View source for Military Highway

{{Short description|Highway in Virginia}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox road
|state=VA
|name= Military Highway
|map=Military Hwy Map.png
|length_mi=22.63
|length_round=
|length_ref=<ref name="VDOT Traffic Data">{{cite web|url=http://www.virginiadot.org/info/2017_traffic_data_by_jurisdiction.asp|title=2017 Traffic Data|publisher=Virginia Department of Transportation|year=2017|accessdate=2020-04-18}}
*[http://www.virginiadot.org/info/resources/Traffic_2017/AADT_131_Chesapeake_2017.pdf City of Chesapeake] (PDF)
*[http://www.virginiadot.org/info/resources/Traffic_2017/AADT_134_VirginiaBeach_2017.pdf City of Virginia Beach] (PDF)
*[http://www.virginiadot.org/info/resources/Traffic_2017/AADT_122_Norfolk_2017.pdf City of Norfolk] (PDF)
</ref>
|established=
|allocation= {{jct|state=VA|US|13}}<br />{{jct|state=VA|US|58}}<br />{{jct|state=VA|US|460}}<br />{{jct|state=VA|VA|165}}<br />{{jct|state=VA|VA|191}}
|direction_a=West
|direction_b=East
|terminus_a=[[Suffolk, Virginia|Suffolk]]
|terminus_b={{jct|state=VA|VA|170}} in Norfolk
|counties=[[Suffolk, Virginia|City of Suffolk]], [[Chesapeake, Virginia|City of Chesapeake]], [[Virginia Beach, Virginia|City of Virginia Beach]], [[Norfolk, Virginia|City of Norfolk]]
|junction= {{jct|state=VA|I|664}} in [[Bowers Hill]], [[Chesapeake, Virginia|Chesapeake]]<br />{{jct|state=VA|I|64}} in [[Deep Creek, Virginia|Deep Creek]]<br />{{jct|state=VA|US|17}} in Deep Creek<br />{{jct|state=VA|I|464}} in [[South Norfolk, Virginia|South Norfolk]]<br />{{jct|state=VA|VA|168}} in South Norfolk<br />{{jct|state=VA|I|264}} in Poplar Halls, [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]]<br />{{jct|state=VA|US|58}} in Military Circle/[[JANAF Shopping Yard|JANAF]]<br />{{jct|state=VA|US|13|VA|166}} in Norfolk<br />{{jct|state=VA|I|64}} in Norfolk
}}

'''Military Highway''' is a four-to-eight-lane roadway built in the [[South Hampton Roads]] region of eastern [[Virginia]], United States, during [[World War II]]. Carrying [[U.S. Route 13 in Virginia|US 13]] for most of its length, it also carries [[U.S. Route 58 in Virginia|US 58]], and [[US Route 460 in Virginia|US 460]] while in Chesapeake. It is a major alternate route for the [[Hampton Roads Beltway]], crossing four major freeways along its length.

== History ==
{{Unreferenced section|date=November 2024}}

=== Original construction ===

During World War II, the military build-up meant more people locating in the South Hampton Roads area, bringing many automobiles to the area. The [[United States Military|military]] needed to move personnel and materials fast and could not be bogged down in traffic. Federal, state and officials of the [[independent city]] of [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]] came up with a plan to build a more efficient highway to alleviate traffic problems. All parties agreed on a {{convert|15|mi|km|adj=on}} long semi-circumferential section, from the western edge of [[Norfolk County, Virginia|Norfolk County]] just outside [[Portsmouth, Virginia|Portsmouth]] through a portion of [[Princess Anne County, Virginia|Princess Anne County]] to reach [[Admiral Taussig Boulevard]] (then [[State Route 170 (Virginia 1940-1957)|VA 170]]) near the [[Naval Station Norfolk|Norfolk Navy Base]] at [[Sewell's Point]].

The proposed "super" highway, named Military Highway, was designed and built in 1943 for approximately $2.5 million. Military Highway can lay claim to a lot of "firsts." It was one of the first multi-lane highways (4-lanes, two in each direction) constructed in the area. The new roadway included several overpasses, bridges, interchanges, and a [[roundabout]] called Lansdale Traffic Circle. The [[cloverleaf interchange]] constructed at Military Highway and [[Virginia Beach Boulevard]] was the first ever built in Virginia. Near the western end, there were {{convert|45|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} S-curves as the highway passed on a bridge over the [[Virginian Railway]], with short approach fills and considerable grades. The newly created feature became known as [[Bower's Hill]], although the area had that name much earlier, by the mid 19th century, according to old maps. As one of the highest features for miles around, Bower's Hill on the Military Highway became something of a landmark for travelers.

The [[Gilmerton Bridge]], a new [[drawbridge]], was built to cross the [[Southern Branch Elizabeth River]], a location which provides access to port facilities and is a portion of the [[Intracoastal Waterway|Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway]]. Military Highway also crosses the [[Eastern Branch Elizabeth River]] on a fixed span [[bridge]].

=== Post–World War II ===

After World War II, businesses and residential development soared. In 1959, [[JANAF Shopping Yard]] at the intersection of Virginia Beach Boulevard became the largest [[shopping center]] in Virginia for many years. As the area grew, [[Military Circle Mall]] (Norfolk's first indoor shopping mall in 1970), Best Square Shopping Center and other large developments soon located nearby. These brought thousands of additional people into the area to live, work and shop. With the influx of people came even more cars. The road was the site of the first [[Econo-Travel]] motel, which grew to become a major national motel chain (now [[Econolodge]]).

Even with the new [[Interstate Highway]]s in the area built beginning in the 1960s, by the 1980s, more than 50,000 vehicles traveled along Military Highway daily with 67,000 vehicles expected by the year 2010. The old "super" highway could no longer support the increased traffic volumes. The existing lanes were insufficient to handle the traffic and the bridges, especially at the Military Highway/Virginia Beach Boulevard cloverleaf, which had physically deteriorated to a point where restricting commercial vehicles, due to their weight, and reduction of speed was necessary. Reconstruction work began in 1985, and the busiest sections of the Military Highway, mostly a local thoroughfare, were modernized.

==Route description==
{{Unreferenced section|date=November 2024}}
Military Highway effectively begins in Suffolk outside the [[Hampton Roads Executive Airport]], picking up the designations of U.S. 13, U.S. 460, and U.S. 58 from Portsmouth Boulevard. It continues generally northeastward as '''West Military Highway''', crossing under and interchanging in [[Bowers Hill]] with [[Interstate 664|I-664]] (which shortly thereafter splits in its own Y-interchange with [[Interstate 264 (Virginia)|I-264]] and [[Interstate 64 (Virginia)|I-64]]). It also intersects in this same area with Airline Boulevard, to which it loses [[U.S. Route 58 in Virginia|US 58]]. After this complex set of interchanges and intersections, it becomes '''South Military Highway''' and turns southeastward, paralleling I-64 before crossing under it 2 miles later. It then continues east through Chesapeake, intersecting George Washington Highway ([[U.S. Route 17 in Virginia|US 17]]) and crosses the [[Southern Branch Elizabeth River]] on the [[Gilmerton Bridge]].

After crossing the river, the road loses U.S. 460 to Bainbridge Blvd ([[Virginia State Route 166|SR 166]]), and continues through its interchange with [[Interstate 464 (Virginia)|I-464]], paralleling I-64 for the rest of its journey through Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. Military Highway then crosses under and interchanges with [[Virginia State Route 168|State Route 168]] at Battlefield Boulevard on a cloverleaf interchange, and then expands to six lanes, which continues until it narrows back to four lanes after Greenbrier Parkway.

After Greenbrier Parkway, the highway continues on a north-northeasterly heading through Chesapeake until it enters the city of [[Virginia Beach]] (and subsequently re-expanding to six lanes) and intersects at Indian River Road (to [[Virginia State Route 407|SR 407]]), where it then expands to eight lanes and continues almost due north. It then crosses the Elizabeth River for the second time near the Broad Creek, enters the city of Norfolk, and interchanges with I-264 again in a cloverleaf interchange. Continuing as '''North Military Highway''', it then expands to ten lanes, passing [[Military Circle Mall]] (formerly known as the Gallery at Military Circle) as it crosses with U.S. 58 at Virginia Beach Boulevard with a hybrid [[single-point urban interchange]].

After the interchange, Military Highway reduces back to eight lanes and continues past several shopping centers, including [[JANAF Shopping Center]], and a [[Wal-Mart]] Supercenter. After both shopping centers, the highway continues onto its intersection with [[Virginia State Route 166|SR 166]] (Princess Anne Road) and Northampton Boulevard, to which it finally loses its U.S. 13 designation. It then, however picks up designation as [[Virginia State Route 165|SR 165]]. It reduces to an undivided four-lane roadway, crosses I-64 in a partial interchange, and curves northwestward, passing the runways at [[Norfolk International Airport]]. As it continues to wind its way through Norfolk, it remains four lanes undivided, and crosses its final two state routes of [[Virginia State Route 192|SR 192]] (Azalea Garden Road) and [[Virginia State Route 247|SR 247]] (Norview Avenue). The road then continues until it ends in a [[T-intersection]] with [[Virginia State Route 170|SR 170]] at its eastern terminus on Little Creek Road.

==Major intersections==
{{VAinttop|length_ref=<ref name="VDOT Traffic Data"/>}}
{{VAint
|indep_city1=Chesapeake
|indep_city2=Suffolk
|mile=0.00
|road={{jct|state=VA|US|13|US|58|US|460|dir1=south|dir2=west|dir3=west|city1=Petersburg|city2=Emporia}}
|notes=Western terminus; road continues as Portsmouth Boulevard.
}}
{{VAint
|indep_city=Chesapeake
|lspan=4
|mile=2.94
|road={{jct|state=VA|I|664|to2=y|I|64|I|264|name1=[[Hampton Roads Beltway]]|city1=Portsmouth|city2=Norfolk|city3=Virginia Beach|city4=Newport News|city5=Hampton}}
|notes=I-664 exit 13
}}
{{VAint
|mile=3.05
|mspan=2
|type=concur
|road={{jct|state=VA|US|58|dir1=east|US-Alt|460|dab2=Chesapeake–Norfolk|dir2=east|name2=Airline Boulevard|city1=Portsmouth}}
|notes=Eastern end of US&nbsp;58 concurrency; western terminus of US&nbsp;460 Alt.
}}
{{VAint
|mile=none
|type=concur
|road={{jct|state=VA|SR|191|dir1=north|name1=Joliff Road}}
|notes=Western end of SR&nbsp;191 concurrency
}}
{{VAint
|mile=3.23
|type=concur
|road=West Military Highway
|notes=Eastern end of SR&nbsp;191 concurrency; road becomes South Military Highway.
}}
{{jctgap|text=see [[U.S. Route 13 in Virginia#Major intersections|US&nbsp;13]] (mile 30.97-42.19)}}
{{VAint
|indep_city=Norfolk
|lspan=8
|mile=19.37
|mspan=2
|type=trans
|road={{jct|state=VA|US|13|dir1=north|SR|165|dir2=south|SR|166|dir3=north|name3=Northhampton Boulevard|to4=y|I|64|dir4=east|city1=Virginia Beach|location2=[[Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel]]}}
|notes=Eastern end of US&nbsp;13 concurrency; western end of SR&nbsp;165 concurrency
|nspan=2
}}
{{VAint
|type=trans
|mile=none
|road={{jct|state=VA|SR|166|dir1=west|name1=Princess Anne Road|location1=[[Norfolk International Airport]]|city2=Downtown Norfolk}}
|notes=none
}}
{{VAint
|type=incomplete
|mile=19.99
|mspan=2
|road={{jct|state=VA|I|64|dir1=west|city1=Richmond}}
|notes=Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; I-64 exit 281
}}
{{VAint
|mile=none
|road=Robin Hood Road
|notes=Former [[Virginia State Route 192 (1951–1952)|SR&nbsp;192]] north
}}
{{VAint
|mile=20.59
|road={{jct|state=VA|road|Azalea Garden Road|name1=[[Virginia State Route 192|SR&nbsp;192]] north}}
}}
{{VAint
|mile=20.98
|road={{jct|state=VA|SR|247|name1=Norview Avenue|to2=to|I|64|location1=[[Norfolk Botanical Garden|Botanical Garden]]|location2=Norfolk International Airport}}
}}
{{VAint
|mile=22.63
|mspan=2
|road={{jct|state=VA|SR|165|dir1=north|name1=East Little Creek Road|location1=[[Ocean View (Norfolk)|Ocean View]]|location2=[[Naval Station Norfolk|Naval Base]]}}
|notes=Eastern terminus
|nspan=2
}}
{{VAint
|mile=none
|road={{jct|state=VA|SR|170|dir1=east|name1=East Little Creek Road|city1=Little Creek}}
|notes=none
}}
{{jctbtm|keys=concur,incomplete,trans}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Crossings navbox
|structure = River Crossings|place = [[Eastern Branch Elizabeth River|Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River]]|downstream = [[Interstate 64]] Twin Bridges|downstream signs = [[Image:I-64.svg|30px]]|bridge = Military Highway|bridge signs = [[Image:US 13.svg|30px]]|upstream = [[Campostella Bridge ]]|upstream signs = [[Image:US 460.svg|30px]][[Image:Virginia 166.svg|30px]][[Image:Virginia 168.svg|30px]]}}{{Water Crossings in the Hampton Roads Region}}

[[Category:Transportation in Virginia]]
[[Category:Transportation in Chesapeake, Virginia]]
[[Category:Transportation in Virginia Beach, Virginia]]
[[Category:Transportation in Norfolk, Virginia]]
[[Category:U.S. Route 13]]
[[Category:U.S. Route 58]]