Virginia Smart Road
Encyclopedia
The Virginia Smart Road, also known as simply the Smart Road or Smart Highway, is a short, limited access road in Montgomery County, Virginia
used for the testing of pavement technologies and as a proving ground for new transportation technologies. The Smart Road is currently a 2.2 miles (3.5 km) stretch of road with turn-around loops at either end. Eventually, the road will be extended to a total of 5.7 miles (9.2 km), which will directly connect U.S. Route 460
in Blacksburg
to Interstate 81
with an interchange near mile marker 121; however, there is no set time frame for completion. The Wilson Creek Bridge
was built for the Smart Road and, at 175 feet (53.3 m) tall, is the tallest bridge in Virginia. The road and bridge are operated and maintained by the Virginia Department of Transportation
.
Montgomery County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 83,629 people, 30,997 households, and 17,203 families residing in the county. The population density was 215 people per square mile . There were 32,527 housing units at an average density of 84 per square mile...
used for the testing of pavement technologies and as a proving ground for new transportation technologies. The Smart Road is currently a 2.2 miles (3.5 km) stretch of road with turn-around loops at either end. Eventually, the road will be extended to a total of 5.7 miles (9.2 km), which will directly connect U.S. Route 460
U.S. Route 460
U.S. Route 460 is a spur of U.S. Route 60. It currently runs for 655 miles from Norfolk, Virginia at U.S. Route 60 at Ocean View to Frankfort, Kentucky at U.S. Route 60. It passes through the states of Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky...
in Blacksburg
Blacksburg, Virginia
Blacksburg is an incorporated town located in Montgomery County, Virginia, United States, with a population of 42,620 at the 2010 census. Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Radford are the three principal jurisdictions of the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford Metropolitan Statistical Area which...
to Interstate 81
Interstate 81
Interstate 81 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Island at the Canadian border, where the Thousand Islands Bridge connects it to Highway 401, the main freeway...
with an interchange near mile marker 121; however, there is no set time frame for completion. The Wilson Creek Bridge
Wilson Creek Bridge
The Wilson Creek Bridge is the tallest bridge in Virginia at tall, the second tallest being the Varina-Enon Bridge over the James River between Henrico County and Chesterfield County at tall....
was built for the Smart Road and, at 175 feet (53.3 m) tall, is the tallest bridge in Virginia. The road and bridge are operated and maintained by the Virginia Department of Transportation
Virginia Department of Transportation
The Virginia Department of Transportation is the agency of state government responsible for transportation in the state of Virginia in the United States. Headquartered in Downtown Richmond, VDOT is responsible for building, maintaining, and operating the roads, bridges and tunnels in the...
.
Segments
| Phase | Project | Completion |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.78 mi (2.9 km) two-lane testbed Testbed A testbed is a platform for experimentation of large development projects. Testbeds allow for rigorous, transparent, and replicable testing of scientific theories, computational tools, and new technologies.The term is used across many disciplines to describe a development environment that is... with western end turnaround |
March 2000 |
| 2 | 2000 ft (609.6 m) Wilson Creek Bridge Wilson Creek Bridge The Wilson Creek Bridge is the tallest bridge in Virginia at tall, the second tallest being the Varina-Enon Bridge over the James River between Henrico County and Chesterfield County at tall.... and eastern end turnaround |
May 2001 |
| 3 | 3.7 mi (6 km) extension to I-81 Interstate 81 Interstate 81 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Island at the Canadian border, where the Thousand Islands Bridge connects it to Highway 401, the main freeway... at mile marker Milestone A milestone is one of a series of numbered markers placed along a road or boundary at intervals of one mile or occasionally, parts of a mile. They are typically located at the side of the road or in a median. They are alternatively known as mile markers, mileposts or mile posts... 121 |
TBA |
| Future | Widening entire 5.7 mi (9.2 km) roadway to four lanes | TBA |