State Route 337 (Virginia)

State Route 337 (Virginia) is a primary state highway in the Commonwealth of Virginia serving the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. The route links major urban centers including Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Chesapeake, providing connections to Interstate highways, federal facilities, and regional transportation corridors. SR 337 traverses a mix of downtown urban arterials, ferry crossings, and bascule bridges adjacent to historic shipyards and military installations.

Route description

SR 337 begins near U.S. Route 17 and proceeds northeast into the City of Chesapeake toward the Deep Creek and Norfolk Naval Shipyard corridors. In Norfolk the highway uses portions of Granby Street, Hampton Boulevard, and the ferry approaches to connect with arterial routes such as U.S. 460 and U.S. 13. The alignment crosses the Elizabeth River via drawbridges and swing bridges near the Norfolk Naval Shipyard and the Jordan Bridge site, providing access to Portsmouth Naval Hospital and the Naval Station Norfolk complex. SR 337 intersects I-264 and links to I-64 through surface streets and ramps that serve MacArthur Center and the Norfolk International Airport corridor. The eastern segments run adjacent to waterfront districts including the Historic Ghent neighborhood, offering connections to ferry terminals serving Tidewater commuter routes.

History

The corridor comprising SR 337 evolved from early 20th-century municipal streets and colonial-era routes connecting Jamestown-era waterways to emerging 19th-century shipyards such as the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth. During the interwar period, state highway planners integrated existing arterials into numbered routes under programs influenced by the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921. Mid-century realignments occurred alongside the construction of Interstate 64 and Interstate 264, with SR 337 absorbing segments of the former U.S. Route 460 and relinquished municipal streets to create a continuous signed route. Bridge projects, including replacements and rehabilitations near the Elizabeth River, reflected military and commercial priorities associated with World War II naval expansion and Cold War-era shipbuilding at facilities like Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Sewell's Point. Historic preservation efforts in neighborhoods such as Olde Towne Portsmouth and Downtown Norfolk shaped later freeway-to-boulevard conversions and streetscape improvements along SR 337 during the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Major intersections

SR 337 connects with several principal corridors and crossings vital to regional mobility: - Junction with U.S. 17 near western terminus providing access toward Suffolk and Elizabeth City - Interchange and surface connections with I-64 serving long-distance travel to Richmond and Virginia Beach - Interchange with I-264 linking downtown Norfolk and the Virginia Beach Oceanfront - Crossings of the Elizabeth River providing links to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and Naval Station Norfolk - Connections to U.S. 460 and U.S. 13, facilitating freight and commuter movements across the Hampton Roads Bridge–Tunnel and regional ports - Access to ferry terminals that interface with the Tidewater public transit network and maritime routes serving Chesapeake Bay approaches

Related routes

Several municipal, state, and federal corridors intersect or run concurrent with SR 337, including arterial streets converted from earlier U.S. highway designations. Related alignments include former segments now designated as business routes or local streets in Portsmouth, Norfolk, and Chesapeake. SR 337 interfaces with transit services such as Hampton Roads Transit bus lines and ferry operations tied to regional planning efforts by the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization and the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Future plans and improvements

Planned projects affecting SR 337 focus on multimodal enhancements, structural rehabilitation, and congestion mitigation coordinated by Virginia Department of Transportation, regional MPOs, and local governments. Proposals include bridge replacements or lift-span upgrades adjacent to the Elizabeth River; streetscape improvements in downtown districts aligned with revitalization efforts around MacArthur Center and Historic Ghent; and intersection reconfigurations to improve access to Naval Station Norfolk and regional freight terminals. Funding and timelines for these improvements are influenced by federal grant programs administered pursuant to legislation such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and by partnerships with the Port of Virginia and Department of Defense stakeholders managing adjacent installations.

Category:State highways in Virginia Category:Transportation in Norfolk, Virginia Category:Transportation in Portsmouth, Virginia Category:Transportation in Chesapeake, Virginia