Virginia State Route 288

Infobox road
state=VA
type=
route=288
length_mi=31.77
length_ref=PDFlink| [http://www.virginiadot.org/info/resources/AADT_020_Chesterfield_2005.pdf 2005 Virginia Department of Transportation Jurisdiction Report - Daily Traffic Volume Estimates - Chesterfield County] |2.37 MiB ] PDFlink| [http://www.virginiadot.org/info/resources/AADT_072_Powhatan_2005.pdf 2005 Virginia Department of Transportation Jurisdiction Report - Daily Traffic Volume Estimates - Powhatan County] |184 KiB ] PDFlink| [http://www.virginiadot.org/info/resources/AADT_037_Goochland_2005.pdf 2005 Virginia Department of Transportation Jurisdiction Report - Daily Traffic Volume Estimates - Goochland County] |166 KiB ]
length_round=2
established=
direction_a=South
direction_b=North
starting_terminus=
junction=
ending_terminus=
previous_type=
previous_route=287
next_type=
next_route=290

State Route 288 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is a freeway-standard partial beltway around the southwest side of Richmond. SR 288 was officially dedicated as the World War II Veterans Memorial Highway in 2004.

Description of route

SR 288 may be thought of as the southwestern portion of an "outer beltway" of Richmond, although there is no such roadway formally designated . The route begins at Interstate 95 north of Chester, and extends northwesterly through Chesterfield County and Powhatan County. It crosses the James River on the World War II Veterans Memorial Bridge into Goochland County in Richmond's Far West End area, where it terminates at Interstate 64 near Short Pump, adjacent to the northern terminus of Interstate 295.

The highway has been built entirely to Interstate standards. [ [http://www.roadstothefuture.com/VA288_Construction_Western.html Route VA-288 Construction - Western Section ] ]

History

Sections of the road were built over a period of more than 15 years. During that time, the planned routing of the northern portion was changed substantially, and not without some conflict within the communities.

outhern section

The 17.4-mile-long southern portion of SR 288 in Chesterfield County (from Interstate 95 to State Route 76 near Midlothian) was completed in 1989.

Revision of northern section

Initially, the highway was planned to continue north and west of this temporary terminus to connect with Interstate 64 at Interstate 295, creating a seamless straight connection between SR 288 and I-295. This would have formed a partial beltway (I-295 north of I-64 and west of I-95, and SR 288 in the southwest quadrant). [Virginia Department of Highways, [http://www.roadstothefuture.com/Richmond_Beltway_XL.jpgFinal Environmental/Section 4(f) Statement Administrative Action for Interstate Route 295] ] There is however no evidence that it was to be an Interstate.

However, this planned corridor and a river crossing into Henrico County west of Richmond was abandoned in 1988. This was due to a pecularity in the varying powers and abilitites of local governments to control growth and preserve rights-of-way resultant from the Byrd Road Act of 1932. While Henrico County had been able to preserve its corridor, there had been development of residential neighborhoods and homes along and within the intended path in Chesterfield County during the years after initial planning. Despite opposition by both Henrico County and the City of Richmond, a more westerly alignment north of VA-76 was selected. Much of the planned section in Henrico County became the John Rolfe Parkway corridor there.

Western alignment and construction

Instead, a more westerly alignment was selected through Powhatan and Goochland Counties, causing a break in what would have been a continuous loop between SR 288 and I-295 at their northern juncture. In 2004, construction of this "western alignment" as it became known was completed, including a new crossing of the James River known as the World War II Veterans Memorial Bridge.

Exit list

Notes

*The abandoned corridor planned for SR 288 in western Henrico County became the John Rolfe Parkway, a connector street, rather than a limited-access highway.

*Henrico County was able to preserve its planned corridor for Route 288 from development while Chesterfield County was not. This was partially because Henrico and Arlington County are the only two counties in Virginia which control and maintain their own secondary highways and streets. VDOT handles this for Chesterfield and all other counties, but has little control of residential development.

ee also

*Transportation in Richmond, Virginia
*Interstate 295
*State Route 150
*State Route 895

References

External links

* [http://www.vahighways.com/route-log/va281-300.htm#va288 Virginia Highways Project: VA 288]
* [http://www.roadstothefuture.com/Richmond_Beltway.html Roads to the Future website]