Virginia State Route 173
Encyclopedia
Virginia State Route 173 (SR 173) is a primary state highway
in the U.S. state of Virginia
. The state highway runs 10.84 miles (17.4 km) from Moyer Road in Newport News
east to SR 629 in Dandy. SR 173 connects the Denbigh
area of Newport News with Grafton
, Seaford
, and Dandy in eastern York County
.
of Newport News. Denbigh Boulevard continues west to the Warwick River
, where the highway ends at the Denbigh Park Boat Ramp
within Denbigh Park. The state highway starts east through a residential area as a two-lane road but expands to four lanes at Catalina Drive. At its intersection with U.S. Route 60
(US 60) (Warwick Boulevard), SR 173 gains a center turn lane. The state highway crosses over CSX
's Peninsula Subdivision and Interstate 64
with no access. SR 173 veers northeast and becomes a divided highway at its junction with SR 143
(Jefferson Avenue) west of Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport
in the Oriana section of Newport News. At the boundary between the city of Newport News and York County, SR 173 reduces to two lanes and its surroundings change from a suburban area to forest. After crossing the Poquoson River
, the state highway intersects US 17
(George Washington Memorial Highway) in Grafton. SR 173 continues northeast as Goodwin Neck Road, which passes to the west of Seaford then curves east onto Goodwin Neck between Back Creek to the south and the Yorktown Refinery
to the north. The state highway reaches its eastern terminus at SR 629 (Dandy Loop Road) in the community of Dandy on Goodwin Neck.
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in the U.S. state of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. The state highway runs 10.84 miles (17.4 km) from Moyer Road in Newport News
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
east to SR 629 in Dandy. SR 173 connects the Denbigh
Denbigh, Virginia
Denbigh was a small unincorporated community in Warwick County, Virginia, and was long the county seat. After a municipal consolidation in 1958, it became a neighborhood of the independent city of Newport News.-History:...
area of Newport News with Grafton
Grafton, Virginia
Grafton is a community in York County, Virginia, United States, on the Virginia Peninsula.- Landmarks :Grafton is home to local landmarks such as the Grafton High/Middle School complex, Pop's Drive In, and Snozone.- History :...
, Seaford
Seaford, Virginia
Seaford is an unincorporated community in York County, Virginia, United States, on the Virginia Peninsula.-History:John Chisman patented on Crab Neck in 1636 and began the Seaford Settlement. The area was originally called Crab Neck, Crab Rock and Calamar. The Crab Neck post office was...
, and Dandy in eastern York County
York County, Virginia
York County is a county located on the north side of the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. Situated on the York River and many tributaries, the county seat is the unincorporated town of Yorktown...
.
Route description
SR 173 begins at the intersection of Denbigh Boulevard and Moyer Road on the western edge of the Denbigh section of the independent cityIndependent city
An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. These type of cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other sovereign state.-Historical precursors:In the Holy Roman Empire,...
of Newport News. Denbigh Boulevard continues west to the Warwick River
Warwick River (Virginia)
The Warwick River is a tidal estuary which empties into the James River a few miles from Hampton Roads at the southern end of Chesapeake Bay in southeast Virginia in the United States...
, where the highway ends at the Denbigh Park Boat Ramp
Denbigh Park Boat Ramp
The Denbigh Park Boat Ramp is a park located in the Denbigh area of Newport News, Virginia, USA. It is maintained by the Newport News Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. It is located on at the southern end of Denbigh Boulevard.-Features:The boat ramp is the main feature of Denbigh Park...
within Denbigh Park. The state highway starts east through a residential area as a two-lane road but expands to four lanes at Catalina Drive. At its intersection with U.S. Route 60
U.S. Route 60 in Virginia
U.S. Route 60 in Virginia runs west to east through the central part of the state, generally close to and paralleling the Interstate 64 corridor, except for the crossing of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and in the South Hampton Roads area....
(US 60) (Warwick Boulevard), SR 173 gains a center turn lane. The state highway crosses over CSX
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
's Peninsula Subdivision and Interstate 64
Interstate 64 in Virginia
In the U.S. state of Virginia, Interstate 64 runs east–west through the middle of the state from West Virginia to the Hampton Roads region, a total of . It is notable for crossing the mouth of the harbor of Hampton Roads on the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, the first bridge-tunnel to...
with no access. SR 173 veers northeast and becomes a divided highway at its junction with SR 143
Virginia State Route 143
Virginia State Route 143 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from Camp Peary near Williamsburg east to U.S. Route 258 at Fort Monroe in Hampton. SR 143 is a major local thoroughfare on the Virginia Peninsula portion of the Hampton Roads metropolitan...
(Jefferson Avenue) west of Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport
Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport
Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport is an airport located 9 mi northwest of downtown Newport News, Virginia, and serves the entire Hampton Roads metropolitan area along with Norfolk International Airport in Norfolk...
in the Oriana section of Newport News. At the boundary between the city of Newport News and York County, SR 173 reduces to two lanes and its surroundings change from a suburban area to forest. After crossing the Poquoson River
Poquoson River
The Poquoson River is an , mostly tidal river in the state of Virginia. The river is an arm of Chesapeake Bay, entering just south of the mouth of the York River....
, the state highway intersects US 17
U.S. Route 17 in Virginia
U.S. Route 17 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Punta Gorda, Florida to Winchester, Virginia. In Virginia, the U.S. Highway runs from the North Carolina state line in Chesapeake north to its northern terminus at US 11, US 50, and US 522 in Winchester. US 17 is a major highway...
(George Washington Memorial Highway) in Grafton. SR 173 continues northeast as Goodwin Neck Road, which passes to the west of Seaford then curves east onto Goodwin Neck between Back Creek to the south and the Yorktown Refinery
Yorktown Refinery
Yorktown Refinery is an oil refinery located alongside of the York river.The refinery used to be operated by Giant Industries and earlier operated by BP/Amoco....
to the north. The state highway reaches its eastern terminus at SR 629 (Dandy Loop Road) in the community of Dandy on Goodwin Neck.