State Route 395 (Virginia)
Generated by GPT-5-miniExpansion Funnel Raw 59 → Dedup 0 → NER 0 → Enqueued 0
| State Route 395 (Virginia) | |
|---|---|
| State | VA |
| Type | SR |
| Route | 395 |
| Length mi | 3.17 |
| Established | 1958 |
| Direction a | West |
| Terminus a | Arlington County |
| Direction b | East |
| Terminus b | Alexandria |
| Counties | Arlington County; Alexandria |
State Route 395 (Virginia) is a short primary state highway in the Commonwealth of Virginia linking I-395 with central Arlington and Alexandria. The route provides access between Potomac River crossings such as the George Washington Memorial Parkway approaches and urban corridors including US 1, US 50, and local arterials serving landmarks like the Pentagon, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and the National Mall area of Washington, D.C.. SR 395 functions as a connector for regional commuters, transit services, and freight movements between Northern Virginia Transportation Commission jurisdictions.
Route description
SR 395 begins at a junction with I-395 near the Shirley Highway corridor in Arlington County. From this western terminus the route proceeds southeast as a limited-access spur, paralleling ramps that serve US 1 and providing direct links to SR 110 toward the Pentagon Reservation and Department of Defense facilities. The highway traverses densely developed urban neighborhoods adjacent to Crystal City and crosses over local streets that access Metrorail, WMATA bus routes, and service roads for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Continuing east, the route intersects with major arterials including US 50 and connects to Washington-bound ramps that feed commuter traffic toward the White House and Capitol Hill. The eastern terminus lies near Alexandria city limits, providing interchange movements to US 1 Alternate and local streets serving the Old Town Alexandria waterfront and Alexandria Union Station. Along its length SR 395 accommodates mixed traffic, including regional buses from Virginia Railway Express feeders, local transit operated by DASH, and bicycle facilities coordinated with Northern Virginia Regional Commission planning.
History
The corridor that became SR 395 originated from mid-20th century highway expansion associated with the construction of I-95 and the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. Initial plans for a spur to channel traffic from the interstate system to the Potomac River crossings and municipal centers were studied by agencies including Virginia Department of Transportation and the National Capital Planning Commission. During the late 1950s and early 1960s construction progressed in phases, influenced by regional projects such as the development of the Pentagon, Pentagon City, and the Metrorail system.
Subsequent modifications occurred in response to urban redevelopment projects in Crystal City, the expansion of National Airport, and demand from commuter flows originating in Prince William County and Fairfax County. Environmental reviews involving National Environmental Policy Act processes guided right-of-way acquisitions near sensitive areas along the Potomac River National Wildlife Refuge. Interchanges and ramp geometries were upgraded in the 1990s and 2000s to improve connections to I-395 and relieve congestion spilling back onto George Washington Memorial Parkway and US 1.
Major intersections
- Western terminus: junction with I-395 (Shirley Highway) — access to Washington and Richmond via the Interstate system. - Interchange with SR 244 and ramps toward Crystal City and Theodore Roosevelt Island. - Connector ramps to SR 110 near the Pentagon Reservation — movements toward Arlington National Cemetery and DoD facilities. - Junction with US 50 providing east–west access to Arlington National Cemetery approaches and Fairfax County. - Eastern terminus: connections with US 1 and local streets at the Alexandria boundary — access to Old Town Alexandria, Alexandria Union Station, and regional commuter services.
Future developments
Planned improvements for the SR 395 corridor have been identified in regional transportation plans adopted by Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. Projects under study include ramp realignments to enhance interchange capacity with I-395, transit priority measures to benefit WMATA and Virginia Railway Express feeder buses, and multimodal enhancements linking to bicycle networks promoted by Arlington County Board and City of Alexandria Board of Directors. Resilience upgrades to address flooding risks from the Potomac River and climate projections feature in capital investment proposals coordinated with Virginia Department of Transportation and federal partners including Federal Highway Administration.
Longer-range proposals consider integration with managed lanes on I-395 and tolling scenarios evaluated by Virginia Department of Transportation and Virginia General Assembly policy committees, with public engagement through Citizens Advisory Committee processes and local jurisdiction hearings in Arlington County and Alexandria.
Related routes
- I-395 — parent interstate providing regional north–south mobility between Richmond and Washington, D.C.. - US 1 — parallel arterial serving core corridors in Alexandria and Arlington. - SR 110 — connector to the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery. - SR 244 — provides access to Theodore Roosevelt Island and US 50 links. - Transit: Washington Metro, Virginia Railway Express, DASH.