Virginia State Route 8
Encyclopedia
Virginia State Route 8 is a primary state highway
in the U.S. state of Virginia
. The state highway runs 55.88 miles (89.9 km) from the North Carolina
state line near Palmetto, where the highway continues south as North Carolina Highway 8 (NC 8), north to U.S. Route 11
(US 11) in Christiansburg
. SR 8 is the main north–south highway of Patrick County
, Floyd County
, and southern Montgomery County
, connecting their respective county seat
s of Stuart
, Floyd
, and Christiansburg with each other and with the Blue Ridge Parkway
. The state highway also links the New River Valley
region of Virginia with Southside Virginia via US 58
and the Piedmont Triad
of North Carolina via NC 8.
on its way to Winston-Salem
. SR 8 heads northwest as Salem Highway, which meets the eastern end of SR 103
(Dry Pond Highway) in Five Forks. The state highway enters the town of Stuart by crossing the South Fork Mayo River
. SR 8 follows Patrick Street north to Blue Ridge Street, onto which the state highway turns west and joins US 58 Business in a concurrency through the downtown area. Northwest of the town, SR 8 joins US 58 (Jeb Stuart Highway) north through a narrow creek valley to Cruzes Store.
SR 8 continues northeast as Woolwine Highway through narrow creek valleys to an intersection with SR 57
(Fairystone Park Highway) near Buffalo Ridge. The state highway crosses the Smith River
shortly before meeting the west end of SR 40
(Charity Highway) in Woolwine
. East of Rocky Knob, the namesake of an American Viticultural Area
, SR 8 curvaceously ascends Blue Ridge Mountain to the Eastern Continental Divide
at Tuggle Gap. At the gap, the state highway enters Floyd County and has an interchange with the Blue Ridge Parkway.
SR 8 continues north as Parkway Lane to the county seat of Floyd, where the highway follows Locust Street and intersects US 221
(Main Street). The state highway traverses the West Fork of the Little River and climbs over Wills Ridge south of the confluence of the rivers West and East forks. SR 8 crosses over the main stem of the river at the Montgomery county line, where the highway continues as Riner Road through the village of Riner
in the Union Valley. The state highway enters the town of Christiansburg at its diamond interchange
with Interstate 81
. SR 8 follows Main Street to its northern terminus at US 11. US 11 heads west as Radford Street and north as Main Street to the center of the town.
via present U.S. Route 460. In the 1933 renumbering, SR 23 was renumbered State Route 8 because the number was used by U.S. Route 23. The short piece west from Rich Creek
to West Virginia became part of U.S. Route 219 by 1937, and U.S. Route 460 replaced the entire route north of Christiansburg by 1947.
!County
!Location
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=7|Patrick
|Palmetto
|0.00
|
|Southern terminus; North Carolina
state line
|-
|Five Forks
|5.08
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Stuart
|9.25
|
|South end of concurrency with US 58 Business
|-
|10.76
|
|North end of concurrency with US 58 Business; south end of concurrency with US 58
|-
|Cruzes Store
|12.77
|
|North end of concurrency with US 58
|-
|Buffalo Ridge
|16.66
|
|
|-
|Woolwine
|22.88
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Floyd
|
|29.36
|Blue Ridge Parkway
|Interchange
|-
|Floyd
|35.32
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Montgomery
|rowspan=2|Christiansburg
|55.11
|
|I-81 Exit 14
|-
|55.88
|
|Northern terminus
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 55.88 miles (89.9 km) from the North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
state line near Palmetto, where the highway continues south as North Carolina Highway 8 (NC 8), north to U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 11 in Virginia
U.S. Route 11 in Virginia runs north–south through the western part of the state, parallel to Interstate 81.-History:What is now US 11 was added to the state highway system in 1918 as portions of State Route 10 and State Route 3 . SR 3 became State Route 33 in 1923, and US 11 was applied to...
(US 11) in Christiansburg
Christiansburg, Virginia
Christiansburg is a town in Montgomery County, Virginia, United States. The population was 21,041 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Montgomery County...
. SR 8 is the main north–south highway of Patrick County
Patrick County, Virginia
Patrick County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 18,490. Its county seat is Stuart. It is located within both the rolling hills and valleys of the Piedmont Region of Virginia and mountainous Southwest Virginia....
, Floyd County
Floyd County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,874 people, 5,791 households, and 4,157 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile . There were 6,763 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
, and southern Montgomery County
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...
, connecting their respective county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
s of Stuart
Stuart, Virginia
Stuart is a town in Patrick County, Virginia, United States, and its county seat. The population was 961 at the 2000 census. Due to recent boundary expansion, the town of Stuart has an estimated population of nearly 1,700 residents. The town of Stuart was named after Confederate Gen. J.E.B...
, Floyd
Floyd, Virginia
Floyd is a town in Floyd County, Virginia, United States. The population was 432 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Floyd County. The Town of Floyd was originally named Jacksonville as the surrounding county was formed during the tenure of President Andrew Jackson...
, and Christiansburg with each other and with the Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...
. The state highway also links the New River Valley
New River Valley
The New River Valley is a region in the eastern United States along the New River in the Commonwealth of Virginia . The valley comprises the counties of Montgomery , Pulaski, Floyd, Giles and the independent City of Radford...
region of Virginia with Southside Virginia via US 58
U.S. Route 58
U.S. Route 58 is an east–west U.S. Highway that runs for from U.S. Route 25E just northwest of Harrogate, Tennessee to U.S. Route 60 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Until 1996, when the Cumberland Gap Tunnel opened, US 58 ran only inside the commonwealth of Virginia...
and the Piedmont Triad
Piedmont Triad
The Piedmont Triad, or Triad, is a north-central region of the U.S. state of North Carolina that consists of the area within and surrounding the three major cities of Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point. This close group or "triad" of cities lies in the Piedmont geographical region of the...
of North Carolina via NC 8.
Route description
SR 8 begins at the North Carolina state line near Palmetto. The road continues south as NC 8, which passes through LawsonvilleLawsonville, North Carolina
Lawsonville is an unincorporated community in Stokes County, North Carolina, United States, approximately ten miles north-northwest of the county seat of Danbury, on North Carolina State Highway 8....
on its way to Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
. SR 8 heads northwest as Salem Highway, which meets the eastern end of SR 103
Virginia State Route 103
Virginia State Route 103 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from the North Carolina state line, where the highway continues as North Carolina Highway 103 , east to SR 8 at Five Forks...
(Dry Pond Highway) in Five Forks. The state highway enters the town of Stuart by crossing the South Fork Mayo River
Mayo River (Dan River)
The Mayo River is a tributary of the Dan River, which in turn is a tributary of the Roanoke River. All three rivers flow through the U.S. states of Virginia and North Carolina. It is named for Major William Mayo .-Course:...
. SR 8 follows Patrick Street north to Blue Ridge Street, onto which the state highway turns west and joins US 58 Business in a concurrency through the downtown area. Northwest of the town, SR 8 joins US 58 (Jeb Stuart Highway) north through a narrow creek valley to Cruzes Store.
SR 8 continues northeast as Woolwine Highway through narrow creek valleys to an intersection with SR 57
Virginia State Route 57
Virginia State Route 57 Virginia State Route 57 Virginia State Route 57 (SR 57]] is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from SR 8 near Woolwine east to SR 360 near Halifax. SR 57 connects the independent city of Martinsville with Chatham and Halifax, the...
(Fairystone Park Highway) near Buffalo Ridge. The state highway crosses the Smith River
Smith River (Virginia)
The Smith River is a river in the U.S. states of Virginia and North Carolina. It is a tributary of the Dan River, which it joins at Eden, North Carolina...
shortly before meeting the west end of SR 40
Virginia State Route 40
State Route 40 is a primary state highway in the southern part of the U.S. state of Virginia. It runs from State Route 8 at Woolwine east to State Route 10 at Spring Grove, about half the width of Virginia. It is the longest state-numbered route in Virginia.-Route description:SR 40 begins at SR 8...
(Charity Highway) in Woolwine
Woolwine, Virginia
Woolwine is an unincorporated community in northern Patrick County, Virginia, United States. The western terminus of State Route 40 is here, at State Route 8. The community lies in the Rocky Knob American Viticultural Area...
. East of Rocky Knob, the namesake of an American Viticultural Area
Rocky Knob AVA
The Rocky Knob AVA is an American Viticultural Area in a mountainous area east of the Blue Ridge Parkway in southwest Virginia. The AVA includes portions of Floyd and Patrick counties. The area is located on the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains near the towns of Woolwine and Meadows of...
, SR 8 curvaceously ascends Blue Ridge Mountain to the Eastern Continental Divide
Eastern Continental Divide
The Eastern Continental Divide, in conjunction with other continental divides of North America, demarcates two watersheds of the Atlantic Ocean: the Gulf of Mexico watershed and the Atlantic Seaboard watershed. Prior to 1760, the divide represented the boundary between British and French colonial...
at Tuggle Gap. At the gap, the state highway enters Floyd County and has an interchange with the Blue Ridge Parkway.
SR 8 continues north as Parkway Lane to the county seat of Floyd, where the highway follows Locust Street and intersects US 221
U.S. Route 221 in Virginia
U.S. Route 221 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Perry, Florida to Lynchburg, Virginia. In Virginia, the U.S. Highway runs from the North Carolina state line near Independence north to its northern terminus at US 29 Business, US 460 Business, and US 501 Business in Lynchburg...
(Main Street). The state highway traverses the West Fork of the Little River and climbs over Wills Ridge south of the confluence of the rivers West and East forks. SR 8 crosses over the main stem of the river at the Montgomery county line, where the highway continues as Riner Road through the village of Riner
Riner, Virginia
Riner is a census-designated place in Montgomery County, Virginia. The population as of the 2010 Census was 859....
in the Union Valley. The state highway enters the town of Christiansburg at its diamond interchange
Diamond interchange
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a freeway crosses a minor road. The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge...
with Interstate 81
Interstate 81 in Virginia
Interstate 81 is an long highway. In the U.S. state of Virginia, I-81 runs for , making it longer in Virginia than in any other state. It stretches from the Tennessee state line near Bristol to the West Virginia state line near Winchester. U.S...
. SR 8 follows Main Street to its northern terminus at US 11. US 11 heads west as Radford Street and north as Main Street to the center of the town.
History
SR 8 was included in the initial 1918 state highway system as part of State Route 23, which continued north to West VirginiaWest Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
via present U.S. Route 460. In the 1933 renumbering, SR 23 was renumbered State Route 8 because the number was used by U.S. Route 23. The short piece west from Rich Creek
Rich Creek, Virginia
Rich Creek is a town in Giles County, Virginia, United States. The population was 665 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Blacksburg–Christiansburg–Radford Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
to West Virginia became part of U.S. Route 219 by 1937, and U.S. Route 460 replaced the entire route north of Christiansburg by 1947.
Major intersections
{| class=wikitable!County
!Location
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=7|Patrick
Patrick County, Virginia
Patrick County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 18,490. Its county seat is Stuart. It is located within both the rolling hills and valleys of the Piedmont Region of Virginia and mountainous Southwest Virginia....
|Palmetto
|0.00
|
|Southern terminus; North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
state line
|-
|Five Forks
|5.08
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Stuart
Stuart, Virginia
Stuart is a town in Patrick County, Virginia, United States, and its county seat. The population was 961 at the 2000 census. Due to recent boundary expansion, the town of Stuart has an estimated population of nearly 1,700 residents. The town of Stuart was named after Confederate Gen. J.E.B...
|9.25
|
|South end of concurrency with US 58 Business
|-
|10.76
|
|North end of concurrency with US 58 Business; south end of concurrency with US 58
|-
|Cruzes Store
|12.77
|
|North end of concurrency with US 58
|-
|Buffalo Ridge
|16.66
|
|
|-
|Woolwine
Woolwine, Virginia
Woolwine is an unincorporated community in northern Patrick County, Virginia, United States. The western terminus of State Route 40 is here, at State Route 8. The community lies in the Rocky Knob American Viticultural Area...
|22.88
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Floyd
Floyd County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,874 people, 5,791 households, and 4,157 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile . There were 6,763 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
|
|29.36
|Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...
|Interchange
|-
|Floyd
Floyd, Virginia
Floyd is a town in Floyd County, Virginia, United States. The population was 432 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Floyd County. The Town of Floyd was originally named Jacksonville as the surrounding county was formed during the tenure of President Andrew Jackson...
|35.32
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Montgomery
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...
|rowspan=2|Christiansburg
Christiansburg, Virginia
Christiansburg is a town in Montgomery County, Virginia, United States. The population was 21,041 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Montgomery County...
|55.11
|
|I-81 Exit 14
|-
|55.88
|
|Northern terminus