Virginia...

Glossary
US 13:


Summary:

Segment Type of Highway Designated Arterial System?
North Carolina to Whaleyville 2-lane Road NO
Through the Whaleyville section of Suffolk City Street NO
Whaleyville to VA 32 2-lane Road NO
VA 32 to the south end of the Southwest Suffolk Bypass 4-lane Arterial NO
Southwest Suffolk Bypass 4-lane Freeway NO
Suffolk Bypass 4-lane Freeway YES
Suffolk Bypass to I-64 6-lane Expressway YES
I-64 to Indian River Rd 4-lane Boulevard NO
Indian River Rd in Virginia Beach to Lowery Rd in Norfolk 8-lane Boulevard NO
Lowery Rd to VA 165 / VA 166 4-lane Boulevard NO
VA 165 / VA 166 to I-64 6-lane Boulevard NO
I-64 to VA 166 8-lane Boulevard YES
VA 166 to beginning of the Chesapeake Bay-Bridge Tunnel at US 60 6-lane Expressway YES
Chesapeake Bay-Bridge Tunnel to Nassawadox 4-lane Arterial YES
Through Nassawadox 5-lane Boulevard YES
Nassawadox to Exmore 4-lane Arterial YES
Exmore Bypass 4-lane Boulevard YES
Exmore to Painter 4-lane Arterial YES
Through Painter 5-lane Boulevard YES
Painter to Keller 4-lane Arterial YES
Through Keller 5-lane Boulevard YES
Keller to Melfa 4-lane Arterial YES
Through Melfa 5-lane Boulevard YES
Melfa to Onley 4-lane Arterial YES
Onley Bypass 4-lane Boulevard YES
Onley to Nelsonia 4-lane Arterial YES
Through Nelsonia 5-lane Boulevard YES
Nelsonia to Mappsville 4-lane Arterial YES
Through Mappsville 5-lane Boulevard YES
Mappsville to Temperanceville 4-lane Arterial YES
Through Temperanceville 5-lane Boulevard YES
Temperanceville to Oak Hall 4-lane Arterial YES
Through Oak Hall 5-lane Boulevard YES
Oak Hall to Maryland State Line 4-lane Arterial YES



Detailed Description:
US 13 enters the Old Dominion state heading towards Hampton Roads and the Delmarva peninsula. The first Hampton Roads community US 13 goes through is Suffolk. The extension of the Suffolk bypass opened in March 2003 to connect US 13 to the older Suffolk Bypass which carries US 58/US 460 towards the Hampton Roads Beltway. Adam Froehlig has a page with pictures of the Southwest Suffolk Bypass. From BUSINESS US 13/58/460 to the Hampton Roads beltway, it is a 6 lane divided expressway which is very close to freeway standards since it has very few at-grade intersections and no signals.

US 13 quickly becomes a major boulevard running parallel with the lower segment of the Hampton Roads beltway instead of multiplexing with the interstate highway. This route travels mostly through Chesapeake, but spends spends about 1.5 miles in Virginia Beach, and has 4.5 miles in Norfolk. Finally, US 13 gains respectability when it has an interchange with the Hampton Roads Beltway (I-64) and continues north as Northampton Blvd towards the famously engineered Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. There is both an official website and unofficial website about the bridge-tunnel, and Scott Kozel and Sherman Cahal have website articles about the bridge-tunnel.

After crossing 16 miles of the Chesapeake Bay, plus another 2 miles of island and inlet, US 13 finally hits the lower end of the Delmarva Peninsula and becomes known as the Lankford Highway or the Ocean Highway. The US 13 alignment alternates frequently between being  a 4 lane arterial and a 5-lane boulevard. The alignment is mainly straight, except around the town bypasses. This straight route is due to the fact that it hugs the Eastern Shore railroad tracks from Eastville to Onley.

The arterial highway is very old, dating back to the 1950’s and 1960’s. By 1953, most of the multilane route was complete north of VA 179 in Onley. Because the alignment has stayed the same since then, there are many interesting relics of the past. The highway is still an important travel corridor, and some old hotels still cater to tourists. For an interesting side trip, visit the town of Cape Charles, one mile west of US 13 via VA 184. This once-bustling city was the northern terminus of the ferry until the 1950’s when the terminal moved south to the Kiptopeke area, the eventual the location of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Adam Prince has pictures and a history of this sleepy town. If ever in town, try Rebecca’s Restaurant for some excellent seafood. The main natural attraction on the peninsula is the beautiful Assateague Island National Seashore, home of the wild ponies. The park is located nine miles from US 13 via VA 175. Soon after crossing the Maryland border, US 13 meets up with its sister, US 113.

In summary, US 13 is all 4 lanes from the Suffolk Bypass to the Maryland State Line, with some 6-8 lane segments in Hampton Roads (along the Military Highway and Northampton Blvd segments). The only 2-lane part of US 13 in Virginia is from the North Carolina state line to VA 32.

 

History:

Segment Designated as Limited Access Highway
Southwest Suffolk Bypass 6/1997
Suffolk Bypass 11/1968
Suffolk Bypass to I-64 12/1971
VA 166 / Diamond Springs Rd to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel 1/1962

 

More History: (courtesy of Mike Roberson - click here)

Pictures: (courtesy of AARoads - click here)


Junction Log:

Junction Type of Access Highway Type at Junction Location
VA 32 At-grade 2-lane road to Arterial Suffolk, near Suffolk Municipal Airport
SR 688 Traffic signal Arterial Suffolk
US 13 Business Interchange Arterial to Freeway Suffolk
SR 688 Half-diamond to/from the south. This is also how northbound US 13 traffic accesses BUSINESS US 58. Freeway Suffolk
US 58 Interchange Freeway Suffolk
US 13 cosigns with US 58.
VA 604 / Pitchkettle Rd Interchange Freeway Suffolk
US 460 Business and Bypass 5-ramp Partial Cloverleaf interchange Freeway Suffolk
US 460 cosigns with US 13 / US 58
VA 10 / VA 32 5-ramp Partial Cloverleaf Interchange Freeway Suffolk
SR 642 / Wilroy Rd Folded diamond interchange Freeway Suffolk
US 13 / US 58 / US 460 Business Interchange Freeway to Expressway Suffolk
Enter Chesapeake City, Leave Suffolk City
I-664 / I-64 / US 460 / US 58 Huge interchange Expressway Chesapeake
US 13 follows US 460 as the Military Highway
VA 191 - This is where US 13 & US 460 officially split from US 58. Traffic Signal Expressway to Boulevard Chesapeake
I-64 Diamond interchange Boulevard Chesapeake
US 17 Traffic signal Boulevard Chesapeake
US 460 / VA 166 This interchange is best described as a folded-diamond with a "flyunder". There are also three levels to it: VA 166 in the bottom, EB US 460 (the "flyunder") and a railroad line in the middle, and US 13 on top. Boulevard Chesapeake
I-464 Traffic signal Boulevard Chesapeake
VA 168 Cloverleaf Interchange missing a southbound US 13 to northbound VA 168 movement. Local streets can be used to make that turn Boulevard Chesapeake
Greenbrier Parkway (a major boulevard in Chesapeake) Traffic signal Boulevard Chesapeake
Enter Virginia Beach City, Leave Chesapeake City
Providence Rd (decommissioned VA 409) Traffic signal Boulevard Virginia Beach
Indian River Rd (decomissioned, but still signed as VA 407) Traffic signal Boulevard Virginia Beach
Enter Norfolk City, Leave Virginia Beach City
I-264 Cloverleaf Interchange Boulevard Norfolk
US 58 / Viriginia Beach Blvd SPUI interchange Boulevard Norfolk
VA 165 / VA 166 Traffic signal. There used to be a traffic circle here, but that was gone by 1990. Boulevard Norfolk
US 13 turns right to become Northampton Blvd. and there is a brief US 13 / VA 165 / VA 166 triplex.
VA 165 South Traffic signal Boulevard Norfolk
I-64 Partial interchange. The SB 13-EB 64 movement is a directional ramp. Boulevard Norfolk
Enter Virginia Beach City, Leave Norfolk City
VA 166 / Diamond Springs Rd Traffic signal Boulevard to Expressway Virginia Beach
US 13 is an expressway all the way to the bridge.
Bayside Rd Traffic signal Expressway Virginia Beach
Shell Rd / Jack Frost Rd Traffic signal Expressway Virginia Beach
VA 225 Cloverleaf Interchange Expressway Virginia Beach
Pleasure House Rd Traffic signal Expressway Virginia Beach
US 60 / Shore Drive Diamond interchange Expressway Virginia Beach
Enter Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel
Enter Northampton County, Leave Virginia Beach City
Depart Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel
VA 184 / US 13 Business Traffic signal (An interchange was planned in the early 1960’s.) Arterial Cheriton
SR 680 Traffic signal Arterial Cheriton
US 13 Business At-grade Arterial Cheriton
US 13 Business At-grade Arterial Eastville
SR 631 Traffic signal Arterial Eastville
US 13 Business At-grade Arterial Eastville
SR 606 Traffic signal Boulevard Nassawadox
US 13 Business At-grade Arterial Exmore
In addition to the traffic lights mentioned below, there are two traffic lights at business entrances along the Exmore Bypass.
VA 183 Traffic signal Boulevard Exmore
VA 178 Traffic signal Boulevard Exmore
US 13 Business At-grade Boulevard Exmore
Enter Accomack County, Leave Northampton County
SR 600 Traffic signal Boulevard to Arterial Exmore, near the county line
VA 182 Traffic signal Boulevard Painter
VA 180 At-grade Boulevard Keller
VA 180 cosigns with US 13 for a short time.
VA 180 At-grade Arterial Keller
SR 626 Traffic signal Boulevard Melfa
US 13 Business NORTH Traffic signal Boulevard Onley
Business Entrance Traffic signal Boulevard Onley
VA 179 Traffic signal Boulevard Onley
Business Entrance Traffic signal Boulevard Onley
US 13 Business Folded Diamond Interchange Boulevard to Arterial Between Onley and Tasley
US 13 Business Traffic signal Arterial Between Tasley and Accomac
SR 764 Traffic signal Arterial Accomac
SR 662 Traffic signal Arterial Accomac
US 13 Business SOUTH At-grade Arterial Accomac
VA 176 Traffic signal Arterial Centerville
VA 187 Traffic signal Boulevard Nelsonia
SR 702 Traffic signal Arterial Oak Hall
VA 175 Traffic signal Boulevard to Arterial Wattsville
Enter Worcester County, Marland. Leave Accomac County, Virginia

 



 

Sources:
Lou Corsaro is the author for the US 13 page, revised by Adam Froehlig and Eric Smith. The following sources were used: VDOT state transportation map, Mapquest, Mike Roberson, Adam Froehlig, Scott Kozel. Minutes of the Commonwealth Transportation Board.

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Last Updated: 1/20/07

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