Military Highway
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| Route information | |
| Length: | 22.0 mi (35.4 km) |
| Component highways: |
 US 13 US 58 US 460 SR 165
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| Major junctions | |
| West end: | Suffolk |
 I‑664 in Bowers Hill I‑64 in Deep Creek US 17 (George Washington Hwy.) I‑464 in Chesapeake SR 168 (Battlefield Blvd) I‑264 in NorfolkUS 58 (Virginia Beach Bl)US 13/ SR 166(Northampton Bl/Princess Anne Rd.) I‑64 in Norfolk
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| East end: |
Norfolk SR 170(Little Creek Rd.) |
| Location | |
| Counties: | City of Suffolk, City of Chesapeake, City of Virginia Beach, City of Norfolk |
| Highway system | |
Military Highway is a four-lane roadway built in the South Hampton Roads region of eastern Virginia, USA during World War II. Carrying US 13 for most of its length, it also carries US 58, and US 460 while in Chesapeake. It is a major an alternate route for the Hampton Roads Beltway, crossing four of the highways five spur routes in each of the cities it enters.
During World War II, the military build-up meant more people locating in the South Hampton Roads area, bringing many automobiles to the area. The military needed to move personnel and materials fast and could not be bogged down in traffic. Federal, state and officials of the independent city of Norfolk came up with a plan to build a more efficient highway to alleviate traffic problems. All parties agreed on a 15-mile (24 km) long semi-circumferential section, from the western edge of Norfolk County just outside Portsmouth through a portion of Princess Anne County to reach Admiral Taussig Boulevard near the Norfolk Navy Base at Sewell's Point.
The proposed "super" highway, named Military Highway, was designed and built in 1943 for approximately $2.5 million. Military Highway can lay claim to a lot of "firsts." It was one of the first multi-lane highway (4-lanes, two in each direction) constructed in the area. The new roadway included several overpasses, bridges, interchanges and a roundabout called Lansdale Traffic Circle. The cloverleaf interchange constructed at Military Highway and Virginia Beach Boulevard was the first ever built in Virginia. Near the western end, there were 45 mph (72 km/h) S-curves as the highway passed on a bridge over the Virginian Railway, with short approach fills and considerable grades. The newly created feature became known as Bower's Hill, although the area had that name much earlier, by the mid 19th century, according to old maps. As one of the highest features for miles around, Bower's Hill on the Military Highway became something of a landmark for travelers.
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Wikipedia