Interstate 581
Encyclopedia
Interstate 581 is a spur off Interstate 81 into Roanoke, Virginia
, United States
, completely overlapping U.S. Route 220.
in downtown Roanoke, Virginia
, where US 220 continues south as the Roy L. Webber Expressway. I-581 was constructed as a six lane highway for its entire length and has not been widened in its history.
Most of I-581's exits are cloverleaf interchange
s, which can cause weaving. The northern terminus has short merge areas with I-81, especially the left merge in the southbound direction. While traffic volumes can be high, especially near downtown Roanoke and Valley View Mall, bumper to bumper traffic is not common.
Roanoke Regional Airport
, Valley View Mall, and the Roanoke Civic Center are all located adjacent to I-581. The Hershberger Road (State Route 101) exit has become a focus of development. In addition to Valley View, two large hotels were constructed in the early 1980s with another group of hotels being constructed from the mid 1990s through the present. In 2002, local CBS
affiliate WDBJ
constructed its new facility, designed to broadcast in HDTV, on Hershberger Road near I-581.
The southern end of I-581 offers views of the downtown Roanoke skyline
, most prominently the Hotel Roanoke
, the Wachovia
Tower, the former Roanoke Shops
of Norfolk Southern, the Norfolk Southern tower, and St. Andrews Catholic Church. The Mill Mountain Star
is also clearly visible.
The road is planned to become part of an extension of Interstate 73 in Virginia
.
in Roanoke County. US 220 continues as a four lane arterial road south of the SR 419 interchange. Since the extension was not constructed to full Interstate Highway standards
, it only carried the US 220 designation and was named the Roy L. Webber
Expressway after a former mayor of Roanoke. The primary interchange along the expressway is at Wonju Street, which links Franklin Road (U.S. Route 220 Business) and Colonial Avenue and Brandon Avenue (U.S. Route 11). This exit provides quick access to downtown Roanoke from residential areas in southwest Roanoke. Wonju Street is named after Wonju
, South Korea
, one of Roanoke's sister cities. The expressway was originally constructed with four lanes but was widened to six lanes in the mid 1990s.
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, completely overlapping U.S. Route 220.
Route description
The I-581 designation ends at the Elm Avenue (State Route 24) interchangeInterchange (road)
In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
in downtown Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
, where US 220 continues south as the Roy L. Webber Expressway. I-581 was constructed as a six lane highway for its entire length and has not been widened in its history.
Most of I-581's exits are cloverleaf interchange
Cloverleaf interchange
A cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which left turns, reverse direction in left-driving regions, are handled by ramp roads...
s, which can cause weaving. The northern terminus has short merge areas with I-81, especially the left merge in the southbound direction. While traffic volumes can be high, especially near downtown Roanoke and Valley View Mall, bumper to bumper traffic is not common.
Roanoke Regional Airport
Roanoke Regional Airport
Roanoke Regional Airport , also known as Woodrum Field, is a public airport located approximately north of downtown Roanoke, Virginia, United States. It has two runways and over 60 scheduled flights each day...
, Valley View Mall, and the Roanoke Civic Center are all located adjacent to I-581. The Hershberger Road (State Route 101) exit has become a focus of development. In addition to Valley View, two large hotels were constructed in the early 1980s with another group of hotels being constructed from the mid 1990s through the present. In 2002, local CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate WDBJ
WDBJ
WDBJ is the CBS television network affiliate station serving the Roanoke/Lynchburg television market. It transmits its digital signal on UHF channel 18. It is owned by Schurz Communications of South Bend, Indiana...
constructed its new facility, designed to broadcast in HDTV, on Hershberger Road near I-581.
The southern end of I-581 offers views of the downtown Roanoke skyline
Skyline
A skyline is the overall or partial view of a city's tall buildings and structures consisting of many skyscrapers in front of the sky in the background. It can also be described as the artificial horizon that a city's overall structure creates. Skylines serve as a kind of fingerprint of a city, as...
, most prominently the Hotel Roanoke
Hotel Roanoke
The Hotel Roanoke is a luxury hotel located in the Gainsboro neighborhood of Roanoke, Virginia. Originally built in 1882, the hotel has been renovated many times. It is currently owned by Virginia Tech and operated under the Doubletree Hotels brand...
, the Wachovia
Wachovia
Wachovia was a diversified financial services company based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Before its acquisition by Wells Fargo in 2008, Wachovia was the fourth-largest bank holding company in the United States based on total assets...
Tower, the former Roanoke Shops
Roanoke Shops
thumb|250px|[[Norfolk Southern]] Roanoke Shops in 2004.The Roanoke Shops of the Norfolk and Western Railway in Roanoke, Virginia were founded in 1881 as the Roanoke Machine Works. It came under the control of the railroad in 1883. Locomotive production started in 1884 and 152 locomotives were...
of Norfolk Southern, the Norfolk Southern tower, and St. Andrews Catholic Church. The Mill Mountain Star
Mill Mountain Star
The Roanoke Star, also known as the Mill Mountain Star, is the world's largest freestanding illuminated man-made star, constructed in 1949 at the top of Mill Mountain in Roanoke, Virginia. It was the largest star ever assembled until the El Paso Star was completed in El Paso, Texas...
is also clearly visible.
The road is planned to become part of an extension of Interstate 73 in Virginia
Interstate 73 in Virginia
Interstate 73 is an interstate currently in North Carolina with a proposed extension from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to Grayling, Michigan passing through the states of South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, and Michigan....
.
Roy L. Webber Expressway
In 1980, the highway was extended approximately 3.3 miles (5.3 km) from the Elm Avenue interchange to State Route 419 near Tanglewood MallTanglewood Mall
Tanglewood Mall is a shopping mall in southwest Roanoke County, Virginia. It originally opened for business in 1973. The mall is currently managed by Urban Retail Properties....
in Roanoke County. US 220 continues as a four lane arterial road south of the SR 419 interchange. Since the extension was not constructed to full Interstate Highway standards
Interstate Highway standards
Standards for Interstate Highways in the United States are defined by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials in the publication A Policy on Design Standards - Interstate System...
, it only carried the US 220 designation and was named the Roy L. Webber
Roy L. Webber
Roy L. Webber served twice as the mayor of the U.S. city of Roanoke, Virginia. He was mayor from 1949 to 1954 and from 1968 to 1975....
Expressway after a former mayor of Roanoke. The primary interchange along the expressway is at Wonju Street, which links Franklin Road (U.S. Route 220 Business) and Colonial Avenue and Brandon Avenue (U.S. Route 11). This exit provides quick access to downtown Roanoke from residential areas in southwest Roanoke. Wonju Street is named after Wonju
Wonju
Wonju is the most populous city in Gangwon province, South Korea.Wonju is a city approximately east of Seoul and the capital can be reached within 1hr 30minutes by bus or train. Wonju is home to three major universities which attract many students from Seoul and elsewhere. They provide facilities...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, one of Roanoke's sister cities. The expressway was originally constructed with four lanes but was widened to six lanes in the mid 1990s.
Exit list
| County | Location | # Exit number An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore.... |
Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roanoke Roanoke County, Virginia Roanoke County is a county located in the U.S. state of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area and located within the Roanoke Region of Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 85,778. As of 2010, the population was 92,376... |
1 | Signed as exits 1S (south) and 1N (north) | ||
| 2 | Signed as exits 2S (south) and 2N (north) | |||
| City of Roanoke Roanoke, Virginia Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010... |
||||
| 3 | Signed as exits 3W (west) and 3E (east) | |||
| 3C | Valley View Boulevard - Roanoke Regional Airport Roanoke Regional Airport Roanoke Regional Airport , also known as Woodrum Field, is a public airport located approximately north of downtown Roanoke, Virginia, United States. It has two runways and over 60 scheduled flights each day... |
Northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||
| 4 | Signed as exits 4W (west) and 4E (east) | |||
| 5 | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | |||
| 6 | ||||
| South end of I-581; continues as US 220 | ||||
| Wonju Street, Colonial Avenue, Franklin Road | ||||