Route 27 (Arlington, Virginia)

Route 27 (Arlington, Virginia)
State	VA
Type	VA
Route	27
Length mi	1.70
Direction a	West
Terminus a	Washington Metro (Arlington County) at Arlington National Cemetery
Direction b	East
Terminus b	I‑395 in Arlington County, Virginia
Counties	Arlington County, Virginia

Contents

Route 27 (Arlington, Virginia) is a short arterial state highway in Arlington County, Virginia connecting Arlington National Cemetery, the Department of Defense corridor, and access to I‑395 and U.S. Route 1. The route provides key local access near Pentagon, Arlington County Courthouse, and the National Mall transit spine, and it intersects with major arteries serving Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Route 27 functions as both a ceremonial approach and practical connector amid federal properties and dense urban infrastructure.

Route description

Route 27 begins on the western end adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and proceeds eastward as a limited-access connector, passing under or near infrastructures associated with Memorial Drive (Washington, D.C.), Columbia Pike, and the Army–Navy Memorial. The road provides ramps serving the Pentagon Reservation and links directly to the George Washington Memorial Parkway system, with proximity to Potomac River crossings and views toward Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, and the Capitol Hill skyline. Eastbound lanes merge toward an interchange with I‑395 and U.S. Route 1, while westbound access feeds traffic toward the Arlington Ridge Road and pedestrian corridors connecting to National Cemetery plazas and Columbia Pike cultural districts.

The corridor that became Route 27 traces planning influences from early 20th‑century parkway designs championed by figures linked to the McMillan Plan and agencies such as the National Capital Park and Planning Commission. During the mid‑20th century, routing was shaped by defense needs tied to the Pentagon construction and mobilization for World War II, and later modifications responded to traffic demands after the expansion of Interstate Highway System projects like I‑395. Federal and county negotiations involved stakeholders including the National Park Service, United States Army, and Virginia Department of Transportation, producing the present alignment that reconciles commemorative landscapes around Arlington National Cemetery and the functional aims of regional corridors serving Washington, D.C. suburbs. Renovations in the late 20th and early 21st centuries addressed safety standards influenced by guidelines from agencies such as the Federal Highway Administration and input from Arlington County Board planning processes.

- Western terminus: local access near Arlington National Cemetery and approaches to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Memorial Drive (Washington, D.C.). - Ramps to the Pentagon Reservation complex and connections toward Columbia Pike serving Barcroft Community House and adjacent neighborhoods. - Interchange with I‑395 providing movements toward Capital Beltway links, Richmond via I‑95, and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge corridor. - Eastern terminus: junction with U.S. Route 1 and arterial continuations toward George Washington Memorial Parkway and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport access roads.

The Route 27 corridor lies within reach of multiple Washington Metro stations including Arlington Cemetery, Pentagon, and Pentagon City station, integrating with Metrorail service patterns and WMATA Metrobus routes that serve memorial and federal destinations. Regional transit connections include Virginia Railway Express services at nearby stations and shuttle operations linking to the National Mall and Smithsonian Institution venues. Bicycle infrastructure in adjacent rights‑of‑way connects to the Mount Vernon Trail, local Arlington County bikeway network, and East Coast Greenway segments, while pedestrian access ties into memorial plaza promenades and trails around the Potomac River waterfront.

Control and maintenance of Route 27 involve coordination among the Virginia Department of Transportation, Arlington County, Virginia, and federal entities such as the National Park Service when works affect parklands or memorial vistas. Security and access considerations near the Pentagon and federal facilities invoke protocols with the United States Department of Defense and United States Secret Service for events, ceremonies, and incidents affecting traffic. Capital improvement funding has historically come from state transportation budgets and federal grants coordinated through the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and metropolitan planning organizations like the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

Proposals affecting Route 27 have arisen in planning studies by the Arlington County Board and regional bodies including the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, focusing on multimodal improvements, safety upgrades per Federal Highway Administration recommendations, and enhanced pedestrian and bicycle connectivity to Arlington National Cemetery and Pentagon Memorial. Potential projects consider intersection redesigns to improve access to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and integration with long‑range plans for I‑395 HOT Lanes expansions and transitway concepts promoted by Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and Virginia Department of Transportation. Public outreach for such proposals has involved stakeholders like the National Park Service, local civic associations, and federal agencies responsible for national commemorative landscapes.