Virginia State Route 33

Infobox road
state=VA
type=
route=33
length_mi=
length_ref=Fact|date=February 2007
length_round=2
established=1938
direction_a=West
direction_b=East
starting_terminus=
junction=
ending_terminus=dead end at Stingray Point
previous_type=US
previous_route=33
next_type=
next_route=34

State Route 33 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. It forms an extension of U.S. Route 33 from Richmond east to Stingray Point on the Chesapeake Bay. The route includes concurrencies with U.S. Route 60 and Interstate 64.

SR 33 was part of State Route 4, which continued west along U.S. Route 33, until early 1938. [CTB minutes|01-1938-01, page 8: "Route 4 at M.P. 5.9 between West Point and Shacklefords P.O."] [CTB minutes|02-1938-01, page 7: "Route 33, M.P. 3.0 at Shacklefords Fork"]

In memory of the decorated Marine Chesty Puller, SR 33 is also called General Puller Highway between Saluda and Stingray Point.

Miscellanea

In 1973, State Route 33 between Eltham and Quinton in New Kent County had an extraordinarily high accident rate due to heavy weekend traffic to waterfront points in eastern Virginia. This weekend travel is known colloquially in Central Virginia as "Going to the Rivah", the "Rivah" (river) loosely defined as any recreational body of water east of the fall line. Upon partial completion, a stretch of newly-built Interstate 64 was opened from Exit 205 to Exit 220 as State Route 33 in order to divert traffic off one of the most accident-prone portions of the former winding and hilly two-lane route through New Kent Courthouse, which was renumbered State Route 249. This portion of the highway became concurrent with I-64 as the connecting portions of the new Interstate were opened.

References