for independence in Virginia in the 1770s. A Founding Father, he served as the first and sixth post-colonial Governor of Virginia from 1776 to 1779 and subsequently, from 1784 to 1786...
. SR 54 heads southeast and crosses the South Anna River
South Anna River
The South Anna River is a principal tributary of the Pamunkey River, about long, in central Virginia in the United States. Via the Pamunkey and York rivers, it is part of the watershed of Chesapeake Bay....
and Kings Pond, an impoundment of Falling Creek, before entering the town of Ashland, where the highway becomes Thompson Street. The state highway intersects 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 RF&P Subdivision just south of the Ashland Amtrak station
Ashland, Virginia (Amtrak station)
The Ashland, Virginia is located at 112 North Railroad Avenue in Ashland, Virginia. The tracks are lined with a cobblestone median in the center of town, making it a popular train-watching site for railfans....
. SR 54 continues east as England Street, a three-lane road with center turn lane, and passes to the south of the campus of Randolph-Macon College
Randolph-Macon College
Randolph–Macon College is a private, co-educational liberal arts college located in Ashland, Virginia, United States, near the capital city of Richmond. Founded in 1830, the school has an enrollment of over 1,200 students...
. The state highway expands to a six-lane divided highway at US 1 (Washington Highway) and passes through a commercial area between the U.S. Highway and the state highway's partial cloverleaf interchange with I-95. East of the Interstate, SR 54 reduces to two lanes and leaves the town of Ashland, becoming Patrick Henry Road again. The state highway intersects a 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...
rail line before reaching its eastern terminus at US 301 and SR 2 (Hanover Courthouse Highway) within the Hanover County Courthouse Historic District.
Major intersections
The entire route is in Hanover CountyHanover County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 86,320 people, 31,121 households, and 24,461 families residing in the county. The population density was 183 people per square mile . There were 32,196 housing units at an average density of 68 per square mile...
.
{| class=wikitable
!Location
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|Montpelier
Montpelier, Virginia
Montpelier is an unincorporated community in Hanover County in the central region of the U.S. state of Virginia. Montpelier is on U.S. Route 33, which was long named as "the Mountain Road" between Richmond and the Blue Ridge Mountains...
|0.00
|
|Western terminus
|-
|rowspan=2|Ashland
Ashland, Virginia
Originally known as Slash Cottage, Ashland is located on the Old Washington Highway U.S. Route One and the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad, a busy north-south route now owned by CSX Transportation...
|12.45
|
|
|-
|13.04
|
|I-95 Exit 92
|-
|Hanover Courthouse
Hanover Courthouse, Virginia
Hanover Courthouse is a census-designated place in and the county seat of Hanover County, Virginia, United States. Hanover Courthouse is located at the junction of U.S. Route 301 and State Route 54 south of the Pamunkey River. While historically and technically known as Hanover Courthouse, the...
|18.67
|
|Eastern terminus