U.S. Route 33 in Virginia

U.S. Route 33 in Virginia is a 166.50-mile (267.96 km) east–west United States Numbered Highway traversing the Commonwealth of Virginia. It connects the Shenandoah Valley with the Piedmont region and the state capital of Richmond, serving as a vital corridor through the Blue Ridge Mountains and central Virginia. The route passes through significant historical areas, including parts of the Shenandoah National Park and near Monticello, the plantation of Thomas Jefferson.

Route description

Beginning at the West Virginia state line in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests near Rawley Springs, US 33 descends into the Shenandoah Valley. It passes through the city of Harrisonburg, a major commercial hub, and the town of Elkton. East of Stanardsville, the highway crosses the Blue Ridge Mountains at Swift Run Gap, a pass used historically by the Three Notch'd Road and now traversed by the Appalachian Trail. Descending into the Piedmont, it runs south of Charlottesville and the University of Virginia, passing near Monticello and through Shadwell. The route continues eastward, crossing the Rivanna River and passing through Columbia in Fluvanna County. It then traverses rural Goochland County before entering the suburbs of Richmond in Henrico County. Its eastern terminus is at a major intersection with U.S. Route 250 and U.S. Route 360 in Richmond's West End, just west of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

History

The corridor of US 33 follows some of the oldest transportation routes in Virginia. The segment across Swift Run Gap traces a path used by Monacan peoples and later by European settlers, including the Three Notch'd Road, a major colonial thoroughfare. When the U.S. Highway System was established in 1926, US 33 was assigned its current number, largely following existing state roads. Significant realignments occurred in the mid-20th century, particularly east of the Blue Ridge Mountains, to improve travel times and bypass communities. The construction of Interstate 64 in Virginia provided a parallel high-speed route, but US 33 remains a crucial secondary artery. The highway's role in connecting Harrisonburg and Richmond has been economically important for agricultural and commercial traffic for decades.

Major intersections

From west to east, key junctions include the western terminus at the West Virginia state line. In Rockingham County, it intersects U.S. Route 11 in Harrisonburg. In Page County, it meets U.S. Route 340 in Luray. At Swift Run Gap, it crosses the boundary of Shenandoah National Park and intersects the Skyline Drive. In Albemarle County, it has junctions with U.S. Route 29 and Virginia State Route 20 near Charlottesville. In Fluvanna County, it intersects Virginia State Route 53. In Goochland County, it meets Virginia State Route 288, a Richmond beltway. In Henrico County, it intersects Interstate 295 and Interstate 64 before reaching its eastern terminus at U.S. Route 250 and U.S. Route 360 in Richmond.

Special routes

One notable special route exists along US 33 in Virginia. A former business route, US 33 Business, served downtown Harrisonburg along Main Street and Liberty Street before being decommissioned and redesignated as a secondary state highway. No other active, signed special routes for US 33 currently exist within the Commonwealth, though several state highways provide alternate connections to communities just off the mainline.

Category:U.S. Route 33