U.S. Route 50 in Virginia
Route information | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Maintained by VDOT | ||||
Length | 85.96 mi[1][2] (138.34 km) | |||
Existed | 1926–present | |||
Major junctions | ||||
West end | US 50 at West Virginia border near Capon Bridge, WV | |||
| ||||
East end | I-66 / US 50 at Washington, D.C. border in Arlington | |||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | Virginia | |||
Counties | Frederick, City of Winchester, Clarke, Fauquier, Loudoun, Fairfax, City of Fairfax, Arlington | |||
Highway system | ||||
|
U.S. Route 50 (US 50) is a transcontinental highway which stretches from Ocean City, Maryland to West Sacramento, California. In the U.S. state of Virginia, US 50 extends 86 miles (138 km) from the border with Washington, D.C. at a Potomac River crossing at Rosslyn in Arlington County to the West Virginia state line near Gore in Frederick County.
History
US 50, also known in modern times for most of its mileage in
During the American Civil War, the roads which became US 50 were an important travelway for troops, and were the site of significant battles and skirmishes. Among these, the Battle of Chantilly, the Battle of Aldie, as well as Arlington National Cemetery were all located close by.
During the 19th century, the
In 1922, these three privately owned turnpikes were taken over by the
US Route 50 was one of the major east–west transcontinental highways in the grid system of the lower 48 states planned in the 1920s as a successor to the
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted to rename the section of US 50 within Loudoun County from John Mosby Highway to Little River Turnpike on December 7, 2021. This is in an effort to restore historical names and remove segregationist and Confederate symbols throughout the county.[3]
Route description
The eastern two-thirds of US 50 in Virginia is substantially paralleled by Interstate 66, although the newer highway gradually diverges to the south after their Fairfax interchange to Front Royal and meets Interstate 81 at Strasburg, about 15 miles (24 km) south of Winchester, where US 50 meets I-81.
Frederick County and Winchester
U.S. Route 50 enters the state from the
Winchester was long the transportation hub of the lower Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. Today, US 50 meets
Paris, Ashby Gap, Clarke County
After crossing the Shenandoah River, the divided four-laned roadway which serves as combined U.S. Routes 17 and 50 ascends into
Just west of Paris, the highway crosses a ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains at a place known as
Fauquier and Loudoun counties
West of Fairfax County, US 50 in Virginia is known as the John Mosby Highway in
Upon entering Loudoun County, US 50 exits the Blue Ridge Mountains and enters the Piedmont region. The highway passes across the southeastern portion through the