Virginia State Route 234
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Virginia State Route 234 (SR 234) is a primary
state highway A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either ''numbered'' or ''maintained'' by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered by a ...
in the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
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 ...
. It runs from
U.S. Route 1 U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border, making i ...
near
Dumfries Dumfries ( ; sco, Dumfries; from gd, Dùn Phris ) is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is located near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth about by road from the ...
via Independent Hill as Dumfries Road, a bypass of Manassas as
Prince William Parkway The Prince William Parkway is a road in Prince William County, Virginia. The road carries two designations. Between U.S. Route 1 U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that ser ...
, has a brief concurrency with
Interstate 66 Interstate 66 (I-66) is an east–west Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. It runs from an interchange with I-81 near Middletown, Virginia, on its western end to an interchange with U.S. Route 29 (US 29) in Washingt ...
(Custis Memorial Parkway) for between exits 44 and 47, and
Catharpin Catharpin is a nautical term, which is often pronounced ''cat-harping''. It describes one of the short ropes or iron clamps used to brace in the shrouds toward the masts so as to give a freer sweep to the yards. The expression has been borrowed t ...
to
U.S. Route 15 U.S. Route 15 (US 15) is a -long United States highway, designated along South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. The route is signed north–south, from U.S. Route 17 Alternate in Walterboro, South Caro ...
near Woolsey as Sudley Road.


Route description

SR 234 begins at an intersection with US 1 (Jefferson Davis Highway) on the northern edge of the town of Dumfries. The state highway heads northwest as Dumfries Road, a six-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 ...
that passes southwest of the Dumfries Road Commuter Lot, a
park and ride A park and ride, also known as incentive parking or a commuter lot, is a parking lot with public transport connections that allows commuting, commuters and other people heading to city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, Rail t ...
facility, before it meets I-95 at a partial cloverleaf interchange. North of Dumfries, SR 234 parallels Quantico Creek and follows the border of
Prince William Forest Park Prince William Forest Park is protected forest in the U.S. state of Virginia within Prince William County (and very partially Stafford County), located adjacent to the Marine Corps Base Quantico near the town of Dumfries. Established as Chopawa ...
to the southwest. The state highway also passes many residential subdivisions on the highway's northbound side in the community of Montclair, where the highway reduces to four lanes at Country Club Drive. SR 234 curves to the north at Independent Hill, which the highway bypasses. The old alignment through the village, which contains the remains of the
Greenwood Gold Mine The Greenwood gold mine operated in Prince William County, Virginia, United States, near the town of Independent Hill for a few years before closing in 1885.SR 234 Old. SR 234 passes through the communities of
Canova Antonio Canova (; 1 November 1757 – 13 October 1822) was an Italian Neoclassical sculptor, famous for his marble sculptures. Often regarded as the greatest of the Neoclassical artists,. his sculpture was inspired by the Baroque and the cl ...
,
Cornwell Cornwell can refer to: People * Almon Cornwell (1820–1893), American farmer-politician in Wisconsin * Anita Cornwell (1923–2023), American author * Bernard Cornwell (born 1944), British historical novelist * Charlotte Cornwell (1949–2021), Bri ...
, and Lake Jackson, where the highway crosses the
Occoquan River The Occoquan River is a tributary of the Potomac River in Northern Virginia, where it serves as part of the boundary between Fairfax and Prince William counties. The river is a scenic area, and several local high schools and colleges use the r ...
just east of the community's namesake reservoir. Just north of Lake Jackson, the state highway intersects
Prince William Parkway The Prince William Parkway is a road in Prince William County, Virginia. The road carries two designations. Between U.S. Route 1 U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that ser ...
(SR 294), which connects Manassas and Woodbridge. Just north of Prince William Parkway, Dumfries Road turns north toward the city of Manassas as SR 234 Business. SR 234 continues northwest as Prince William Parkway, a four-lane divided highway western bypass of Manassas. The state highway passes to the east of
Manassas Regional Airport Manassas Regional Airport (Harry P. Davis Field) is five miles southwest of the center of Manassas. Manassas Regional Airport is the largest regional airport in Virginia, and it is located from Washington, D.C. History An airport for Manassas ...
, which is accessed via Clover Hill Road. Just north of the airport, SR 234 crosses over
Norfolk Southern Railway The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I freight railroad in the United States formed in 1982 with the merger of Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway. With headquarters in Atlanta, the company operates 19,420 route miles (31 ...
's Washington District rail line, which is also used by
Virginia Railway Express Virginia Railway Express (VRE) is a commuter rail service that connects outlying small cities of Northern Virginia to Union Station in Washington, D.C. It operates two lines which run during weekday rush hour only: the Fredericksburg Line from ...
's Manassas Line, whose western terminus is at the Broad Run/Airport just to the west in the community of
Bristow Bristow, or Bristowe, can refer to the following. People * Bristow (surname) * W.S. Bristowe (1901–1979), English naturalist Places ;In the United States * Bristow, Indiana * Bristow, Iowa * Bristow, Mississippi * Bristow, Missouri * Bristow ...
. Just north of the rail line, the state highway meets SR 28 (Nokesville Road) at a three-level interchange featuring flyover ramps from both directions of SR 28 to SR 234. SR 234 continues north past the Prince William Science and Technology Campus of
George Mason University George Mason University (George Mason, Mason, or GMU) is a public research university in Fairfax County, Virginia with an independent City of Fairfax, Virginia postal address in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. The university was origin ...
, which features the Hylton Performing Arts Center, then intersects SR 674 (Wellington Road) and Sudley Manor Drive, which connects Linton Hall to the southwest with Bull Run to the northeast. SR 234 continues northwest, intersecting Balls Ford Road before reaching a trumpet interchange with I-66, at exit 44 on I-66. SR 234 joins the interstate in a concurrency east for three miles to a partial cloverleaf interchange with Sudley Road at exit 47, where SR 234 leaves the concurrency and meets the northern end of SR 234 Business. SR 234 heads north from I-66 as a four-lane divided highway that reduces to two lanes at the entrance to the Manassas Campus of
Northern Virginia Community College Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC; informally known as NOVA) is a public community college composed of six campuses and four centers in the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. Northern Virginia Community College is the third-la ...
, and then enters Manassas National Battlefield Park, site of the
First First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...
and
Second The second (symbol: s) is the unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), historically defined as of a day – this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds ...
Battles of Bull Run. The state highway intersects
US 29 U.S. Route 29 (US 29) is a north–south United States highway that runs for from Pensacola, Florida to the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland in the Southern United States, connecting the Florida Panhandle to the Baltimore-Washington ...
(
Lee Highway The Lee Highway was a national auto trail in the United States, connecting New York City and San Francisco, California, via the South and Southwest. After receiving a letter on January 15, 1919, from Dr. Samuel Myrtle Johnson of Roswell, New Mex ...
) within the battlefield park. After leaving the preserve, SR 234 passes through the community of Sudley Springs, where the highway crosses Little Bull Run and curves to the west. The state highway heads through the community of
Catharpin Catharpin is a nautical term, which is often pronounced ''cat-harping''. It describes one of the short ropes or iron clamps used to brace in the shrouds toward the masts so as to give a freer sweep to the yards. The expression has been borrowed t ...
before reaching its northern terminus at US 15 (James Madison Highway) in the hamlet of Woolsey north of Haymarket.


History

Most of SR 234 southeast of Manassas, for 15.85 miles (25.51 km) from State Route 28 in Manassas towards State Route 31 (
U.S. Route 1 U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border, making i ...
) at
Dumfries Dumfries ( ; sco, Dumfries; from gd, Dùn Phris ) is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is located near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth about by road from the ...
, was added to the state highway system in 1928 as State Route 709. The final 2.50 miles (4.02 km) were added in 1929, making SR 709 a continuous Manassas-Dumfries route. In the other direction, from Manassas northwest towards Gilberts Corner, 6.42 miles (10.33 km) were added in 1930 and 1931. In 1932, the rest of the road to Gilberts Corner, now State Route 705 and
U.S. Route 15 U.S. Route 15 (US 15) is a -long United States highway, designated along South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. The route is signed north–south, from U.S. Route 17 Alternate in Walterboro, South Caro ...
north of
Catharpin Catharpin is a nautical term, which is often pronounced ''cat-harping''. It describes one of the short ropes or iron clamps used to brace in the shrouds toward the masts so as to give a freer sweep to the yards. The expression has been borrowed t ...
, was added to the state highway system. SR 709 became State Route 234 in the 1933 renumbering, as did State Route 721 (
Brunswick, Maryland Brunswick is a city in southwestern Frederick County, Maryland, United States. The city is located on the north bank of the Potomac River; Loudoun County, Virginia occupies the opposite shore. The population of Brunswick was 7,762 at the 2020 ce ...
to south of
Purcellville Purcellville is a town in Loudoun County, Virginia. The population was 8,929 according to the 2020 Census. Purcellville is the major population center for Western Loudoun and the Loudoun Valley. Many of the older structures remaining in Purcellvil ...
, now State Route 287 and part of State Route 690). The gap from
U.S. Route 50 U.S. Route 50 or U.S. Highway 50 (US 50) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching from Interstate 80 (I-80) in West Sacramento, California, to Maryland Route 528 (MD 528) in Ocean City, Maryland, on the Atlanti ...
at Aldie (west of Gilberts Corner) northwest to Philomont on State Route 734 and then north towards Purcellville on SR 690 was never filled. In the 1940 renumbering, the northern piece of SR 234 (through Purcellville) became part of State Route 17. SR 234 was rerouted to continue northwest on SR 734 from Philomont to
Bluemont Bluemont is an unincorporated village in Loudoun County, Virginia located at the eastern base of Snickers Gap in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The village's center is located along Snickersville Turnpike ( Virginia Route 734), west of the incor ...
(also never transferred to the primary system), where it absorbed the short State Route 245 to
State Route 7 The following highways are numbered 7. For roads numbered A7, see list of A7 roads. Route 7, or Highway 7, may refer to: International * AH7, Asian Highway 7 * European route E07 * European route E007 Afghanistan *Kunduz-Khomri Highway (A7) ...
. At the same time, a short piece of SR 234 south of Gilberts Corner also became
U.S. Route 15 U.S. Route 15 (US 15) is a -long United States highway, designated along South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. The route is signed north–south, from U.S. Route 17 Alternate in Walterboro, South Caro ...
. Also around that time, SR 234 was rerouted to head west rather than northwest from
Catharpin Catharpin is a nautical term, which is often pronounced ''cat-harping''. It describes one of the short ropes or iron clamps used to brace in the shrouds toward the masts so as to give a freer sweep to the yards. The expression has been borrowed t ...
, using a longer piece of new US 15 (from Woolsey north to Gilberts Corner). The piece at Bluemont was transferred to the secondary system in 1943, truncating SR 234 back to Gilberts Corner and beyond to its current end at US 15. In 2005, the Commonwealth of Virginia designated Route 234 between U.S. Route 1 and Interstate 66 as the
Ronald Wilson Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
Memorial Highway.


Recent construction

The 2005 widening of SR 234 to four lanes in the areas of Independent Hill and
Canova Antonio Canova (; 1 November 1757 – 13 October 1822) was an Italian Neoclassical sculptor, famous for his marble sculptures. Often regarded as the greatest of the Neoclassical artists,. his sculpture was inspired by the Baroque and the cl ...
have resulted in some minor realignments. A former stretch of SR 234 through Canova has been renamed Canova Drive, and SR 234 was moved about 1 block east. At Independent Hill, Bristow Road has been extended onto former SR 234, and SR 234 itself was realigned about 300 meters north. During the late 1990s the SR 234 Bypass was constructed to route through traffic from
I-66 Interstate 66 (I-66) is an east–west Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. It runs from an interchange with I-81 near Middletown, Virginia, on its western end to an interchange with U.S. Route 29 (US 29) in Washing ...
to the southeast around downtown Manassas. The existing portion of SR 234 was renamed SR 234 Business.


Parkway initiatives


Bi-County Parkway

Th
Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance
has recommended a new limited access highway extending SR 234 past its intersection with I-66. The highway would junction and re-connect with current SR 234 in Catharpin near the Manassas National Battlefield, and then follow current SR 659 to US 50 in Loudoun County. The goal of the project is to connect Prince William County and Loudoun county to alleviate congestion between Manassas and
Washington Dulles International Airport Washington Dulles International Airport , typically referred to as Dulles International Airport, Dulles Airport, Washington Dulles, or simply Dulles ( ), is an international airport in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Eastern United States, loc ...
. While the Loudoun County Commonwealth Transportation Board has approved the project, many Prince William County residents oppose the plan. In March 2016, the Prince William County Board of Supervisors voted to remove the Bi-County Parkway from its long-range planning blueprint.


Tri-County Parkway

The Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance has also proposed a Tri-County Parkway. The highway would start near the intersection of SR 234 and SR 28 and follow Godwin Drive to I-66. It would then follow SR 621 east of Manassas National Battlefield Park, ultimately connecting to Loudoun County Parkway. The project would link Loudoun, Fairfax, and Prince William Counties and provide an alternate route between Manassas, I-66 and Washington Dulles International Airport. Some Prince William County supervisors support construction to extend Godwin Drive, as opposed to the Tri-County Parkway, due to the lower cost and lesser disruptive impact on residents and businesses. The project is supported by Prince William Supervisor Pete Candland.


Future


SR 234 and Balls Ford Road interchange

As a part of the Transform 66 project, the current at-grade intersection of SR 234 and Balls Ford Road will be converted to a
diverging diamond interchange A diverging diamond interchange (DDI), also called a double crossover diamond interchange (DCD), is a subset of diamond interchange in which the opposing directions of travel on the non-freeway road cross each other on either side of the inte ...
at a cost of $167 million. As a part of this project, Balls Ford Road will be realigned about south, where the interchange will be constructed, and a new grade-separated bridge will be built over the Norfolk Southern Railroad Line. In addition, Balls Ford Road would be widened from a two lanes street to a four-lane divided roadway between its intersection at Devlin Road / Wellington Road through the interchange to Doane Drive. This project coincides with a separate project to widen Balls Ford Road between Doane Drive to Ashton Avenue. Construction is expected to begin in Fall 2020 and be completed in late 2022.


SR 234 and University Boulevard intersection

A
quadrant roadway intersection A quadrant roadway intersection adds an additional "quadrant roadway" between two legs of an intersection. This roadway adds two three-way intersections in addition to the original four-way intersection moving all left turns (in right-hand traffi ...
is planned at the intersection of SR 234 and University Boulevard in Manassas. Construction is expected to start in Fall 2020 and be completed in Fall 2022.


Movie filming

A completed portion of the bypass was used prior to it being open to traffic as a scene in the 1998
disaster film A disaster film or disaster movie is a film genre that has an impending or ongoing disaster as its subject and primary plot device. Such disasters may include natural disasters, accidents, military/terrorist attacks or global catastrophes such as ...
, '' Deep Impact''. About 2,100 extras and 1,870 vehicles were used to stage the
traffic jam Traffic congestion is a condition in transport that is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. Traffic congestion on urban road networks has increased substantially since the 1950s. When traffic de ...
scene for that film.


Major intersections


Related routes


Route 234 Business (Manassas)

State Route 234 Business (SR 234 Bus. or 234-BR on some maps) in Manassas is a bannered primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia, and traverses both
Prince William County Prince William County is located on the Potomac River in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population sits at 482,204, making it Virginia's second-most populous county. Its county seat is the independent city of Manassas ...
and the City of Manassas. SR 234 Business is known by three names: Dumfries Road in Prince William County and Manassas, Grant Avenue in the City of Manassas, and Sudley Road in the City of Manassas and Prince William County. SR 234 Business starts in the south as Dumfries Road as a four lane undivided highway. As it passes by the Prince William County fairgroundsPrince William County Fairgrounds
Retrieved October 8, 2009 before it enters the City of Manassas, it becomes two lanes. After entering the city, Dumfries Road passes by residential neighborhoods and becomes a four-lane divided road, and crosses Wellington Road. At Wellington Road SR 234 Business changes to Grant Avenue, which is a four lane undivided highway that passes by a townhouse development (''Georgetown South'') and retail developments before entering Old Town Manassas and crossing over SR 28. Shortly after this point Grant Avenue reduces to two lanes, then divides into a
boulevard A boulevard is a type of broad avenue planted with rows of trees, or in parts of North America, any urban highway. Boulevards were originally circumferential roads following the line of former city walls. In American usage, boulevards may ...
with spaces for on-street parking, and passes by homes, some of which are
antebellum Antebellum, Latin for "before war", may refer to: United States history * Antebellum South, the pre-American Civil War period in the Southern United States ** Antebellum Georgia ** Antebellum South Carolina ** Antebellum Virginia * Antebellum ar ...
in architecture. When Grant Avenue meets Sudley Road, SR 234 Business turns to the northwest along Sudley Road. This road is a four-lane divided highway that passes by the Manassas
U.S. Post Office The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an Independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the Federal government of the Uni ...
, the Prince William Hospital (part of the Novant Health System), the Manassas Mall, and several business establishments. SR 234 Business ends at the intersection with
I-66 Interstate 66 (I-66) is an east–west Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. It runs from an interchange with I-81 near Middletown, Virginia, on its western end to an interchange with U.S. Route 29 (US 29) in Washing ...
, that also carries SR 234. SR 234 continues northward from there along Sudley Road. SR 234 Business was first formed as part of SR 234. When the
Prince William Parkway The Prince William Parkway is a road in Prince William County, Virginia. The road carries two designations. Between U.S. Route 1 U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that ser ...
/ Manassas Bypass was completed, it was numbered SR 234, and the section through Manassas was renamed SR 234 Business.


References


External links


Virginia Highways Project: VA 234
{{Transit in NOVA 234 State Route 234 State Route 234