Changing Lee Highway in Fairfax to Fairfax Boulevard

[Wesley McGee]

Despite the prominence given to it through naming the article in the
Fairfax (VA) Connection community newspaper "Changing Lee Highway to
Fairfax Boulevard," mention of the Fairfax City council's approval of
renaming its section of Lee Highway doesn't appear until the last
paragraph of the three paragraph article (in full here --
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=35892&paper=63&cat=104
)

from the article:

HAND-IN-HAND with the decision about the BID was a proposal to change
the name of Lee Highway as it runs through Fairfax City to "Fairfax
Boulevard." The name change was to give the strip an identity and make
it easier to mark and find, according to [Fairfax City Economic
Development Authority Chairman Dale] Lestina.
While Lestina said the property owners and businesses attending the
outreach meetings generally favored the name change, several citizens
at Tuesday's meeting spoke out against it. The dissenters argued that
the name change would dishonor Robert E. Lee, for whom the strip is
named. Furthermore, they said the name change would confuse people,
break the continuity of Lee Highway as it runs from Arlington to
Danville [???], and require businesses to change their stationery and
Web sites.
Supporters of the name change said it would help the city and business
brand the strip as a Fairfax destination. One argued that even though
Route 123 changes names throughout Northern Virginia, a person can
identify where he is if the street sign says Dolley Madison Boulevard,
Chain Bridge Road, Maple Avenue or Ox Road.
"It needs to be separated out as its own separate identity," said
Terri Simmons, who attended an outreach meeting and thought the name
change was not disrespectful to Robert E. Lee.
The Council approved the name change, although it changed the date
when it would take effect from July 2005 to January 2006. Fairfax
mayor Rob Lederer added that the city would not be neglecting its
history by changing the name, since so many locations in Fairfax are
identified by Civil War names and since the city tries to honor its
history through events like the walking tours and the Civil War
Weekend.

---
Aside 1: US 29, I know runs through Danville, but US 29 isn't Lee
Highway the entire length. If I'm not mistaken, Lee Highway departs
from 29 in Warrenton and continues west following US 211, and
thereafter parallels I-81 in VA. Where it goes after that, I do not
know... I think 29 in Danville is part of the Seminole Trail, but that
I'm not completely sure on. And along that line, where along US 11
does the street signs start saying Lee Highway? I drove a bit on it
back when I had a car, and just south of 211, outside New Market it
was still Valley Pike. Does Lee Highway immediately start down 11 at
the 11-211 intersection, or is there a path I don't know of?

Aside 2: Not unexpectedly, the Sons of the Confederacy is not in favor
of this
http://www.southerncaucus.org/leeheritageattack.htm
They see it as an attack on the Confederacy. I'm not in favor of
changing street names in general (I'm lazy... I don't want to relearn
street names and relearn old addresses) but couldn't they placate them
with those historic highway markers placed along the street (already
done on 29 for the 29th Infintry Division). Anyway, they'll still have
Lee Highway outside the city limits, as well as "Lee-Jackson Memorial
Highway" along the Little River Turnpike in the county west of Fairfax
City. That said, I don't particularly care for street names named
after Confederates, but they're handy as a history lesson. I'm not
going to get offended or hurt by driving on or living by Lee Highway.
As long as the Descendants of the Confederacy aren't trying to
forcibly push states to secede from the Union or aren't trying to
revive forced servitude, they can honor whomever they want.

Aside 3: I'm pretty sure US 1 in Fairfax County was named Jefferson
Davis Highway earlier. Was there a big ruckus when it was renamed
Richmond Highway?

Aside 4: It will be interesting to see Arlington Boulevard become
Fairfax Boulevard at Fairfax Circle. (On that thought, where is this
proposed Ffx. Boulevard end? At Fairfax Circle, thus leaving a little
bit of Lee Hwy to exist in Ffx City, and intersect with Old Lee
Highway and Arlington Blvd.? At the city line along 29 near Blake
Lane and Pickett Road? At the city line along 50?)

[Art McClinton]

I guess Fairfax City can do what it wants. I always seem to get confused
with in Burke with every street seeming to have the name Burke in it. I
expect people will confuse Fairfax (county) Parkway with Fairfax Blvd.
Fairfax City even has a Fairfax Street to try to confuse the people.

Post by Wesley McGee
---
Aside 1: US 29, I know runs through Danville, but US 29 isn't Lee
Highway the entire length. If I'm not mistaken, Lee Highway departs
from 29 in Warrenton and continues west following US 211, and
thereafter parallels I-81 in VA. Where it goes after that, I do not
know... I think 29 in Danville is part of the Seminole Trail, but that
I'm not completely sure on. And along that line, where along US 11
does the street signs start saying Lee Highway? I drove a bit on it
back when I had a car, and just south of 211, outside New Market it
was still Valley Pike. Does Lee Highway immediately start down 11 at
the 11-211 intersection, or is there a path I don't know of?

For your information US 29 leaves Warrenton not on 211 as you say, but
runs from Warrenton to Culpeper (sharing part of its way with US 15.
Past Culpeper it goes through Charlottsville and Lynchburg on its way to
Danville. It never makes the Shendoah Valley or Route 11/81. I have used
it for a peaceful fall drive to NC instead of going over to 81 or down 95.


US 29 runs all the way from Arlington to Danville. It however is named
with other names as it goes through various towns. For example in
Culpepr it is call the James Monroe Highway. Once it reaches
Ruckersville it is call the Seminole Trail. In Charlotsville it is
called Emmet Street, Jefferson Park Ave, and Fontaine Ave. To the South
of Charlotesville it becomes Monacan Trail Rd and eventually Thomas
Nelson Hwy when it crosses into Nelson County. When it enters Amherst
County the name changes to Amherst Hwy. In Lynchburg it is call Wards
Road (and several other names as the old business road wends its way
through town). In Danville it goes by name of Memorial Drive or Piney
Forrest Dr. So any implications that US RT 29 has any consistent name
between Arlington and Danville (other than US 29) is incorrect. The
highway is however reffered to as the LEE Memorial high way with signs
along its route but the are not its name.

Post by Wesley McGee
Aside 4: It will be interesting to see Arlington Boulevard become
Fairfax Boulevard at Fairfax Circle. (On that thought, where is this
proposed Ffx. Boulevard end? At Fairfax Circle, thus leaving a little
bit of Lee Hwy to exist in Ffx City, and intersect with Old Lee
Highway and Arlington Blvd.? At the city line along 29 near Blake
Lane and Pickett Road? At the city line along 50?)

I would have to see their proposal. Since the circle is inside Fairfax
City territory they could do one of three things:
1) stop the new named street at the cirle, hence Rt 50 east of the
circle would remain Arlington Blvd and 29 east of the circle would
remain Lee Highway
2) extend the new street name on 29 East of the circle half way to Blake
Lane where it crosses the boundary. Thus arlington Bld would extend all
the way to the circle.
3) extend the new street name through the circle along Rt 50 to the
boundard which is the intersection of Blake Lane and Picket.

Based on the original sentence that they were renaming Rte 29 inside the
city limits It appears that they are doing option 2.

[Wesley McGee]

Post by Art McClinton
I guess Fairfax City can do what it wants. I always seem to get confused
with in Burke with every street seeming to have the name Burke in it. I
expect people will confuse Fairfax (county) Parkway with Fairfax Blvd.
Fairfax City even has a Fairfax Street to try to confuse the people.

Cute thing is that I live not too far from a residential street named
Fairfax Parkway... it's just west of the Columbia Pike bridge over
Holmes Run (under the Lake Barcroft dam). Thus why the Fairfax County
Parkway isn't simply Fairfax Parkway similar to Prince William Pkwy.

Post by Art McClinton

Post by Wesley McGee
---
Aside 1: US 29, I know runs through Danville, but US 29 isn't Lee
Highway the entire length. If I'm not mistaken, Lee Highway departs
from 29 in Warrenton and continues west following US 211, and
thereafter parallels I-81 in VA. Where it goes after that, I do not
know... I think 29 in Danville is part of the Seminole Trail, but that
I'm not completely sure on. And along that line, where along US 11
does the street signs start saying Lee Highway? I drove a bit on it
back when I had a car, and just south of 211, outside New Market it
was still Valley Pike. Does Lee Highway immediately start down 11 at
the 11-211 intersection, or is there a path I don't know of?

For your information US 29 leaves Warrenton not on 211 as you say, but
runs from Warrenton to Culpeper (sharing part of its way with US 15.
Past Culpeper it goes through Charlottsville and Lynchburg on its way to
Danville. It never makes the Shendoah Valley or Route 11/81. I have used
it for a peaceful fall drive to NC instead of going over to 81 or down 95.

I'm pretty sure Lee Highway goes out 211 to New Market. I remember
driving east on it to get to the Sheandoah Mountains a year or two
ago. I haven't travelled further down it, but driving down I-81 toward
Nashville I've seen exit signs in VA referencing to US-11 Lee Hwy. Not
that there can't be more than one Lee Hwy in Virginia. They like
Robert E. Lee and the Lee Family in this state. That said, I know 29
is part of the James Madison Hwy in Culpepper, and is known as
Seminole Trail north of UVA. There is probably a half-dozen other
names bestowed to the road between here and Florida. (Of course, all
of this could have since changed....)

Post by Art McClinton
US 29 runs all the way from Arlington to Danville. It however is named
with other names as it goes through various towns. For example in
Culpepr it is call the James Monroe Highway. Once it reaches
Ruckersville it is call the Seminole Trail. In Charlotsville it is
called Emmet Street, Jefferson Park Ave, and Fontaine Ave. To the South
of Charlotesville it becomes Monacan Trail Rd and eventually Thomas
Nelson Hwy when it crosses into Nelson County. When it enters Amherst
County the name changes to Amherst Hwy. In Lynchburg it is call Wards
Road (and several other names as the old business road wends its way
through town). In Danville it goes by name of Memorial Drive or Piney
Forrest Dr. So any implications that US RT 29 has any consistent name
between Arlington and Danville (other than US 29) is incorrect. The
highway is however reffered to as the LEE Memorial high way with signs
along its route but the are not its name.

[Bruce Harper]

Post by Art McClinton

Post by Wesley McGee
---
Aside 1: US 29, I know runs through Danville, but US 29 isn't Lee
Highway the entire length. If I'm not mistaken, Lee Highway departs
from 29 in Warrenton and continues west following US 211, and
thereafter parallels I-81 in VA. Where it goes after that, I do not
know... I think 29 in Danville is part of the Seminole Trail, but that
I'm not completely sure on. And along that line, where along US 11
does the street signs start saying Lee Highway? I drove a bit on it
back when I had a car, and just south of 211, outside New Market it
was still Valley Pike. Does Lee Highway immediately start down 11 at
the 11-211 intersection, or is there a path I don't know of?

For your information US 29 leaves Warrenton not on 211 as you say, but
runs from Warrenton to Culpeper (sharing part of its way with US 15.
Past Culpeper it goes through Charlottsville and Lynchburg on its way to
Danville. It never makes the Shendoah Valley or Route 11/81. I have used
it for a peaceful fall drive to NC instead of going over to 81 or down 95.

No, he was talking about the route of Lee Highway. In Virginia, per
VDOT's route index, it follows U.S. 29, U.S. 211, and U.S. 11 from
Washington, D.C. to the state line at Tennessee.

"LEE HIGHWAY: Route 29 from the Francis Scott Key Bridge to Falls
Church, Fairfax, Gainesville to Business Route 29 at Warrenton; thence
via Business Route 29 to Business Route 211; thence via Business Route
211 to Route 211 in Warrenton; thence via Route 211 to Business Route
211 east of Washington; thence via Business Route 211 to Route 211 south
of Washington; thence via Route 211 to Business Route 211 east of Luray;
thence via Business Route 211 to Route 211 in Luray; thence via Route
211 to Route 11 in New Market; thence via Route 11 to Harrisonburg;
thence via Route 11 to Business Route 11 north of Staunton; thence via
Business Route 11 to Route 11 in Staunton; thence via Route 11 to
Business Route 11 in Lexington; thence via Business Route 11 to Route 11
south of Lexington; thence via Route 11 to Natural Bridge, Roanoke,
Salem, Christiansburg, Radford, Pulaski, Wytheville, Marion, Abingdon
and Bristol to the Tennessee State Line. (General Assembly 3-20-22)"

Since this is a named route per action of the state legislature, perhaps
the folks in Fairfax need to contact VDOT and/or their local delegate
and senator to make sure their renaming is appropriate.

Bruce in Blacksburg

[Keith F. Lynch]

Post by Wesley McGee
Aside 1: US 29, I know runs through Danville, but US 29 isn't Lee
Highway the entire length. If I'm not mistaken, Lee Highway departs
from 29 in Warrenton and continues west following US 211, ...

When I was a kid, it was called 29/211 here in Fairfax County. When
and why did the 211 go away?

[Allen Seth Dunn]

Post by Keith F. Lynch

Post by Wesley McGee
Aside 1: US 29, I know runs through Danville, but US 29 isn't Lee
Highway the entire length. If I'm not mistaken, Lee Highway departs
from 29 in Warrenton and continues west following US 211, ...

When I was a kid, it was called 29/211 here in Fairfax County. When
and why did the 211 go away?

Probably because US 211 truancated in or near DC while multiplexed with US
29, something VA likely felt was unneccessary. So instead, they just decided
to have US 211 end in Warrenton where the multiplex used to start. Even
after all of that, the road still ends multiplexed with US 15/29 BUS at the
ramps for the US 15/17/29 Warrenton Eastern By-Pass.

Post by Keith F. Lynch
--
Keith F. Lynch - http://keithlynch.net/
Please see http://keithlynch.net/email.html before emailing me.

[Scott M. Kozel]

Post by Allen Seth Dunn

Post by Keith F. Lynch

Post by Wesley McGee
Aside 1: US 29, I know runs through Danville, but US 29 isn't Lee
Highway the entire length. If I'm not mistaken, Lee Highway departs
from 29 in Warrenton and continues west following US 211, ...

When I was a kid, it was called 29/211 here in Fairfax County. When
and why did the 211 go away?

Probably because US 211 truancated in or near DC while multiplexed with US
29, something VA likely felt was unneccessary. So instead, they just decided
to have US 211 end in Warrenton where the multiplex used to start. Even
after all of that, the road still ends multiplexed with US 15/29 BUS at the
ramps for the US 15/17/29 Warrenton Eastern By-Pass.

US-211 did formerly overlap US-29, between Warrenton and D.C., as I too
remember the locals calling it "twenty nine, two eleven". US-211 did
extend into D.C., but I'm not sure where it ended, but likely it
continued overlapping US-29 and ended at US-1 in D.C.

Here is US-211 history that says that the elimination of the overlap via
the Warrenton truncation occurred in 1984, and that jibes with my
approximate recollection --

Creation: Appeared in 1927 as an original US Highway. Ran from US 11-VA
33 New Market to US 50-VA 36 Fairfax. US 211 followed the route of VA
21.

Adjustments: In 1929, US 211 was extended to Washington DC, over what
had been US 50's approach to the nation's capital. Additionally, VA 21
was removed from the entirety of US 211.
US 211 mainline was rerouted around Warrenton in 1938. The old route
through town became US 211 ALT (curr US 211 Bus). In 1960-61, US 211
and VA 309 swapped alignments where they met at Lee Hwy and Old Dominion
Dr., such that VA 309 used Lee Hwy for 3/4 mile.
US 211 was extended west from US 11 to I-81 in 1967, replacing a small
piece of VA 260.
In 1984, US 211 was truncated to its current end in Warrenton, leaving
behind US 29, which it picked up as a hitchhiker back in 1933.

http://www.angelfire.com/va3/mapmikey/US11.html#us211

SMK: I didn't realize that the original US-17/US-29/US-211 western
bypass of Warrenton was opened in 1938... wow, that was a long time ago!
That also explains why it wasn't built with limited access. Some parts
of that bypass have been widened to 4 lanes more recently than 1938,
namely the US-211 section, but the southern part looks like a
1938-thereabouts vintage.

The US-17/US-29 Warrenton Eastern Bypass opened in December 1986, per my
observation when it opened as noted in my 'highway openings notebook'.

[Russell Blau]

Post by Scott M. Kozel
US-211 did formerly overlap US-29, between Warrenton and D.C., as I too
remember the locals calling it "twenty nine, two eleven". US-211 did
extend into D.C., but I'm not sure where it ended, but likely it
continued overlapping US-29 and ended at US-1 in D.C.

Where *does* US-29 intersect with US-1? :-)

If US-211 ever did extend into D.C., it probably ended near the D.C. side of
the Key Bridge where US-240 began. However, at least when I first came to
this area, US-211 ended at the Rosslyn Circle in Arlington, on the Virginia
side of the Key Bridge.

[Scott M. Kozel]

Post by Russell Blau

Post by Scott M. Kozel
US-211 did formerly overlap US-29, between Warrenton and D.C., as I too
remember the locals calling it "twenty nine, two eleven". US-211 did
extend into D.C., but I'm not sure where it ended, but likely it
continued overlapping US-29 and ended at US-1 in D.C.

Where *does* US-29 intersect with US-1? :-)
If US-211 ever did extend into D.C., it probably ended near the D.C. side of
the Key Bridge where US-240 began. However, at least when I first came to
this area, US-211 ended at the Rosslyn Circle in Arlington, on the Virginia
side of the Key Bridge.

When did you first come to the area? The following link shows US-211 as
having a "historical maximum extent of termini" as including Washington,
DC, on one end, but it doesn't give details.

http://www.us-highways.com/us1830.htm

[Froggie]

Post by Russell Blau

Post by Scott M. Kozel
US-211 did formerly overlap US-29, between Warrenton and D.C., as I too
remember the locals calling it "twenty nine, two eleven". US-211 did
extend into D.C., but I'm not sure where it ended, but likely it
continued overlapping US-29 and ended at US-1 in D.C.

Where *does* US-29 intersect with US-1? :-)
If US-211 ever did extend into D.C., it probably ended near the D.C. side of
the Key Bridge where US-240 began. However, at least when I first came to
this area, US-211 ended at the Rosslyn Circle in Arlington, on the Virginia
side of the Key Bridge.

Sounds like its time to dig out the 'gems' of my collection...:o)

In 1932, US 29 didn't exist north of Culpeper, nor did US 17 exist north of
Fredericksburg. US 211 is the main route (hell...for all intents the ONLY
route) east from Warrenton. My July, 1932 VA map (official) shows US 211 as
crossing the Key Bridge and AT LEAST getting to M St and Wisconsin Ave. US 211
presumably ran to US 240, although it's unclear how it did this, or even which
route US 240 followed (two suspects are Massachusetts Ave, or Wisconsin Ave to M
St then east).

As a side note, the 1932 map shows US 50 as taking a "southern route" into
southern Alexandria from Fairfax (generally along today's VA 236), then
duplexing with US 1 through most of Alexandria, Arlington County, and all the
way through D.C. At the time, US 1/50 followed Maryland Ave and Bladensburg Rd,
rather than the Rhode Island Ave routing US 1 currently takes. US 50 appears to
have split from US 1 at what is now the ALT US 1/MD 450 intersection in
Bladensburg.

Forwarding to September 1936, by this point US 29 has been extended northeast
from Culpeper, and US 29/211 are duplexed from Warrenton to the Key Bridge.
Again, no indication on the map as to US 211's disposition after passing
Wisconsin Ave/M St. Relating to 1932 above, the 1936 map appears to show US 240
following Massachusetts Ave at least to New York Ave (though presumably further
down to Maryland Ave, where US 1/50 ran).

Also by 1936, US 50 no longer went into Alexandria, instead following more or
less its present route...except that it dead-ended a little east of Glebe Rd,
only to reappear at a point that is now within Arlington Nat'l Cemetary...US 50
then crossed the Arlington Memorial Bridge, followed the Potomac for a short
distance, then continued east on Constitution Ave.

Final interesting tidbit from the 1936 map: VA 288 exists, but on the Eastern
Shore, following what is now SR 695 between US 13 at Temperanceville and the
Eastern Shore RR.

Froggie | Virginia Beach, VA

[Froggie]

Post by Allen Seth Dunn

Post by Keith F. Lynch
When I was a kid, it was called 29/211 here in Fairfax County. When
and why did the 211 go away?

Probably because US 211 truancated in or near DC while multiplexed with US
29, something VA likely felt was unneccessary. So instead, they just decided
to have US 211 end in Warrenton where the multiplex used to start. Even
after all of that, the road still ends multiplexed with US 15/29 BUS at the
ramps for the US 15/17/29 Warrenton Eastern By-Pass.

Doesn't quite make it to the bypass ramps. US 211 and BUSINESS US 211 end at
the same intersection along BUS 15/29...about 3/4 mile west of the bypass. US
211 follows BUS US 29 west from this intersection, while BUS US 211 follows BUS
US 15 south. An odd split. Also, this is one of the rare occurances of END
signage:

http://www.ajfroggie.com/roadpics/va-ends/us211.htm

Froggie | Virginia Beach, VA | http://www.ajfroggie.com/roads/

[Allen Seth Dunn]

Post by Froggie

Post by Allen Seth Dunn

Post by Keith F. Lynch
When I was a kid, it was called 29/211 here in Fairfax County. When
and why did the 211 go away?

Probably because US 211 truancated in or near DC while multiplexed with US
29, something VA likely felt was unneccessary. So instead, they just decided
to have US 211 end in Warrenton where the multiplex used to start. Even
after all of that, the road still ends multiplexed with US 15/29 BUS at the
ramps for the US 15/17/29 Warrenton Eastern By-Pass.

Doesn't quite make it to the bypass ramps. US 211 and BUSINESS US 211 end at
the same intersection along BUS 15/29...about 3/4 mile west of the bypass.

US

Post by Froggie
211 follows BUS US 29 west from this intersection, while BUS US 211 follows BUS
US 15 south. An odd split. Also, this is one of the rare occurances of END

Ah, right. I used to go through there at least once a year to get to
Shenadoah National Park (much more interesting route than I-66, and more
direct to more park services), but I haven't through there in the last
couple of years. I do remember there being an end sign somewhere near there,
just couldn't quite remember exactly where it was.

Post by Froggie
http://www.ajfroggie.com/roadpics/va-ends/us211.htm
Froggie | Virginia Beach, VA | http://www.ajfroggie.com/roads/

[scroob]

Post by Keith F. Lynch
When I was a kid, it was called 29/211 here in Fairfax County. When
and why did the 211 go away?

I remember. It was always 29/211. Nobody ever called it Lee Highway,
either. For me, the whole renaming issue seems moot.

[Allen Seth Dunn]

Post by scroob

Post by Keith F. Lynch
When I was a kid, it was called 29/211 here in Fairfax County. When
and why did the 211 go away?

I remember. It was always 29/211. Nobody ever called it Lee Highway,
either. For me, the whole renaming issue seems moot.

Heh, kinda on-topic, I even saw an advertisement in a used-car magazine last
week which showed a map that featured the Fairfax area, and had that section
of road marked as US 29 and US 211. I know those things aren't accurate
(they will often use interstate shields for major US and State routes), but
it was still kinda neat.

[Christopher C. Stacy]

Post by scroob

Post by Keith F. Lynch
When I was a kid, it was called 29/211 here in Fairfax County. When
and why did the 211 go away?

I remember. It was always 29/211. Nobody ever called it Lee Highway,
either. For me, the whole renaming issue seems moot.

Allen> Heh, kinda on-topic, I even saw an advertisement in a used-car magazine last
Allen> week which showed a map that featured the Fairfax area, and had that section
Allen> of road marked as US 29 and US 211. I know those things aren't accurate
Allen> (they will often use interstate shields for major US and State routes), but
Allen> it was still kinda neat.

This illustrates that you can't use that kind of document as a
historical source to tell you what the routes were at a given time,
although it's perfect documentation about what some people might
have mistakenly believed at a given timepoint.

[Wesley McGee]

Post by Allen Seth Dunn

Post by scroob

Post by Keith F. Lynch
When I was a kid, it was called 29/211 here in Fairfax County. When
and why did the 211 go away?

I remember. It was always 29/211. Nobody ever called it Lee Highway,
either. For me, the whole renaming issue seems moot.

Heh, kinda on-topic, I even saw an advertisement in a used-car magazine last
week which showed a map that featured the Fairfax area, and had that section
of road marked as US 29 and US 211. I know those things aren't accurate
(they will often use interstate shields for major US and State routes), but
it was still kinda neat.

Heh! The guides for the Northern Virginia Community College still has
29 marked as 29/211.

[Christopher L. Estep]

Post by Wesley McGee

Post by Allen Seth Dunn

Post by scroob

Post by Keith F. Lynch
When I was a kid, it was called 29/211 here in Fairfax County. When
and why did the 211 go away?

I remember. It was always 29/211. Nobody ever called it Lee Highway,
either. For me, the whole renaming issue seems moot.

Heh, kinda on-topic, I even saw an advertisement in a used-car magazine last
week which showed a map that featured the Fairfax area, and had that section
of road marked as US 29 and US 211. I know those things aren't accurate
(they will often use interstate shields for major US and State routes), but
it was still kinda neat.

Heh! The guides for the Northern Virginia Community College still has
29 marked as 29/211.

That is because it actually used to be that way, all the way from the
current US 211 terminus into Washington, DC (via the Key Bridge and
Whitehurst Freeway) and didn't separate until the Whitehurst Freeway's
eastern terminus at K Street (while US 29 continues eastward along K, US 211
actually turned south, following in turn the Potomac Freeway, Basin Drive,
Independence Avenue and Maine Avenue until ending rather abruptly at Maine
Avenue @ M, SW).

The Robert E. Lee/Stonewall Jackson Memorial Highway designation originally
applied to US 50's original routing in northern Virginia (across the Iwo
Jima Memorial Bridge from DC to where US 50 and US 29 cross in Fairfax),
then picking up then US 29/211 (now simply US 29) to the 29/211 split south
of Gainesville, and following US 29 through the rest of Virginia.

With the completion of I-66 inside the Beltway and linkup with the
then-incomplete interchange with US 50 in Rosslyn, US 50 from Rosslyn to
Fairfax was redesignated Arlington Boulevard, while US 29 north of Fairfax
gained the Lee-Jackson Highway designation all the way north to Key Bridge
(even though some Lee-Jackson Highway signage *still* exists on US 50 within
the City Of Fairfax; some of this excess signage is actually *east* of the
29/50 interchange to the Arlington/Fairfax County line along both EB and WB
50).


*Ooooopsie.*

Christopher L. Estep

PS: The primary reason for the original routing was that until the rerouting
of US 50 over the TR Bridge along with I-66, US 50 went through Arlington
Cemetery (which is home to Lee House) and across the Iwo Jima Memorial
Bridge into Washington, DC, slipping NE around the western side of the
Reflecting Pool to begin Constitution Avenue. Now, with the TR, US 50 and
I-66 do a * very odd* fan dance, with I-66 EB following the Potomac Freeway
to the eastern terminus with the Whitehurst and its own "death", while US 50
keeps straight and becomes E Street, but leaves E @ 23rd (one way SB) at the
NE corner of the State Department and following 23rd to its end @
Constitution Avenue NW.

[Russell Blau]

Post by Christopher L. Estep
PS: The primary reason for the original routing was that until the rerouting
of US 50 over the TR Bridge along with I-66, US 50 went through Arlington
Cemetery (which is home to Lee House) and across the Iwo Jima Memorial
Bridge into Washington, DC, slipping NE around the western side of the
Reflecting Pool to begin Constitution Avenue. Now, with the TR, US 50 and
I-66 do a * very odd* fan dance, with I-66 EB following the Potomac Freeway
to the eastern terminus with the Whitehurst and its own "death", while US 50
Constitution Avenue NW.

I don't know where you got this information. All the signage indicates that
US 50 continues eastbound along Constitution Ave. coming off the TR Bridge.

[Oscar Voss]

Post by Christopher L. Estep

Post by Christopher L. Estep
PS: The primary reason for the original routing was that until the

rerouting

Post by Christopher L. Estep
of US 50 over the TR Bridge along with I-66, US 50 went through Arlington
Cemetery (which is home to Lee House) and across the Iwo Jima Memorial
Bridge into Washington, DC, slipping NE around the western side of the
Reflecting Pool to begin Constitution Avenue. Now, with the TR, US 50 and
I-66 do a * very odd* fan dance, with I-66 EB following the Potomac

Freeway

Post by Christopher L. Estep
to the eastern terminus with the Whitehurst and its own "death", while US

50
the

Post by Christopher L. Estep
Constitution Avenue NW.

I don't know where you got this information. All the signage indicates that
US 50 continues eastbound along Constitution Ave. coming off the TR Bridge.

All the way to 6th St. NW, in fact, with prominent signage at that
intersection.

My office used to be right on US 50, on the east side of 601
Pennsylvania N.W.

[Christopher L. Estep]

Post by Christopher L. Estep

Post by Christopher L. Estep
PS: The primary reason for the original routing was that until the

rerouting

Post by Christopher L. Estep
of US 50 over the TR Bridge along with I-66, US 50 went through Arlington
Cemetery (which is home to Lee House) and across the Iwo Jima Memorial
Bridge into Washington, DC, slipping NE around the western side of the
Reflecting Pool to begin Constitution Avenue. Now, with the TR, US 50 and
I-66 do a * very odd* fan dance, with I-66 EB following the Potomac

Freeway

Post by Christopher L. Estep
to the eastern terminus with the Whitehurst and its own "death", while US

50
the

Post by Christopher L. Estep
Constitution Avenue NW.

I don't know where you got this information. All the signage indicates that
US 50 continues eastbound along Constitution Ave. coming off the TR Bridge.

US 50 does *not* end at 23rd and Constitution, and I did not mean to suggest
it. *23rd* Street ends there.

Westbound, you can go directly from Constitution to the TR; eastbound,
however, you can't (from the TR, you actually have to slide southeast to the
Reflecting Pool at the west end of the Mall, then proceed northeast to pick
up Constituttion at its western end (SW corner of the State Department HQ);
the *signage* in DC says you should stay on E to 23rd, then turn right,
following 23rd to its end (at Constitution) then turning left on
Constitution to remain on US 50. This is the last remaining example in DC
where a US highway has an inverted traffic pattern (US 50 EB is north of the
State Department, while US 50 WB is south of it).

US 50 stays with Constitution all the way to North Capitol Street (crossing
US 1 for the first time @ 14th Street and Constitution) then, turning left
onto North Capitol, US 50 stays with North Capitol to the intersection with
New York Avenue (just east of the 3rd Street Tunnel's north end) and
crossing US 1 twice more (North Capitol Street @ Rhode Island Avenue, and
New York @ Rhode Island).

Both US 1 and US 29 taike far more plebian routes through Washington.

US 1 has the easiest path: from the entry point @14th Street, US 1 stays on
14th to the intersection with Rhode Island Avenue (a major diagonal route
out of the city) then, turning right, stays with Rhode Island all the way
out.

US 29 entered the city via Key Bridge, and immediately becomes the
Whitehurst Freeway, which ends at Georgetown's SE corner (Wisconsin Avenue @
K Street, which is actually *underneath* the Freeway). Merging with K
Street, US 29 stays with K to 16th Street, then, turning left, sticks with
16th all the way to the NE corner of Walter Reed Army Medical Center (16th
Street @ Alaska Avenue) follows Alasks to Georgia Avenue, then, bearing left
onto Georgia, leaves DC, crossing Eastern Avenue. Once into Maryland, US
29's maintenance is picked up by the City Of Silver Spring (it's still
Georgia Avenue) but only as far as Georgia Avenue and Colesville Road; here
US 29 follows Colesville Road and MD 97 begins.


Christopher L. Estep

[Geoffrey William Hatchard]

Christopher L. Estep wrote...

Post by Christopher L. Estep
US 29 entered the city via Key Bridge, and immediately becomes the
K Street, which is actually *underneath* the Freeway). Merging with K
Street, US 29 stays with K to 16th Street, then, turning left, sticks with
16th all the way to the NE corner of Walter Reed Army Medical Center (16th
onto Georgia, leaves DC, crossing Eastern Avenue. Once into Maryland, US
29's maintenance is picked up by the City Of Silver Spring (it's still
Georgia Avenue) but only as far as Georgia Avenue and Colesville Road; here
US 29 follows Colesville Road and MD 97 begins.

Christopher,

You must be looking at an old map of the DC area. US 29 follows a much
different routing through the city now. The route follows the
Whitehurst, and K street, but turns north at 11th. Then, the route
turns onto Rhode Island Ave, travels a few blocks to 7th street, and
follows that northbound. 7th becomes Georgia Ave. when it crosses
Florida Ave. The rest of your data for US 29 is correct here.

[Christopher L. Estep]

Post by Geoffrey William Hatchard
Christopher L. Estep wrote...

Post by Christopher L. Estep
US 29 entered the city via Key Bridge, and immediately becomes the
Whitehurst Freeway, which ends at Georgetown's SE corner (Wisconsin
K Street, which is actually *underneath* the Freeway). Merging with K
Street, US 29 stays with K to 16th Street, then, turning left, sticks

with

Post by Christopher L. Estep
16th all the way to the NE corner of Walter Reed Army Medical Center

(16th
bearing left

Post by Christopher L. Estep
onto Georgia, leaves DC, crossing Eastern Avenue. Once into Maryland,

US

Post by Christopher L. Estep
29's maintenance is picked up by the City Of Silver Spring (it's still
Georgia Avenue) but only as far as Georgia Avenue and Colesville Road;

here

Post by Christopher L. Estep
US 29 follows Colesville Road and MD 97 begins.

Christopher,
You must be looking at an old map of the DC area. US 29 follows a much
different routing through the city now. The route follows the
Whitehurst, and K street, but turns north at 11th. Then, the route
turns onto Rhode Island Ave, travels a few blocks to 7th street, and
follows that northbound. 7th becomes Georgia Ave. when it crosses
Florida Ave. The rest of your data for US 29 is correct here.
--
All the best,
Geoff

I was not following a current DC map, but the signage along 16th.

If DC indeed did this (and the question is *why*?) then US 29 and US 1
travel together (along Rhode Island Avenue) between 11th and 7th Streets NW
(the southern terminus of Georgia Avenue and the SW corner of Howard
University).

This would, in fact, make the *second* time US 29's routing has been changed
in Washington, DC since World War II.

The original routing (source: http://www.mdroads.com) had US 29 staying on
16th as it entered Maryland until it reached East-West Highway (16th Street
in Maryland is now MD 390), then following East-West (which later became MD
410, which it is today) to Colesville Road.

The first change (16th/Alaska/Georgia) was done specifically to more
properly delineate the western and northwestern borders of Walter Reed Army
Medical Center (primarily Alaska Avenue as the military hospital's northwest
border) and to buffer the small triangle of houses between the hospital and
Alaska Avenue to the south, 16th to the West, Eastern Avenue and Blair Road
to the north, and Georgia Avenue to the east.

Both 16th Street and Georgia Avenue are wide primary routes through
northwest Washington (16th Street is still the primary access route to the
Carter Barron Ampitheater, the Fitzgerald Tennis Complex, and the bus
entrance to Rock Creek Park, while Georgia Avenue is, of course, home to
Howard University and the associated hospital).

Further, US 1 and 29 had no need to meet or even cross (remember, US 1
turned right @ 14th and Rhode Island Avenue, which left US 29 two blocks
west).

Even stranger, both 16th Street and Georgia Avenue remain on DC's portion of
the National Highway System, which eliminates any logical reason for
rerouting US 29 from 16th Street to that part of Georgia Avenue that US 29
didn't use (Georgia Avenue was placed in the NHS because of both Walter Reed
and Howard University Hospital, while 16th Street made it due to Walter
Reed, Rock Creek Park, and, oddly enough, the single embassy remaining on
16th (the Republic of Congo)).

Could someone from within the DC government explain the logic?

Christopher L. Estep

[Geoffrey William Hatchard]

Christopher L. Estep wrote...

Geoffrey William Hatchard wrote...

Post by Geoffrey William Hatchard
Christopher L. Estep wrote...

Post by Christopher L. Estep
US 29 entered the city via Key Bridge, and immediately becomes the
Whitehurst Freeway, which ends at Georgetown's SE corner (Wisconsin
K Street, which is actually *underneath* the Freeway). Merging with K
Street, US 29 stays with K to 16th Street, then, turning left, sticks

with

Post by Christopher L. Estep
16th all the way to the NE corner of Walter Reed Army Medical Center

(16th
bearing left

Post by Christopher L. Estep
onto Georgia, leaves DC, crossing Eastern Avenue. Once into Maryland,

US

Post by Christopher L. Estep
29's maintenance is picked up by the City Of Silver Spring (it's still
Georgia Avenue) but only as far as Georgia Avenue and Colesville Road;

here

Post by Christopher L. Estep
US 29 follows Colesville Road and MD 97 begins.

Christopher,
You must be looking at an old map of the DC area. US 29 follows a much
different routing through the city now. The route follows the
Whitehurst, and K street, but turns north at 11th. Then, the route
turns onto Rhode Island Ave, travels a few blocks to 7th street, and
follows that northbound. 7th becomes Georgia Ave. when it crosses
Florida Ave. The rest of your data for US 29 is correct here.
--
All the best,
Geoff

I was not following a current DC map, but the signage along 16th.

Where did you see any signage for US 29 on 16th street?

If DC indeed did this (and the question is *why*?) then US 29 and US 1
travel together (along Rhode Island Avenue) between 11th and 7th Streets NW
(the southern terminus of Georgia Avenue and the SW corner of Howard
University).
This would, in fact, make the *second* time US 29's routing has been changed
in Washington, DC since World War II.
The original routing (source: http://www.mdroads.com) had US 29 staying on
16th as it entered Maryland until it reached East-West Highway (16th Street
in Maryland is now MD 390), then following East-West (which later became MD
410, which it is today) to Colesville Road.
The first change (16th/Alaska/Georgia) was done specifically to more
properly delineate the western and northwestern borders of Walter Reed Army
Medical Center (primarily Alaska Avenue as the military hospital's northwest
border) and to buffer the small triangle of houses between the

hospital and

Alaska Avenue to the south, 16th to the West, Eastern Avenue and Blair Road
to the north, and Georgia Avenue to the east.

I'm curious....why would the routing US 29 along Alaska and 16th help to
"delineate" Walter Reed's borders? Whether the road is a US route or
not, it's still pretty obvious where Walter Reed ends when you drive by
it.

Both 16th Street and Georgia Avenue are wide primary routes through
northwest Washington (16th Street is still the primary access route to the
Carter Barron Ampitheater, the Fitzgerald Tennis Complex, and the bus
entrance to Rock Creek Park, while Georgia Avenue is, of course, home to
Howard University and the associated hospital).

I'm quite familiar with these roads, I live on 15th Street in the
District. I've also spent time in the ER at Howard.

Further, US 1 and 29 had no need to meet or even cross (remember, US 1
west).
Even stranger, both 16th Street and Georgia Avenue remain on DC's portion of
the National Highway System, which eliminates any logical reason for
rerouting US 29 from 16th Street to that part of Georgia Avenue that US 29
didn't use (Georgia Avenue was placed in the NHS because of both Walter Reed
and Howard University Hospital, while 16th Street made it due to Walter
Reed, Rock Creek Park, and, oddly enough, the single embassy remaining on
16th (the Republic of Congo)).
Could someone from within the DC government explain the logic?

Logic, HA! :)

[SPUI]

Post by Christopher L. Estep
US 50 does *not* end at 23rd and Constitution, and I did not mean to
suggest it. *23rd* Street ends there.
Westbound, you can go directly from Constitution to the TR; eastbound,
however, you can't (from the TR, you actually have to slide southeast
to the Reflecting Pool at the west end of the Mall, then proceed
northeast to pick up Constituttion at its western end (SW corner of
the State Department HQ); the *signage* in DC says you should stay on
E to 23rd, then turn right, following 23rd to its end (at
Constitution) then turning left on Constitution to remain on US 50.
This is the last remaining example in DC where a US highway has an
inverted traffic pattern (US 50 EB is north of the State Department,
while US 50 WB is south of it).

Unless this has changed recently, there is a direct ramp to Constitution Ave
from I-66 east, and it is signed as US 50 east.
Loading Image...

Post by Christopher L. Estep
US 50 stays with Constitution all the way to North Capitol Street
then, turning left onto North Capitol, US 50 stays with North Capitol
to the intersection with New York Avenue (just east of the 3rd Street
Tunnel's north end) and crossing US 1 twice more (North Capitol

US 50 east turns left from Constitution onto W 6th; there is a sign there.
US 50 west comes down W 9th and turns right onto Constitution; this is also
marked with a sign.

Post by Christopher L. Estep
Both US 1 and US 29 taike far more plebian routes through Washington.
stays on 14th to the intersection with Rhode Island Avenue (a major
diagonal route out of the city) then, turning right, stays with Rhode
Island all the way out.

US 1 northbound turns right on Constitution to join US 50 east, and then
left on W 6th (there's reassurance on W 6th for US 1 north/US 50 east). US 1
south comes down W 9th with US 50 west. It used to turn right on
Constitution with US 50 west and turn left on W 15th (no left turn at W
14th), but new signage points it straight along W 9th through the tunnel
under the mall. From there it presumably uses I-395 south into Virginia.
By the way, this gives US 1 a wrong-way one-way pair.

There is no signage at all in the Mt Vernon Square area for US 1 or US 50,
thanks to the new convention center. However from what I remember from maps,
US 1 north/US 50 east comes up W 6th, with US 50 east turning right on New
York and US 1 north continuing on W 6th to Rhode Island. US 1 south comes
down W 6th from Rhode Island, and turns right on L to join US 50 west, which
both turn left on W 9th. US 50 west splits off New York onto L. Signage on
Rhode Island might disprove this.

An old New York Times article says that the US routes were not given the
most direct routes so they could avoid the confusing circles.

[Russell Blau]

Post by Christopher L. Estep
Westbound, you can go directly from Constitution to the TR; eastbound,
however, you can't (from the TR, you actually have to slide southeast to the
Reflecting Pool at the west end of the Mall, then proceed northeast to pick
up Constituttion at its western end (SW corner of the State Department HQ);
the *signage* in DC says you should stay on E to 23rd, then turn right,
following 23rd to its end (at Constitution) then turning left on
Constitution to remain on US 50. This is the last remaining example in DC
where a US highway has an inverted traffic pattern (US 50 EB is north of the
State Department, while US 50 WB is south of it).

In a word, "no".

I take the Roosevelt Bridge into D.C. nearly every morning; I drove in on
less than an hour ago. There definitely is an eastbound ramp directly from
the TR to Constitution Ave. (it's not a straight line, but it is a direct
connection), unless they have removed it within the last 55 minutes.
According to the signs, it is US 50 eastbound. There is absolutely no
signage indicating that US 50 traffic should follow E Street to 23rd Street
and turn right (unless those signs have been installed within the last 55
minutes).