U.S. Route 29 in Virginia

U.S. Route 29
U.S. Route 29
Route information
	Maintained by VDOT
Length	248 mi (399 km)
Existed	1931–present
Tourist; routes	Journey Through Hallowed Ground Byway; Virginia Byway
Major junctions
South end	; Future I-785 / US 29 near Reidsville, NC
	US 58 in Danville; US 460 near Lynchburg; I-64 near Charlottesville; US 250 in Charlottesville; US 33 near Ruckersville; US 522 near Culpeper; US 17 near Warrenton; US 15 in Gainesville; US 50 in Fairfax; I-66 in Arlington
North end	US 29 in Washington, DC
Location
Country	United States
State	Virginia
Counties	City of Danville, Pittsylvania, Campbell, City of Lynchburg, Amherst, Nelson, Albemarle, City of Charlottesville, Greene, Madison, Culpeper, Fauquier, Prince William, Fairfax, City of Fairfax, City of Falls Church, Arlington
Highway system
	United States Numbered Highway System; List; Special; Divided; Virginia Routes; Interstate; US; Primary; Secondary; Byways; History; HOT lanes;

U.S. Route 29 (US 29) is a major north–south route in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It covers 248 miles (399 km) from the North Carolina border at the city of Danville to the Key Bridge in Washington, D.C.. US 29 roughly bisects Virginia into eastern and western halves, and along with Interstate 81 in western Virginia, and 85/95 farther east, provides one of the major north–south routes through the Commonwealth.

For much of its length, US 29 in Virginia is known as the Seminole Trail. Through Northern Virginia, it is known as Lee Highway, except in Falls Church, where it acts as the east/west divider for city streets and is called North or South Washington Street. On April 7, 1993 the Virginia General Assembly officially designated the entire length of US 29 from the North Carolina border to the Potomac River as the "29th Infantry Division Memorial Highway" in honor of that Army unit, which, along with the 1st Infantry Division, formed the spearhead of the American infantry that landed on the morning of 6 June 1944 on Omaha Beach in Normandy as part of the invasion of France to liberate that country during World War II. These divisions next fought their way across France, and into Germany. In addition, the name of this highway serves to honor many members of the Virginia Army National Guard who serve as part of this National Guard Division today. Signs indicating this designation have been placed periodically on both sides of US 29.

For most of its route through Virginia, US 29 has been constructed to be at least four lanes along its route, with the two short exceptions being where the highway passes through Manassas National Battlefield Park, where it is two lanes wide for approximately three miles, and through Fairfax and Arlington counties, where it is sometimes wider.

US 29 entering Virginia from North Carolina; The Bus/Byp split, Bus. entering, and Byp. entering.

US 29 in Virginia has eleven highway by-pass routes around various cities and towns. These bypasses are around Danville, Chatham, Gretna, Hurt-Altavista, Lynchburg-Madison Heights-Amherst, Lovingston, Charlottesville, Madison, Culpeper, Remington, and Warrenton. In addition, Interstate 66 serves for the most part as a by-pass of Manassas and also Fairfax and Arlington.

Route description

US 29 enters Virginia in Danville from North Carolina, immediately splitting into business and by-pass routes. US 29 joins the Danville Expressway and US 58 around the east side of Danville, entering Pittsylvania County, and re-merging with the business route north of town in Blairs. The interchange where the split of US 29 into Business and Bypass routes/junction with US 58 occurs has ramps that enter North Carolina and ramps that enter Virginia, complete with welcome signs from each state. There is a cloverleaf ramp that dips into North Carolina from Virginia and then crosses the state lines back into Virginia. Along the southeastern quadrant of the Danville Expressway between the North Carolina US 360, the route is designated as part of unsigned State Route 785 for 7.39 mi (11.89 km).^[2] Created c. 2000, SR 785 is numbered in contradiction to the conventional system of numbering in the state, where primary routes are numbered less than 600 and secondary routes at or above this number. It is numbered as such because it is part of the planned Interstate 785, which will run south along US 29 to Interstate 85 in Greensboro, North Carolina, and is only one of two routes of this type. The other is Route 895 in Richmond for similar reasons.

US 29 then continues north where it splits into business and by-pass routes for Chatham, Gretna, and Hurt before entering Campbell County.

The next major city is Lynchburg. US 29 joins the US 460 by-pass of Lynchburg, splitting from it just before entering Amherst County. US 29 again by-passes Madison Heights and Amherst as an expressway, and enters Nelson County and passes the town of Lovingston and enters into Albemarle County. The route then continues north to Charlottesville, intersecting Interstate 64 and by-passing downtown Charlottesville. US 29 rejoins its congested business route just north of downtown, continuing north as a 6 lane road through Charlottesville's business district. Past Charlottesville, it converts back to 4 lanes and continues through Greene and Madison Counties, and then turns north-east toward Culpeper. US 15 joins US 29 around Culpeper, and heads to Warrenton, entering Northern Virginia.

US 29 / 15 is joined by US 17 south of Warrenton in Fauquier County, and continues around the town, with US 17 splitting off. US 29/15 continues mostly eastward to Gainesville where US 15 splits and US 29 intersects Interstate 66 for the first time. US 29 continues into Fairfax County, where it passes along the boundary of the city of Falls Church, where the road has two different names. The portion of the street running northbound is located in the City of Falls Church is called Washington Boulevard, and has different street addresses than the other side running southbound in Fairfax County, where it is named Lee Highway. The road continues into Arlington, having intersected I-66 five more times before crossing into the District.

History

The portion of what is now US 29 from the North Carolina state line to Warrenton was named the Seminole Trail by an act of the Virginia General Assembly on February 16, 1928. Although it was apparently not part of the National Auto Trails initiative early in the 20th century, the Seminole Trail is believed to have originated as part of an effort to promote the road as a through-route to Florida, home of the Native American Seminole tribe. Many road maps of the 1930s and 1940s list the Seminole Trail on highways in Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia and ultimately Florida.

Gainesville Interchange

The Gainesville Interchange project took place at the interchange between Lee Highway (US 29) and Interstate 66 at the junction with Linton Hall Road (SR 619) starting in July 2011, with board planning on it dating back to 2006. The project was worth $230 million and included interchanges at many other heavily traveled roads in the area due to the rapid growth in development in Gainesville and Haymarket, along with it being a major area drivers departure off of I-66 to travel towards other major cities along Lee Highway, such as Charlottesville. Reasoning for this is because of the lack of road development to accommodate the new heavy traffic in the area. The plan included a single point interchange design and bridges over train tracks to ease traffic flow on Lee Highway onto I-66. Lee Highway was also widened around the interchange to combat this issue. What was once a two-lane country road is now a four lane suburban highway. Land was acquired by VDOT at the intersection of US 29 and Linton Hall Road/SR 619. The entire project was completed and opened to the general public on July 9, 2015.

Charlottesville Bypass

A western Route 29 bypass around Charlottesville was originally proposed in 1979. Engineering and environmental work on the project began in late 1984 and the location was approved by the Commonwealth Transportation Board in 1990.

Acquisition of right of way for the project began in 1991 and continued until 2001. No additional right of way has been purchased since then. VDOT owns 36 properties that are currently leased and occupied.

In 1998 a lawsuit was filed challenging the project, alleging that the environmental impact review of the project violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In 2001 the federal court ruled in favor of VDOT on the suit but required the agency to complete a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement addressing the road's impacts on the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir and the mitigation to minimize those impacts. That document was completed and accepted by the Federal Highway Administration in 2003.

In 1996 the Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) inserted language into its Transportation Improvement Program that prevented additional funds from being allocated to construction of the Western Bypass. That language was removed by the MPO Policy Board in July 2011.^[3]

All activities on the Route 29 Charlottesville Bypass project were suspended in March 2014 following notification from the Federal Highway Administration that a new Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement would be required before the environmental process could be completed. The new Supplemental EIS was required due to the history of litigation and controversy associated with the project.^[4]

Major intersections

County	Location	mi	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
City of Danville		0.00	0.00		Future I-785 / US 29 south – Greensboro, Charlotte SR 785 begin	Continuation into North Carolina
				?	US 29 Bus. north / US 58 west – Danville, Martinsville	South end of US 58 overlap
				?	Corning Drive	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
				?	Elizabeth Street Extended
				?	SR 86 (South Main Street) – Yanceyville, Chapel Hill
				?	SR 737 (Goodyear Boulevard)
				?	River Park Drive – Dan Daniel Memorial Park
				?	US 58 east / US 360 / US 58 Bus. west (South Boston Road) – Danville, South Boston, Richmond SR 785 end	North end of concurrency with US 58; future northern terminus of I-785
Pittsylvania				—	SR 41 (East Franklin Turnpike) to SR 360 – Danville, Halifax
				—	SR 726 to US 29 Bus. – Blairs, Danville	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
				—	US 29 Bus. south to SR 726 – Blairs, Danville	North end of freeway; southbound exit and northbound entrance
	Chatham			—	US 29 Bus. north – Chatham	South end of expressway; northbound exit and southbound entrance
				—	SR 57 – Chatham, South Boston
				—	SR 685 – Chatham
				—	US 29 Bus. south to SR 57 west – Chatham	North end of expressway
				—	US 29 Bus. north – Gretna	South end of expressway; northbound exit and southbound entrance
				—	SR 40 – Gretna, Rocky Mount
				—	US 29 Bus. south – Gretna	North end of expressway; southbound exit and northbound entrance
				—	US 29 Bus. north – Hurt	South end of expressway
				—	SR 924 – Hurt
Campbell				—	SR 43 – Altavista, Leesville
				—	SR 714 – Altavista
	Altavista			—	SR 711 (Clarion Road)
				—	US 29 Bus. south – Altavista	North end of expressway
	Yellow Branch				SR 24 (Colonial Highway) – Evington, Rustburg, Smith Mountain Lake
					US 460 west / US 29 Bus. north (Wards Road) – Lynchburg, Roanoke	South end of freeway section; south end of concurrency with US 460
City of Lynchburg					Champions Circle	Southbound entrance only
				—	Candlers Mountain Road to SR 670 / University Boulevard – Liberty University	University Blvd. not signed northbound; SR 670 not signed southbound
				—	US 501 north (Candlers Mountain Road) – Buena Vista	South end of concurrency with US 501
				—	Odd Fellows Road	Future interchange; under construction^[5]
				—	US 501 south / US 460 Bus. west / US 501 Bus. north (Campbell Avenue) – South Boston	North end of freeway section; north end of concurrency with US 501
Campbell				—	US 460 east (Richmond Highway) – Appomattox	South end of freeway; north end of concurrency with US 460
Amherst				—	SR 210 west – Madison Heights, Downtown Lynchburg
				—	SR 130 west – Madison Heights
	Sweet Briar			—	US 29 Bus. – Madison Heights, Amherst
	Amherst			—	US 60 – Amherst, Lexington, Richmond
	Amherst			—	US 29 Bus. south (Main Street) / SR 739 north (Boxwood Farm Road) – Amherst	North end of freeway; SR 739 is former southern terminus of SR 150
					SR 739	Former SR 150
					SR 739 south (Napier Loop)	Former northern terminus of SR 150
					SR 151 north (Patrick Henry Highway) – Piney River, Afton, Wintergreen
Nelson	Colleen				SR 56 west (Tye Brook Highway) – Piney River	South end of concurrency with SR 56
	Lovingston				US 29 Bus. north / SR 56 east (Front Street) – Lovingston, Shipman	North end of concurrency with SR 56
	Lovingston				US 29 Bus. south (Northside Lane) – Lovingston
	Woods Mill				SR 6 west (River Road) – Afton, Wintergreen	South end of concurrency with SR 6
					SR 6 east (Irish Road) – Scottsville, Schuyler	North end of concurrency with SR 6
Albemarle	Crossroads				SR 692 (Plank Road) – Batesville, North Garden	Former SR 230 north
				—	I-64 – Staunton, Richmond	South end of freeway; I-64 exit 118
				—	US 29 Bus. north – Charlottesville
				—	US 250 west / US 250 Bus. east – Waynesboro, Charlottesville, Ivy	South end of concurrency with US 250
				—	To SR 601	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
				—	Leonard Sandridge Road – University of Virginia	Northbound exit and entrance only
				—	SR 654 (Barracks Road)
City of Charlottesville				—	US 250 east / US 29 Bus. south (Emmet Street) – Richmond, University of Virginia	North end of freeway; north end of concurrency with US 250
Greene	Ruckersville				US 33 (Spotswood Trail) – Harrisonburg, Richmond
Greene	Burtonville				SR 609 (Fredericksburg Road)	former SR 243 west
Madison					SR 230 west (Wolftown–Hood Road) / SR 626 (Gibbs Road) – Stanardsville	South end of concurrency with SR 230
					SR 230 east / SR 231 south (Orange Road) – Gordonsville, Orange	North end of concurrency with SR 230; south end of concurrency with SR 231
					US 29 Bus. north / SR 231 north (South Main Street) – Madison, Shenandoah National Park, Skyline Drive, Historic Downtown Madison	North end of concurrency with SR 231; northbound exit and southbound entrance
					SR 687 (Fairground Road)	former SR 27
					SR 634 (Washington Street / Oak Park Road) – Madison, Locust Dale	former SR 230
					US 29 Bus. south (North Main Street) / SR 722 (Fishback Road) to SR 231 north – Madison
Culpeper				—	US 29 Bus. north / SR 299 south – Culpeper	South end of expressway
				—	US 15 south / US 15 Bus. north – Culpeper, Orange	South end of concurrency with US 15
				—	US 522 / SR 3 – Mineral, Fredericksburg
	Inlet			—	US 15 Bus. south / US 29 Bus. south – Culpeper, Brandy Station	North end of expressway
					US 15 Bus. north / US 29 Bus. north (Remington Road) – Remington
Fauquier					US 15 Bus. south / US 29 Bus. south (James Madison Street) – Remington
					SR 28 north (Catlett Road) / SR 657 (Kings Hill Road) – Manassas, Warrenton-Fauquier Airport
	Opal				US 17 south (Marsh Road) / SR 687 (Opal Road) to I-95 – Fredericksburg	Interchange; south end of concurrency with US 17
					US 15 Bus. north / US 17 Bus. north / US 29 Bus. north / SR 880 (Lord Fairfax Road) – Warrenton, Lord Fairfax Community College Fauquier Campus
	Warrenton				SR 643 (Meetze Road / Lee Street) – Warrenton	Interchange
	Warrenton				US 17 north / US 15 Bus. south / US 29 Bus. south to I-66 west / I-81 / US 211 west – Winchester, Warrenton, Luray	Interchange; north end of concurrency with US 17
	Buckland				SR 215 east (Vint Hill Road) – Vint Hill Farms Station, Lake Brittle
Prince William					US 15 north (James Madison Highway) – Leesburg	North end of concurrency with US 15
	Gainesville				SR 55 west (John Marshall Highway) / SR 619 east (Linton Hall Road) – Haymarket, Front Royal	Interchange
	Gainesville				I-66 – Front Royal, Washington	I-66 exit 43
	Manassas National Battlefield Park				SR 234 (Sudley Road) to I-66 – Visitor Center, NVCC, Manassas
Fairfax	Bull Run				SR 609 (Pleasant Valley Road)
	Centreville				I-66 – Washington, Front Royal	I-66 exit 52
					SR 28 to I-66 east – Dulles Airport, Manassas	Interchange
					Braddock Road (SR 620) / Old Centreville Road (SR 898)
	Willow Springs				SR 645 (Stringfellow Road / Clifton Road) – Clifton
					SR 286 (Fairfax County Parkway) / SR 608 (West Ox Road) to I-66	Interchange
	Jermantown				SR 655 south (Shirley Gate Road) / SR 665 (Waples Mill Road)
City of Fairfax					US 50 west / SR 236 east (Fairfax Boulevard / Main Street) to I-66 – Old Town Fairfax	South end of concurrency with US 50
					SR 123 (Chain Bridge Road) to I-66
					US 50 east / SR 237 west (Fairfax Boulevard)	Fairfax Circle (traffic circle with cut-through); north end of concurrency with US 50; south end of concurrency with SR 237
Fairfax					Blake Lane (SR 655) / Pickett Road
	Merrifield				SR 243 north (Nutley Street) to I-66
	Merrifield				SR 650 (Gallows Road) to I-495
					I-495 Express south	Interchange
City of Falls Church					SR 338 east (Hillwood Avenue)
City of Falls Church					SR 7 (Broad Street)
Arlington	East Falls Church				SR 237 east (Fairfax Drive)	North end of concurrency with SR 237
	East Falls Church				To I-66 west
	Glebewood				SR 120 (North Glebe Road) – Chain Bridge, Alexandria
	Waverly Hills				SR 309 west (Old Dominion Drive)	South end of concurrency with SR 309; no left turn northbound
	Waverly Hills				SR 309 east (Lee Highway)	North end of concurrency with SR 309
	Cherrydale				Lee Highway (SR 309 west)
	Lyon Village				I-66 west – Front Royal, Dulles Airport	I-66 exit 72
	Lyon Village				SR 124 east (Spout Run Parkway)
	Rosslyn				I-66 west – Front Royal, Dulles Airport	I-66 exit 74; southbound exit and northbound entrance
					I-66 east to I-395 – Washington, Airport	I-66 exit 74
					George Washington Parkway north to I-495	Interchange; no southbound entrance
Potomac River					US 29 north (Key Bridge) – Washington	Continuation into D.C.
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus Electronic toll collection Incomplete access Unopened