1940 Virginia state highway renumbering facts for kids

In late 1940, the Commonwealth of Virginia made some big changes to its state highway numbers. The main reason was to make sure that road numbers stayed the same when they crossed state lines into places like Maryland, North Carolina, and West Virginia. Imagine driving on a road called "Route 10" in Virginia, and then suddenly it becomes "Route 32" as soon as you cross into North Carolina! This renumbering helped make travel smoother and less confusing for drivers.

Why Roads Got New Numbers in 1940

Highways are like major roads that connect different towns and states. In 1940, Virginia worked with its neighboring states to update how these roads were numbered. This was a smart idea to help people find their way more easily.

Making Roads Match Other States

One of the biggest reasons for the changes was to make road numbers match across state borders. For example, if a road was called "Route 16" in North Carolina, Virginia wanted its part of that road to also be "Route 16." This helped drivers know they were still on the same main path.

Different Ways Roads Changed

Not all roads changed in the same way. Here are some of the things that happened to Virginia's highways:

• Truncated: This means a road was made shorter. Part of it might have been given a new number or become part of another road.
• Eliminated and Reassigned: Some road numbers were completely removed from their old paths. Then, those numbers were given to different roads to help them match a neighboring state's number.
• Realigned: A road's path was changed slightly. The old path might have become a different road, while the new path took over a different route.
• Extended: A road was made longer, often by taking over a section of another road.
• Newly Assigned: Some numbers that weren't used before were given to roads to create new, continuous routes that matched other states.

How Specific Roads Changed

Let's look at a few examples of how these changes affected specific highways.

Matching Numbers with Neighbors

Many changes happened so Virginia's roads would match those in Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, and West Virginia.

Matching Kentucky

• Route 4: Before 1940, there wasn't a "State Route 4" in Virginia. But to match Kentucky Route 4, Virginia created one. It took over what used to be State Route 84. Today, this road is known as U.S. Route 460.
• Route 66: Part of State Route 65 was renumbered to State Route 66 to match Kentucky Route 66.
• Route 160: The old State Route 67 became State Route 160 to match Kentucky Route 160.

Matching Maryland

• Route 17: State Route 17 was extended a lot! It took over parts of U.S. Route 15 and other smaller roads to reach the Maryland border and match Maryland Route 17.
• Route 301: A brand new State Route 301 was created. This was a placeholder for U.S. Route 301, which was planned to extend into Virginia and match Maryland Route 301.

Matching North Carolina

• Route 10: The southern part of State Route 10 near Suffolk became State Route 32 to match North Carolina Highway 32.
• Route 16: The old State Route 92 was renumbered to State Route 16 to match North Carolina Highway 16.
• Route 37: The old State Route 53 was renumbered to State Route 37 to match North Carolina Highway 37.
• Route 46: State Route 34 was renumbered to State Route 46 to match North Carolina Highway 46.
• Route 49: State Route 49 was shortened and its southern end was moved to Virgilina to connect with North Carolina Highway 49.
• Route 87: The old State Route 106 became State Route 87 to match North Carolina Highway 87.
• Route 89: A new State Route 89 was created from State Route 96 to match North Carolina Highway 89.
• Route 96: The part of State Route 49 west of Virgilina became a new State Route 96 to match North Carolina Highway 96.
• Route 170: State Route 27 was renumbered to State Route 170 to match North Carolina Highway 170.
• Route 258: U.S. Route 258 was created in Virginia, taking over parts of U.S. Route 158. The old State Route 158 was renumbered to State Route 258 to match this new U.S. route.

Matching Tennessee

• Route 70: The old State Route 64 and State Route 66 were renumbered to State Route 70 to match Tennessee State Route 70.
• Route 75: The old State Route 77 was renumbered to State Route 75 to match Tennessee State Route 75.
• Route 91: The old State Route 81, U.S. Route 58, and State Route 78 were renumbered to State Route 91 to match Tennessee State Route 91.

Matching West Virginia

• Route 9: The old State Route 238 became State Route 9 to match West Virginia Route 9.
• Route 16: Parts of old State Route 88 and State Route 81 were renumbered to State Route 16 to match West Virginia Route 16.
• Route 39: The old State Route 501 was renumbered to State Route 39 to match West Virginia Route 39.
• Route 59: The old State Route 261 became State Route 59 to match West Virginia Route 59.
• Route 83: The old State Route 59 was renumbered to State Route 83 to match West Virginia Route 83.
• Route 84: The old State Route 271 became State Route 84 to match West Virginia Route 84.
• Route 259: State Route 259 was extended over State Route 275 to match West Virginia Route 259.
• Route 522: A new State Route 522 was created as a placeholder for U.S. Route 522. It took over parts of old State Route 7, State Route 3, and State Route 49 to match West Virginia.

Other Important Changes

Some roads were changed for other reasons, like making a route more direct or simplifying the road network.

Route 3

State Route 3 was shortened northwest of Sperryville. Parts of it were replaced by the new State Route 522.

Route 7

Similar to Route 3, State Route 7 was shortened northwest of Winchester, with the new State Route 522 taking over its northern section.

Route 15

U.S. Route 15 was moved to a new path between Warrenton and Gilberts Corner. The old path became part of State Route 17.

Route 27

The old State Route 27 was renumbered to State Route 170. Then, the number State Route 27 was given to what used to be State Route 16.

Route 32

The old State Route 32 was split into several new routes. This freed up the number State Route 32 to be used for the southern part of State Route 10, helping it match North Carolina.

Route 34

State Route 34 was removed. Its path became part of State Route 46 and State Route 137.

Route 38

State Route 38 was extended northwest from Amelia by taking over part of old State Route 49.

Route 47

State Route 47 was extended west and north, taking over parts of old State Route 46 and all of old State Route 39.

Route 58

U.S. Route 58 was moved to a new path between Damascus and Mouth of Wilson. The old path became parts of State Route 91, State Route 81, and State Route 16.

Route 64

The old State Route 64 was renumbered into several different routes, including parts of State Route 71, State Route 70, and State Route 65. The number State Route 64 was then used for parts of old State Route 71 and State Route 70.

Route 65

The old State Route 65 was renumbered as part of State Route 66. The number State Route 65 was then used for part of old State Route 64.

Route 67

The old State Route 67 was renumbered to State Route 160. The number State Route 67 was then used for old State Route 83.

Route 71

State Route 71 was moved to a new path, taking over part of old State Route 64. The old path of State Route 71 became part of State Route 64.

Route 77

The old State Route 77 was renumbered to State Route 75. The number State Route 77 was then used for old State Route 75.

Route 78

The old State Route 78 was renumbered as part of State Route 91. The number State Route 78 was then used for old State Route 87.

Route 81

The old State Route 81 was renumbered into parts of State Route 91 and State Route 16. The number State Route 81 was then used for parts of old U.S. Route 58 and State Route 91.

Route 88

The old State Route 88 was renumbered as part of State Route 16. The number State Route 88 was then used for a section of old State Route 32.

Route 92

The old State Route 92 was renumbered as part of State Route 16. The number State Route 92 was then used for part of old State Route 46.

Route 106

The old State Route 106 was renumbered to State Route 87. The number State Route 106 was then used for old State Route 37.

Route 120

The old State Route 120 was renumbered to State Route 245. The number State Route 120 was then used for part of old State Route 9.

Route 123

The old State Route 123 was renumbered to State Route 320. The number State Route 123 was then used for part of old State Route 9.

Route 137

State Route 137 was moved to a new path, taking over parts of old State Route 34 and State Route 32.

Route 158

The old State Route 158 was renumbered to State Route 258. The number State Route 158 was then used for old State Route 258.

Route 195

State Route 195 was extended east by taking over part of old State Route 32.

Route 207

State Route 207 was shortened. The northern part was renumbered as State Route 301.

Route 234

The northern part of State Route 234 was renumbered as part of the new State Route 17. State Route 234 was then moved to a new path, taking over other old routes.

Route 238

The old State Route 238 was renumbered to State Route 9. The number State Route 238 was then used for old State Route 170.

Route 242

State Route 242 was extended south by taking over part of old State Route 49.

Route 245

The old State Route 245 was renumbered as part of State Route 234. The number State Route 245 was then used for old State Route 120.

Route 261

The old State Route 261 was renumbered to State Route 59. The number State Route 261 was then used for a part of old State Route 3.

Route 271

The old State Route 271 was renumbered to State Route 84. The number State Route 271 was then used for old State Route 160.

Route 275

State Route 275 was removed and its path became part of the extended State Route 259.

Route 305

State Route 305 was removed and its path was taken over by the rerouted U.S. Route 58.

Route 320

A brand new State Route 320 was created from the old State Route 123.

Route 501

State Route 501 was shortened and renumbered as State Route 39.