Interstate 95 in Virginia

Interstate 95
I-95 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by Virginia DOT
Length	178.73 mi[1] (287.64 km)
Existed	1957–present
Major junctions
South end	I-95 at North Carolina border near Skippers
Major intersections	US 58 in Emporia I-295 near Petersburg I-85 / US 460 in Petersburg SR 150 / SR 895 in Bensley US 250 in Richmond US 1 / US 301 in Richmond I-64 / I-195 in Richmond US 17 near Fredericksburg I-395 / I-495 in Springfield US 1 in Alexandria
North end	I-95 / I-495 at District of Columbia border in Alexandria
Location
Counties	Greensville, City of Emporia, Sussex, Prince George, City of Petersburg, City of Colonial Heights, Chesterfield, City of Richmond, Henrico, Hanover, Caroline, Spotsylania, City of Fredericksburg, Stafford, Prince William, Fairfax, City of Alexandria
Highway system
Interstate Highway System Main Auxiliary Suffixed Business Future Virginia Routes Interstate US Primary Secondary Byways History HOT lanes
← SR 94 → SR 96

Interstate 95 (I-95) runs 179 miles (288 km) within the Commonwealth of Virginia between its borders with North Carolina and Maryland. I-95 is concurrent with I-64 for 3 miles (4.8 km) in Richmond, and meets the northern terminus of I-85 in Petersburg. Although I-95 was originally planned as a highway through Washington, D.C. (following the route of what is now I-395), it was rerouted along the eastern portion of the Capital Beltway. From Petersburg to Richmond, I-95 was most of the Richmond–Petersburg Turnpike (the south end of the toll road was on I-85.)

It enters the Capital Beltway at the Springfield Interchange, also known as the Mixing Bowl. I-95 continues over the Woodrow Wilson Bridge into Washington, D.C. (for 0.11 miles on the bridge), and then into Maryland on the Capital Beltway.

The route between Fredericksburg and Springfield is consistently one of the most congested routes of highway in the United States, particularly during holidays and rush hours. The causes for this congestion are lack of alternative routes, fewer lanes than needed, and the spread-out suburbs of the Washington, D.C. area.^[2]

On January 4, 2022, a major traffic jam occurred, leaving some people stuck in traffic for more than 24 hours due to heavy snowfall.^[3]

Route description[]

I-95 entering Virginia from North Carolina in 2007

North Carolina to Petersburg[]

I-95 continues the pattern of being a four-lane highway from North Carolina. The welcome center forbids trucks, but truck stops at the first two interchanges provides a substitute place for truckers to stay before reaching Emporia.^[4][5] North of here, I-95 and US 301 are often intertwined with each other as they encounter interchanges with Virginia Secondary State Routes. In the Owens-Stony Creek area in Sussex County, the road not only runs parallel to US 301 but shares bridges with I-95, many of which have access to US 301 from connecting roads. This pattern ends at Exit 33 at the corner of a truck stop and travel center. Crossing the Sussex-Prince George County line, the first site along I-95 is another rest area that also serves as the Petersburg Area Tourist Information Center. The road makes a slight northeast turn between Carson and Templeton, then turns straight north again before approaching the south end of I-295 just before crossing the southern border of the City of Petersburg at Exit 47. A series of frontage roads connect the interchanges with US 460, US 301 and the northern terminus of I-85. Immediately after the interchange with I-85, remnants of the former toll booths for the Richmond–Petersburg Turnpike can be found.^[6] Also, the I-95/I-85 interchange is marked with signs directing southbound travelers to the long-distance cities of Miami, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia, respectively.

Petersburg to Richmond[]

View of I-95 southbound past SR 144 in Colonial Heights

I-95 northbound at the SR 802 interchange in Hanover County

North of Petersburg, I-95 crosses the Appomattox River and enters the City of Colonial Heights and then Chesterfield County. An extraordinarily high Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge carries State Route 895 (SR 895, Pocahontas Parkway) over I-95 and the James River just south of the Richmond city limits. A CSX railroad line runs parallel to the northbound lane in the vicinity of the Port of Richmond, and the Commerce Road Industrial Area, a region that includes a Philip Morris office and an old bridge manufacturing plant.^[7] As I-95 itself crosses the James River, Main Street Station can be seen on the north bank, and the road winds around the station itself.^[8] The first interchange after it crosses the James River is the tolled SR 195 and from there the road winds towards the concurrency with I-64. I-64/I-95 curves to the northwest to cross under US 1/US 301, only to turn back north briefly, and curve northwest again, as it approaches SR 161. This pattern ends when I-64 turns west at the same interchange as the northern terminus of I-195. From here I-95 curves back to the northeast and has two interchanges with US 1, and later US 301 separately, the latter of which has separate carriageways on both side of I-95. Another interchange with I-295 exists in Glen Allen. However, I-295 does not terminate there, and the south-to-eastbound and west-to-northbound off-ramps between the two can be accessed in the medians of both roads.

Central Virginia to Washington, D.C.[]

View north along I-95 north of US 17 in Stafford County

Throughout much of central Virginia, I-95 climbs a series of hills, and contains wide tree-lined medians. Near Doswell, the SR 30 interchange provides access to Kings Dominion amusement park, with signs for the amusement park blended in with standard destination signs. US 17 overlaps I-95 from Massaponax at exit 126 to Falmouth at exit 133 as the highway passes west of Fredericksburg. The wide tree-line divider resumes north of here. At Exit 143 in Aquia, the northbound off and on ramps connect directly to US 1, even though the interchange is specifically for SR 610.^[9][10] The bi-directional HOT lane begins at the SR 610 interchange north of Stafford and runs through the center of I-95 through most of the rest of its journey toward Washington, D.C. Crossing over the Chopawamsic Creek takes I-95 through the Marine Corps Base Quantico, which includes restrictive interchanges.^[11]

I-95 northbound at the SR 294 exit near Woodbridge

Further north in Prince William County, there are four rest areas; two for trucks in Dumfries, and two for cars in Dale City. The truck rest areas, with weigh stations, are near exit 152. The car rest areas have uniquely positioned entrance and exit ramps. The southbound car rest area, near exit 156, is accessible only from the southbound collective-distributor road. In Lorton, a exists with US 1, and shortly after this Lorton Auto Train Station is located near exit 163. Due to public opposition of efforts to build I-95 through Washington, D.C. and College Park, Maryland, I-95 is diverted onto a multiplex with I-495 (Capital Beltway) at the Springfield Interchange, with the former alignment north of here becoming I-395. I-95/I-495 continue east through Franconia, over the Washington Metro's Blue Line and Rose Hill. At Huntington, I-95/I-495 run under the Washington Metro's Yellow Line, and through Alexandria before crossing the Woodrow Wilson Bridge briefly into Washington, D.C., and then into Maryland.

Auxiliary routes[]

Current[]

I-95/I-495 south coming off the Woodrow Wilson Bridge from Maryland

View south along I-95 north of SR 150 and SR 895 in Bensley

• Interstate 195 is a short spur from north of downtown Richmond south into downtown.
• Interstate 295 is a bypass to the east of Richmond, from I-95 south of Petersburg, across Interstate 64 east of Richmond and I-95 north of Richmond to I-64 west of Richmond.
• Interstate 395 is a branch from Springfield north into downtown Washington, D.C. It was part of I-95 until 1977.
• Interstate 495 is the Capital Beltway, a full loop around Washington, D.C. Since 1977, I-95 has run along its east half.

Former[]

• was a former business loop of Interstate 95 in and out of Emporia, Virginia between Exits 8 and 12, running mostly along US 301.
• Interstate 595 was a planned branch from I-395 south to Washington National Airport along U.S. Route 1.
• Interstate 795 was a planned number for present I-95 from I-295 south of Petersburg to Interstate 85 in downtown Petersburg; I-95 would have bypassed Petersburg and Richmond to the east on I-295. The renumbering was never done because tolls were removed from the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike section of I-95.^[12]
• State Route 895 is the Pocahontas Parkway, a connection from I-95 south of Richmond east to I-295. It was not numbered as an Interstate because the project opened as a toll road using federal funds, thus disqualifying it from Interstate status.

HOV facilities[]

I-95 with reversible HOT lanes in northern Virginia

Interstate 95 extends the twin-lane barrier-separated HOV lanes that begin on I-395 at the 14th Street Bridge in Washington. These lanes have been extended south several times, most recently to just north of Stafford right before the Garrisonville Road exit.

As part of the Quantico Creek bridge rebuilding project, a three-lane, 300-foot-long (91 m) bridge was constructed in the median just south of the old southern HOV terminus for use when the HOV facilities were extended. It was previously used as a detour bridge and retained its lane striping from such use.

In December 2014, this bridge became part of the Southern HOV/HOT lane extension project that now runs to just north of Garrisonville Road (exit 143) in Stafford.^[13][14]

The new I-95 HOV/HOT lanes project created approximately 29 miles (47 km) of HOV/HOT lanes on I-95 from Garrisonville Road in Stafford County to the vicinity of Edsall Road on I-395 in Fairfax County.^[15]

In July 2016, VDOT began construction of an additional one-mile (1.6 km) extension of the HOV/HOT lanes on I-95 south of Garrisonville Road in Stafford County. This addition opened in November 2017.^[16]

Welcome centers, rest areas and weigh stations[]

• Northbound Virginia Welcome Center: Milepost 1, north of VA State Line
• Northbound Petersburg Welcome Center: Milepost 35 between Exits 33 and 37
• Carson Weigh Stations: Milepost 40 between Exits 37 and 41
• Ladysmith Rest Areas: Milepost 108 between Exits 104 and 110
• Southbound Fredericksburg Rest Area: Milepost 132 between Exits 130 and 133
• Dumfries Rest Area and Weigh Stations: Milepost 153 between Exits 152 and 156
• Dale City Rest Areas: Milepost 155 between Exits 152 and 156

Exit list[]

County	Location	mi[1]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Greensville	​	0.00	0.00		I-95 south – Rocky Mount	Continuation into North Carolina
	Skippers	4.13	6.65	4	SR 629 – Skippers
	​	8.25	13.28	8	US 301 – Emporia
City of Emporia		11.00	17.70	11	US 58 – South Hill, Emporia, Norfolk	Signed as exits 11A (east) and 11B (west)
Greensville	​	12.99	20.91	12	US 301 north	Northbound exit only
	​	13.51	21.74	13	SR 614 – Emporia
Sussex	​	17.30	27.84	17	US 301
	​	20.25	32.59	20	SR 631 – Jarratt	Former SR 137; to SR 139
		24.29	39.09	24	SR 645
	Stony Creek	30.92	49.76	31	SR 40 – Stony Creek, Waverly
	​	33.37	53.70	33	SR 602
Prince George	Carson	37.15	59.79	37	SR 623 – Carson	Former SR 141 west
	Templeton	40.88	65.79	41	US 301 / SR 35 / SR 156 – Courtland
		45.42	73.10	45	US 301
	​	46.53	74.88	46	I-295 north to I-64 – Washington, Richmond International Airport	I-295 to 95 north exit 1
City of Petersburg		47.74	76.83	47	SR 629 (Rives Road)
		48.89	78.68	48	Wagner Road (US 460 east)	Signed as exits 48A (east) and 48B (west); south end of US 460 overlap; serves Southside Regional Medical Center
		50.61– 51.06	81.45– 82.17	50	US 460 Bus. east (County Drive) to SR 109 / US 301 (Crater Road) / Wythe Street / Washington Street – Fort Lee	Northbound signed as "US 460 east to SR 109/US 301/Wythe St./Washington St."; southbound signed as "US 301/US 460 Bus." only; signed as exits 50A (US 460), 50B-C (US 301), and 50D (Wythe St./Washington St.) northbound
		51.71	83.22	51	I-85 south / US 460 west – Durham, Atlanta, Blackstone, South Hill	Northern end of US 460 concurrency; Northern terminus of I-85; northbound signed as "Blackstone/South Hill"; southbound signed as "Durham/Atlanta"
		52.14	83.91	52	Bank Street	Northbound exit only
		52.15	83.93		Washington Street / Wythe Street (US 460 Bus. west) – Petersburg National Battlefield, Historic Old Towne Petersburg
Appomattox River		52.79	84.96	Appomattox River Bridge
City of Colonial Heights		53.00	85.30	53	Southpark Boulevard
		53.98	86.87	54	SR 144 (Temple Avenue) to SR 36
Chesterfield	​	57.91	93.20	58	SR 620 (Woods Edge Road) / SR 746 (Ruffin Mill Road)	Signed as exits 58A (east) and 58B (west) southbound
	Chester	60.81	97.86	61	SR 10 – Hopewell, Chester	Signed as exits 61A (east) and 61B (west)
		62.62	100.78	62	SR 288 north to Powhite Parkway (SR 76) – Chesterfield
	​	64.66	104.06	64	SR 613 (Willis Road)
	Bensley	67.43	108.52	67	SR 150 north (Chippenham Parkway) to SR 895 east / US 60 west / US 360 west / I-295 – Richmond International Airport	Signed as exits 67A (east) and 67B (north) northbound; no access from I-95 south to SR 895 east
City of Richmond		69.35	111.61	69	SR 161 (Bells Road)
		73.16	117.74	73	Maury Street / Commerce Road
		73.61	118.46	James River Bridge
		74.01	119.11	74A	SR 195 Toll (Downtown Expressway) to I-195 north / Powhite Parkway (SR 76 south)
		74.30	119.57	74B	Franklin Street	Southbound exit only
		74.63	120.11	74C	US 250 (Broad Street) to US 33	No access from I-95 south to US 250 east
		75.55	121.59	75	I-64 east / 7th Street – Williamsburg, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Richmond International Airport	Southern end of I-64 concurrency; I-64 exit 190
		75.85	122.07	76A	US 1 / US 301 (Chamberlayne Avenue)	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
		76.09	122.45	76B	US 1 / US 301 (Belvidere Street)	No northbound exit
		78.06	125.63	78	Boulevard (SR 161)
		78.84	126.88	79	I-64 west / I-195 south / to Powhite Parkway (SR 76 south) – Charlottesville	Northern end of I-64 concurrency; I-64 exit 187
		79.91	128.60	80	SR 161 (Hermitage Road / Lakeside Avenue)	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
Henrico		80.82	130.07	81	US 1 (Brook Road)	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
	​	81.12	130.55	82	US 301 / SR 2 (Chamberlayne Avenue)	Former northern terminus of Richmond–Petersburg Turnpike
		82.94	133.48	83	SR 73 west (Parham Road)	Signed as exits 83A (east) and 83B (west)
	​	84.41	135.84	84	I-295 to I-64 – Charlottesville, Williamsburg, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Rocky Mount, NC, Richmond International Airport	Signed as exits 84A (south) and 84B (north); I-295 exit 43; Rocky Mount, NC signed northbound; Williamsburg and Virginia Beach signed southbound
Hanover	Ashland	87.30	140.50	86	SR 656 – Atlee, Elmont	Signed as exits 86A (east) and 86B (west)
		89.09	143.38	89	(Lewistown Road)
	Ashland	91.74	147.64	92	SR 54 – Ashland, Hanover	Signed as exits 92A (east) and 92B (west) northbound
	​	97.75	157.31	98	SR 30 – Doswell, West Point, Kings Dominion	Southbound Exit 98 splits to separate ramp to Kings Dominion
Caroline		104.18	167.66	104	SR 207 to US 301 – , Bowling Green
	Ladysmith	110.30	177.51	110	SR 639 – Ladysmith	To former SR 229 west
Spotsylvania	Thornburg	118.26	190.32	118	SR 606 – Thornburg
	​	125.84	202.52	126	US 1 / US 17 south – Spotsylvania, Fredericksburg	Southern end of US 17 concurrency; signed as exits 126A (north) and 126B (south) northbound
City of Fredericksburg		129.54	208.47	130	SR 3 – Culpeper, Fredericksburg	Signed as exits 130A (east) and 130B (west)
Rappahannock River		131.83	212.16	Rappahannock Falls Bridge
Stafford	​	133.08	214.17	133	US 17 north / US 17 Bus. – Warrenton, Falmouth, Fredericksburg	Northern end of US 17 concurrency; signed as exits 133A (US 17 Bus.) and 133B (north) southbound
	​				I-95 Express north	South end of proposed I-95 Express lanes extension for construction to start in 2019
	​	135.61	218.24	136	(Centreport Parkway) to US 1 – Stafford Airport	Exit opened December 22, 2005
	​	139.83	225.03	140	SR 630 – Stafford	To former SR 212 east
	​	141.00	226.92		I-95 Express north	Current south end of I-95 Express lanes
	Aquia	142.73	229.70	143A	SR 610 east / US 1 – Aquia	Signed as US 1 northbound and SR 610 southbound; former SR 213
				143B	SR 610 west – Garrisonville	Former SR 213
	​	145.30	233.84		I-95 Express north	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
Prince William	​	147.65	237.62	148	Marine Corps Base Quantico
	Triangle	149.97	241.35	150	SR 619 – Triangle, Quantico, Prince William Forest Park	Signed as exits 150A (east) and 150B (west) southbound; commercial vehicles to Marine Corps Base Quantico must use exit 148
	​	151.00	243.01		I-95 Express north	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
	Dumfries	152.36	245.20	152	SR 234 – Dumfries, Manassas	Signed as exits 152A (south) and 152B (north)
	Dale City	155.91	250.91	156	SR 784 – Dale City, Rippon Landing	Since 2012, signed as exits 156A (east) and 156B (west); northbound entrance includes direct entrance ramp from Opitz Boulevard, and direct exit ramp to I-95 Express lanes
	​	157.00	252.67		I-95 Express	No direct northbound exit
	​	158.13	254.49	158	SR 294 (Prince William Parkway) – Woodbridge, Manassas	Signed as exits 158A (east) and 158B (west)
	​	158.13	254.49	—	SR 294 (Prince William Parkway) – Manassas, Woodbridge	Southbound exit and northbound entrance for I-95 Express lanes; exit includes direct exit ramp to Horner Road Commuter Parking Lot
	Woodbridge	160.05	257.58	160	SR 123 – Occoquan, Lake Ridge, Woodbridge	Signed as exits 160A (south) and 160B (north) northbound; no access from I-95 south to SR 123 south
	​	160.05	257.58	—	SR 123 – Occoquan, Lake Ridge	Southbound exit and northbound entrance for I-95 Express lanes
Fairfax	Lorton	161.17	259.38	161	US 1 north – Fort Belvoir, Mount Vernon	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
					US 1 south – Woodbridge	Southbound exit and northbound entrance for I-95 Express lanes
					US 1 south – Woodbridge	Southbound left exit and northbound entrance
		163.66	263.39	163	SR 642 – Lorton
	Newington	165.56	266.44		I-95 Express north	Northbound exit only
		166.00	267.15		Alban Road / Boudinot Drive	Southbound entrance only for I-95 Express lanes
		166.80	268.44	166	SR 286 (Fairfax County Parkway) / Backlick Road (SR 617) / Fullerton Road / Heller Road – Newington, Fort Belvoir	Signed as exits 166A (south) and 166B (north); Heller Rd. not signed northbound; Backlick Rd./Fullerton Rd. not signed southbound
		167.00	268.76		I-95 Express south	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
		167.81	270.06	167	SR 617 south (Backlick Road) / Fullerton Road	Southbound exit only
	Springfield	169.05	272.06	169A-B	SR 644 – Franconia, Springfield	No southbound exit; signed as exits 169A (east) and 169B (west)
				—	SR 289 (Franconia-Springfield Parkway)	I-95 Express lane interchange
					I-95 Express north	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
				—	SR 644 west – Springfield	Southbound exit and northbound entrance for I-95 Express lanes
		169.05– 171.01	272.06– 275.21	170A-B	I-395 north / I-495 north – Washington, Tysons Corner	Part of Springfield Interchange; northbound exit and southbound entrance; signed as exits 170A (I-395) and 170B (I-495); I-395 exits 1A-B
				—	I-395 Express north	I-95 Express lane interchange; part of Springfield Interchange
				—	I-495 north – Tysons Corner	I-95 Express lane interchange; part of Springfield Interchange
					I-95 Express south	Part of Springfield Interchange; north end of I-95 Express lanes
				170B	I-495 north – Tysons Corner	Southern end of I-495 concurrency; part of Springfield Interchange; southbound exit and northbound entrance
	Franconia	171.97	276.76	173	SR 613 (Van Dorn Street) – Franconia	Formerly signed as exit 3 (following old Capital Beltway numbering)
	​	173.51	279.24	174	Eisenhower Avenue Connector – Alexandria
	​	174.31	280.52	—	I-95 north / I-495 east – Baltimore	South end of Thru Lanes
	Huntington	175.06	281.73	176A-B	SR 241 / SR 611 south (Telegraph Road / North Kings Highway) / to Eisenhower Avenue – Alexandria	Signed as exits 176A (south) and 176B (north); formerly signed as exit 2 (following old Capital Beltway numbering)
		176.27	283.68	—	Eisenhower Avenue	Southbound exit and northbound entrance for Thru Lanes only
City of Alexandria		176.57	284.16	177A-B	US 1 – Alexandria, Fort Belvoir	Signed as exits 177A (south) and 177B (north); formerly signed as exit 1 (following old Capital Beltway numbering); entrances include direct entrance ramps onto Thru Lanes; no access to northbound Thru Lanes from US 1 north
				177C	Mount Vernon	Southbound exit only
Potomac River		177.64	285.88	Woodrow Wilson Bridge VA–DC and DC–MD lines
					I-95 north / I-495 north – Baltimore	Continuation beyond Virginia
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Electronic toll collection       Incomplete access       Unopened

Usage[]

In 2010, volume at Newington, northbound, from 6-9 am, is about 8,800 vehicles in the two HOV lanes, and 18,300 vehicles in the three lanes with no restriction.^[17]

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Interstate 95 in Virginia.

Route map:

• Exitlists.com (I-95)
• I-95 Rest Areas in Virginia (I-95 Exit Information Guide)
• Truckers Directory - State Weigh Stations in Virginia

Interstate 95
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