Virginia State Route 236
Encyclopedia
State Route 236, also known for part of its length as Little River Turnpike, is a primary state highway
in the Commonwealth
of Virginia
. It runs from the split of U.S. Route 29 and U.S. Route 50 in western Fairfax, where it is known as Main Street (and a piece of North Street), to State Route 400 (Washington Street) in Alexandria, where it is known as Duke Street.
In Alexandria's West End, Duke Street is the dividing line between north and south in the addressing system
. In Old Town Alexandria, the dividing line is King Street
(State Route 7). The large, main campus of Northern Virginia Community College
is on Route 236 just outside the Beltway.
Route 236 has interchange
s with Interstate 395 and Interstate 495.
Route 236 is generally a four-lane road. Construction of a third lane west of the Beltway has begun. Following extensive construction in Old Town Fairfax in the City of Fairfax, Route 236 veers onto North Street in both directions—formerly it only did so westbound (North Street was formerly one way westbound in Old Town and Main Street one way eastbound in the area).
!County
!Location
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="3" colspan="2" | City
of Fairfax
| 0.00
|
| Western terminus
|-
| 1.15
|
|
|-
| 2.86
|
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | Fairfax
| rowspan="3" | Annandale
| 4.97
|
|
|-
| 5.86
|
| Cloverleaf interchange
|-
| 7.24
|
|
|-
| rowspan="6" colspan="2" | City
of Alexandria
| 10.64
| to Washington - Richmond
| Partial cloverleaf interchange
|-
| 11.02
|
|
|-
| 13.18
|
|
|-
| 14.04
|
|
|-
| 15.30
|
| S. Patrick Street US 1 northbound
|-
| 15.54
|
| Eastern terminus
and was a privately owned and operated toll road
during the 18th and 19th centuries running from Alexandria to Aldie
in Loudoun County, Virginia
. Several sections of the road originated as Indian
trails, and a majority of the road traversed rural areas. Many Civil War
battles and skirmishes were fought at locations along or near the road. Currently, most of the historical turnpike is paved road owned and maintained by the government of Virginia
. However, just over half of its route is part of U.S. Route 50 and is called the John S. Mosby Highway (in Loudoun County) and Lee-Jackson Memorial Highway (in Fairfax County). Only the SR 236 section continues to carry the Little River Turnpike name. Nearly all the length of the road now runs through urban and suburban communities.
Duke Street in Old Town Alexandria was part of the original grid plan
of the city.
SR 236 appeared in its present location between 1934 and 1937 as a replacement for US 50, which formerly ran the entire length of the historic Little River Turnpike to Alexandria before turning northward toward Washington, D.C. concurrent
with U.S. Route 1. Prior to that, State Route 236 ran along present US 50 east of Fairfax; the two routes were swapped at that time.
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 Commonwealth
Commonwealth
Commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has sometimes been synonymous with "republic."More recently it has been used for fraternal associations of some sovereign nations...
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...
. It runs from the split of U.S. Route 29 and U.S. Route 50 in western Fairfax, where it is known as Main Street (and a piece of North Street), to State Route 400 (Washington Street) in Alexandria, where it is known as Duke Street.
In Alexandria's West End, Duke Street is the dividing line between north and south in the addressing system
Address (geography)
An address is a collection of information, presented in a mostly fixed format, used for describing the location of a building, apartment, or other structure or a plot of land, generally using political boundaries and street names as references, along with other identifiers such as house or...
. In Old Town Alexandria, the dividing line is King Street
King Street, Alexandria, Virginia
King Street is a major road in Alexandria, Virginia, USA and historic Old Town Alexandria. It extends westward from the Potomac River waterfront near the Torpedo Factory Art Center and nearby bustling tourist gift shops and restaurants, passing City Hall...
(State Route 7). The large, main campus of Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College (Annandale Campus)
The Northern Virginia Community College Annandale Campus, in Annandale, Virginia, is the largest of the six NOVA campuses.-Campus description:...
is on Route 236 just outside the Beltway.
Route 236 has interchange
Interchange (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...
s with Interstate 395 and Interstate 495.
Route 236 is generally a four-lane road. Construction of a third lane west of the Beltway has begun. Following extensive construction in Old Town Fairfax in the City of Fairfax, Route 236 veers onto North Street in both directions—formerly it only did so westbound (North Street was formerly one way westbound in Old Town and Main Street one way eastbound in the area).
Major intersections
{| class=wikitable!County
!Location
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="3" colspan="2" | City
Independent 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 Fairfax
Fairfax, Virginia
The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat....
| 0.00
|
| Western terminus
|-
| 1.15
|
|
|-
| 2.86
|
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | Fairfax
Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County is a county in Virginia, in the United States. Per the 2010 Census, the population of the county is 1,081,726, making it the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 13.5% of Virginia's population...
| rowspan="3" | Annandale
Annandale, Virginia
Annandale is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population was 41,008 at the 2010 census, down from 54,994 in 2000 due to the splitting off of the western part of it to form Wakefield and Woodburn CDP's.-Geography:...
| 4.97
|
|
|-
| 5.86
|
| Cloverleaf interchange
|-
| 7.24
|
|
|-
| rowspan="6" colspan="2" | City
Independent 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 Alexandria
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
| 10.64
| to Washington - Richmond
| Partial cloverleaf interchange
|-
| 11.02
|
|
|-
| 13.18
|
|
|-
| 14.04
|
|
|-
| 15.30
|
| S. Patrick Street US 1 northbound
|-
| 15.54
|
| Eastern terminus
History
The Little River Turnpike existed before the American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
and was a privately owned and operated toll road
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
during the 18th and 19th centuries running from Alexandria to Aldie
Aldie, Virginia
Aldie is an unincorporated village located on the John Mosby Highway between Gilbert's Corner and Middleburg in Loudoun County, Virginia. It is located in a gap between the Catoctin Mountain and Bull Run Mountain, through which the Little River flows...
in Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
. Several sections of the road originated as Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
trails, and a majority of the road traversed rural areas. Many Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
battles and skirmishes were fought at locations along or near the road. Currently, most of the historical turnpike is paved road owned and maintained by the government 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...
. However, just over half of its route is part of U.S. Route 50 and is called the John S. Mosby Highway (in Loudoun County) and Lee-Jackson Memorial Highway (in Fairfax County). Only the SR 236 section continues to carry the Little River Turnpike name. Nearly all the length of the road now runs through urban and suburban communities.
Duke Street in Old Town Alexandria was part of the original grid plan
Grid plan
The grid plan, grid street plan or gridiron plan is a type of city plan in which streets run at right angles to each other, forming a grid...
of the city.
SR 236 appeared in its present location between 1934 and 1937 as a replacement for US 50, which formerly ran the entire length of the historic Little River Turnpike to Alexandria before turning northward toward Washington, D.C. concurrent
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with U.S. Route 1. Prior to that, State Route 236 ran along present US 50 east of Fairfax; the two routes were swapped at that time.