Virginia State Route 175
Encyclopedia
Virginia State Route 175 (SR 175) is a primary state highway
in the U.S. state
of Virginia
. Known as Chincoteague Road, the state highway runs 10.49 miles (16.9 km) from U.S. Route 13
(US 13) at Nash Corner
east to Main Street in Chincoteague
. SR 175 passes through the northeastern corner of Accomack County
, providing the primary access to NASA
's Wallops Flight Facility
and both Chincoteague Island and the Virginia portion of Assateague Island
.
state line. The state highway heads east as a two-lane road toward Wattsville
, where the highway intersects SR 798 (Mill Dam Road) and crosses over Wallops Pond, an impoundment of Wattsville Branch of Mosquito Creek
, onto Wallops Island
. SR 175 heads east, intersecting SR 798 (Atlantic Avenue) again, then curves north through Wallops Island National Wildlife Refuge
and around NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, a rocket launch site operated as a subsidiary of Goddard Space Flight Center
. While heading north parallel to one of the flight facility's runways, the state highway passes the NASA Visitor Center
. SR 175 curves to the east as it passes the main entrance to the flight facility.
SR 175 heads east onto the John B. Whealton Memorial Causeway between the mainland and Chincoteague Island. The causeway passes over marshland adjacent to the southern end of Chincoteague Bay and includes bridges over Mosquito Creek, Cockle Creek, Queen Sound Channel, and Wire Narrows. A fifth bridge, which opened in October 2010, curves to the north and then east around the northern end of Marsh Island to cross Black Narrows and Chincoteague Channel
onto Chincoteague Island. The bridge has a bascule span over Chincoteague Channel and lands on Chincoteague Island north of the downtown area. Marsh Island is served by a connector bridge that meets SR 175 over Black Narrows. The new bridge replaces a pair of bridges that continued straight east along the causeway's alignment across Marsh Island and through a swing bridge
to downtown Chincoteague. SR 175 reaches its eastern terminus at Main Street in the town of Chincoteague. The roadway continues east as Maddox Boulevard toward Assateague Island.
.
{| class=wikitable
!Location
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|Nash Corner
|0.00
|
|Western terminus
|-
|colspan=4 align=center|John B. Whealton Memorial Causeway
– Chincoteague Bay
|-
|Chincoteague
|10.49
|Main Street / Maddox Boulevard east – Assateague Island
|Eastern terminus
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. Known as Chincoteague Road, the state highway runs 10.49 miles (16.9 km) from U.S. Route 13
U.S. Route 13 in Virginia
U.S. Route 13 is a north–south U.S. highway established in 1926 that runs for from Interstate 95 just north of Fayetteville, North Carolina to the northeastern suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Morrisville. In the U.S...
(US 13) at Nash Corner
Nash Corner, Virginia
-References:*...
east to Main Street in Chincoteague
Chincoteague, Virginia
Chincoteague is a town on Chincoteague Island in Accomack County, Virginia, United States. The population was 4,317 at the 2000 census. The town is perhaps best known for the Chincoteague Ponies, although these are not actually on the island of Chincoteague but on nearby Assateague Island...
. SR 175 passes through the northeastern corner of Accomack County
Accomack County, Virginia
As of the census of 2010, there were 33,164 people, 15,299 households, and 10,388 families residing in the county. The population density was 84 people per square mile . There were 19,550 housing units at an average density of 43 per square mile...
, providing the primary access to NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
's Wallops Flight Facility
Wallops Flight Facility
Wallops Flight Facility , located on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, is operated by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, primarily as a rocket launch site to support science and exploration missions for NASA and other U.S. government agencies...
and both Chincoteague Island and the Virginia portion of Assateague Island
Assateague Island
Assateague Island is a long barrier island located off the eastern coast of Maryland and Virginia. It is best known for its herds of feral horses, pristine beaches, and the Assateague Lighthouse. The island also contains numerous marshes, bays and coves, including Toms Cove...
.
Route description
SR 175 begins at an intersection with US 13 (Lankford Highway) at Nash Corner 4 miles (6.4 km) south of the MarylandMaryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
state line. The state highway heads east as a two-lane road toward Wattsville
Wattsville, Virginia
Wattsville is a census-designated place in Accomack County, Virginia, United States. The population as of the 2010 Census was 1,128.-References:*...
, where the highway intersects SR 798 (Mill Dam Road) and crosses over Wallops Pond, an impoundment of Wattsville Branch of Mosquito Creek
Mosquito Creek (Virginia)
Mosquito Creek is a stream in Chincoteague, Virginia that connects with Cockle Creek to the south and a mouth at Chincoteague Bay to the North.-History:...
, onto Wallops Island
Wallops Island
Wallops Island is a island off the east coast of Virginia, part of the barrier islands that stretch along the eastern seaboard of the United States of America.It is located in Accomack County, Virginia...
. SR 175 heads east, intersecting SR 798 (Atlantic Avenue) again, then curves north through Wallops Island National Wildlife Refuge
Wallops Island National Wildlife Refuge
The Wallops Island National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge located on Wallops Island, Virginia; the refuge was created on July 10, 1975, with the transfer of of land from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and is administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife...
and around NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, a rocket launch site operated as a subsidiary of Goddard Space Flight Center
Goddard Space Flight Center
The Goddard Space Flight Center is a major NASA space research laboratory established on May 1, 1959 as NASA's first space flight center. GSFC employs approximately 10,000 civil servants and contractors, and is located approximately northeast of Washington, D.C. in Greenbelt, Maryland, USA. GSFC,...
. While heading north parallel to one of the flight facility's runways, the state highway passes the NASA Visitor Center
NASA Visitor Center (Wallops Flight Facility)
The NASA Visitor Center is located in Building J-17, Wallops Island, Virginia, United States along Route 175. It contains exhibits highlighting past missions conducted at Wallops Flight Facility. The visitor center also provides information about current activities at Wallops Flight Facility,...
. SR 175 curves to the east as it passes the main entrance to the flight facility.
SR 175 heads east onto the John B. Whealton Memorial Causeway between the mainland and Chincoteague Island. The causeway passes over marshland adjacent to the southern end of Chincoteague Bay and includes bridges over Mosquito Creek, Cockle Creek, Queen Sound Channel, and Wire Narrows. A fifth bridge, which opened in October 2010, curves to the north and then east around the northern end of Marsh Island to cross Black Narrows and Chincoteague Channel
Chincoteague Channel
Chincoteague Channel is a channel on the Eastern Shore of Virginia between marshlands to the northwest and Chincoteague Island to the southeast. The Chincoteague Channel connects to Chincoteague Bay to the northeast and Chincoteague Inlet to the southwest....
onto Chincoteague Island. The bridge has a bascule span over Chincoteague Channel and lands on Chincoteague Island north of the downtown area. Marsh Island is served by a connector bridge that meets SR 175 over Black Narrows. The new bridge replaces a pair of bridges that continued straight east along the causeway's alignment across Marsh Island and through a swing bridge
Swing bridge
A swing bridge is a movable bridge that has as its primary structural support a vertical locating pin and support ring, usually at or near to its centre of gravity, about which the turning span can then pivot horizontally as shown in the animated illustration to the right...
to downtown Chincoteague. SR 175 reaches its eastern terminus at Main Street in the town of Chincoteague. The roadway continues east as Maddox Boulevard toward Assateague Island.
Major intersections
The entire route is in Accomack CountyAccomack County, Virginia
As of the census of 2010, there were 33,164 people, 15,299 households, and 10,388 families residing in the county. The population density was 84 people per square mile . There were 19,550 housing units at an average density of 43 per square mile...
.
{| class=wikitable
!Location
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|Nash Corner
Nash Corner, Virginia
-References:*...
|0.00
|
|Western terminus
|-
|colspan=4 align=center|John B. Whealton Memorial Causeway
John B. Whealton Memorial Causeway
The John B. Whealton Memorial Causeway, more commonly known to the locals as the Chincoteague Causeway, connects the mainland of the Eastern Shore to Chincoteague, where it continues into town as Maddox Boulevard. The causeway is part of Virginia State Route 175...
– Chincoteague Bay
Chincoteague Bay
Chincoteague Bay is a lagoon between the Atlantic barrier islands of Assateague and Chincoteague and the mainland of Worcester County, Maryland and northern Accomack County, Virginia...
|-
|Chincoteague
Chincoteague, Virginia
Chincoteague is a town on Chincoteague Island in Accomack County, Virginia, United States. The population was 4,317 at the 2000 census. The town is perhaps best known for the Chincoteague Ponies, although these are not actually on the island of Chincoteague but on nearby Assateague Island...
|10.49
|Main Street / Maddox Boulevard east – Assateague Island
Assateague Island
Assateague Island is a long barrier island located off the eastern coast of Maryland and Virginia. It is best known for its herds of feral horses, pristine beaches, and the Assateague Lighthouse. The island also contains numerous marshes, bays and coves, including Toms Cove...
|Eastern terminus