Route 110 (Virginia)

Route 110 (Virginia) is a short north–south primary state highway in Arlington County, connecting I‑395 and the Roosevelt Island vicinity to US 1 near Roosevelt Island and the Potomac River. The route serves major federal sites, memorials, parks, and transit nodes adjacent to Theodore Roosevelt Island, Arlington National Cemetery, and Arlington County civic centers, and it interfaces with George Washington Parkway, I‑66, and multiple parkways serving the National Mall and Downtown Washington, D.C. areas.

Route description

Route 110 begins as a spur from I‑395 near the Pentagon and runs north as a controlled-access highway adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery, passing near the Arlington House, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and Memorial Amphitheater. Heading past the Marine Corps War Memorial and Iwo Jima Memorial, Route 110 crosses over access roads toward George Washington Memorial Parkway and provides ramps serving Arlington National Cemetery entrances, I‑66 via collector-distributor lanes, and connections to Rosslyn. The highway skirts the Potomac River shoreline, runs adjacent to Theodore Roosevelt Island access, and terminates at an intersection with US 1 near approaches to the 14th Street Bridge complex and the District of Columbia boundary.

History

The corridor that became Route 110 traces to early 20th-century planning for parkways linking George Washington Parkway with river crossings and National Park Service reservations such as Theodore Roosevelt Island and the Mount Vernon Trail. Mid-20th-century federal and state projects related to the Interstate Highway System, including I‑95 cancellations in urban areas and the construction of I‑395, prompted creation of connectors like Route 110 to serve the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery. The route was formalized amid post‑World War II construction tied to commemorative development for the Arlington National Cemetery expansion and memorial installations such as the USMC War Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Subsequent modifications addressed traffic demands from Pentagon Memorial, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and I‑66 corridor changes, while environmental and historical preservation efforts involved agencies including the National Park Service, Virginia Department of Transportation, and local Arlington County authorities.

Major intersections

- Southern terminus: connection with I‑395 near the Pentagon and access to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport via surface streets. - Interchange: ramps to I‑66 and collector-distributor lanes serving Rosslyn and the Key Bridge approach toward Georgetown. - Access: multiple ingress/egress points for Arlington National Cemetery, including approaches to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Memorial Amphitheater. - Intersection: connection with George Washington Memorial Parkway / Mount Vernon Trail access near the Potomac River waterfront and Theodore Roosevelt Island pedestrian bridge approaches. - Northern terminus: junction with US 1 at the 14th Street Bridge complex and approaches to District of Columbia surface routes.

Future plans and improvements

Planned projects affecting the Route 110 corridor involve coordination among the Virginia Department of Transportation, National Park Service, Arlington County, and federal stakeholders such as the Department of Defense. Proposals consider capacity improvements to handle traffic to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, multimodal access enhancements for users of the Mount Vernon Trail, and safety upgrades near Arlington National Cemetery and Pentagon Memorial pedestrian generators. Environmental reviews reference standards set by the National Environmental Policy Act and consultations with Advisory Council on Historic Preservation regarding impacts to Arlington House and other cultural resources. Transit-oriented measures under discussion include enhanced links to Washington Metro, particularly Orange Line and Blue Line stations in Rosslyn, bus priority schemes tied to Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, and bicycle/pedestrian improvements aligned with Arlington County Bike Plan objectives.

Transportation and usage

Route 110 serves a mix of commuter, ceremonial, tourist, and freight-related trips connecting the Pentagon, Arlington National Cemetery, memorials including the USMC War Memorial and Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and river crossings to the District of Columbia. Traffic patterns reflect peak flows tied to Pentagon shift changes, events on the National Mall, and seasonal tourism to sites such as Theodore Roosevelt Island. The corridor interfaces with regional freight routes accessing the Port of Washington and links to air transport via Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, while multimodal demand prompts coordination with Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, and regional planning bodies like the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

Category:State highways in Virginia Category:Transportation in Arlington County, Virginia