State Route 172 (SR 172) is a primary
state highway in the U.S. state of
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
. The state highway runs from
SR 134 in
Hampton
Hampton may refer to:
Places Australia
*Hampton bioregion, an IBRA biogeographic region in Western Australia
*Hampton, New South Wales
*Hampton, Queensland, a town in the Toowoomba Region
* Hampton, Victoria
Canada
* Hampton, New Brunswick
*Ha ...
north to Poquoson Avenue in
Poquoson
Poquoson (), informally known as Bull Island, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,460. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Poquoson with surrounding York Count ...
. SR 172 is the main north–south highway through Poquoson and the primary access road to
Langley Air Force Base and
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil List of government space agencies, space program ...
's
Langley Research Center.
Route description
SR 172 begins at an interchange with SR 134 (Neil Armstrong Parkway) in the northern part of the
independent city
An independent city or independent town is a city or town that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity (such as a province).
Historical precursors
In the Holy Roman Empire, and to a degree in its successor states ...
of Hampton. The interchange was changed from a
trumpet interchange
In the field of road transport, an interchange (American English) or a grade-separated junction (British English) is a road junction that uses grade separations to allow for the movement of traffic between two or more roadways or highways, usi ...
to a
partial cloverleaf interchange to accommodate a westward extension of Commander Shepard Boulevard. SR 172 heads east as a four-lane
divided highway
A dual carriageway ( BE) or divided highway ( AE) is a class of highway with carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation (BrE) or median (AmE). Roads with two or more carriageways which are ...
on the highway named for
Alan Shepard
Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr. (November 18, 1923 – July 21, 1998) was an American astronaut, naval aviator, test pilot, and businessman. In 1961, he became the second person and the first American to travel into space and, in 1971, he beca ...
, the first American in space. The state highway meets the northern end of Armistead Avenue, which leads to the main entrance of Langley Air Force Base, as it curves to the north. SR 172 intersects Langley Boulevard, the main entrance to Langley Research Center, then passes between the NASA research center and
Langley Speedway. As the boulevard curves back to the west, shortly before reconnecting with SR 134, SR 172 turns north onto Wythe Creek Road.
SR 172 continues as a four-lane undivided highway until north of another gate to the research center, where the highway becomes two lanes. The state highway leaves the research center vicinity by crossing Brick Kiln Creek, a tributary of the
Back River, into the city of Poquoson. SR 172 expands to a five-lane road with a
center left-turn lane
A reversible lane (British English: tidal flow) is a lane in which traffic may travel in either direction, depending on certain conditions. Typically, it is meant to improve traffic flow during rush hours, by having overhead traffic lights and li ...
as it approaches the center of Poquoson, where the highway intersects
SR 171, which heads west as Victory Boulevard and east as Little Florida Road. The state highway reduces to three lanes just south of its northern terminus at Poquoson Avenue. The road continues north as Yorktown Road, which soon turns west while Hunts Neck Road continues north toward the northern extremity of Poquoson.
Major intersections
References
External links
Virginia Highways Project: VA 172
{{coord missing, Virginia
172
State Route 172
State Route 172