Virginia State Route 218 (SR 218) is a primary state highway

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...

. The state highway runs 30 miles (48.3 km) from U.S. Route 1

U.S. Route 1 in Virginia

U.S. Route 1 in the U.S. state of Virginia runs north–south through South Hill, Petersburg, Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Alexandria on its way from North Carolina to the 14th Street Bridge into the District of Columbia...

 and US 17 Business in Falmouth

Falmouth, Virginia

Falmouth is an unincorporated community in Stafford County, Virginia, United States. Situated on the north bank of the Rappahannock River at the falls, the community is north of and opposite the city of Fredericksburg. Recognized by the U.S...

 east to SR 205

Virginia State Route 205

State Route 205 is a primary state highway in the Northern Neck region of the U.S. state of Virginia. It runs from State Route 3 east of King George east via Edgehill, Potomac Beach, and Colonial Beach to State Route 3 at Oak Grove...

 in Tetotum

Tetotum, Virginia

Tetotum is an unincorporated community in King George County, Virginia, United States....

. SR 218 connects suburban communities in Stafford County

Stafford County, Virginia

Stafford County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a U.S. state, and just across the Rappahannock River from the City of Fredericksburg. As of the 2000 census, the population was 92,446, increasing to 128,961 in 2010.. Its county seat is Stafford. In 2006, and again in 2009,...

 east of Fredericksburg

Fredericksburg, Virginia

Fredericksburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia located south of Washington, D.C., and north of Richmond. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,286...

 with rural areas in northern and eastern King George County

King George County, Virginia

As of the census of 2010, there were 23,584 people, 9,411 households, and 4,525 families residing in the county. The population density was 93 people per square mile . There were 6,820 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...

.

Route description

SR 218 begins in Falmouth at the intersection with US 1 (Jefferson Davis Highway) and US 17 Business, which joins US 1 south to cross the Rappahannock River

Rappahannock River

The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west, across the Piedmont, to the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Potomac River.An important river in American...

 into Fredericksburg and heads west as Warrenton Road to reconnect with US 17

U.S. Route 17 in Virginia

U.S. Route 17 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Punta Gorda, Florida to Winchester, Virginia. In Virginia, the U.S. Highway runs from the North Carolina state line in Chesapeake north to its northern terminus at US 11, US 50, and US 522 in Winchester. US 17 is a major highway...

 at Interstate 95

Interstate 95 in Virginia

In the Commonwealth of Virginia, Interstate 95 runs through the state. It runs concurrently for with Interstate 64 in Richmond, and meets the northern terminus of Interstate 85 in Petersburg. Though Interstate 95 was originally planned to go straight through Washington, D.C., it was instead...

. SR 218 heads east as two-lane Butler Road through a suburban area, then expands to a four-lane divided highway prior to the intersection with SR 212 (Chatham Heights Road). SR 218 continues east as White Oak Road and crosses over CSX

CSX Transportation

CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...

's RF&P Subdivision at its junction

Junction (rail)

A junction, in the context of rail transport, is a place at which two or more rail routes converge or diverge.This implies a physical connection between the tracks of the two routes , 'points' and signalling.one or two tracks each meet at a junction, a fairly simple layout of tracks suffices to...

 with the Dahlgren Branch at Dahlgren Junction

Dahlgren Junction, Virginia

Dahlgren Junction is an unincorporated community in Stafford County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...

. East of the railroad crossing, the state highway reduces to a two-lane highway that connects residential subdivisions and several small communities east of Fredericksburg, including Sullivan

Sullivan, Virginia

Sullivan is an unincorporated community in Stafford County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...

, McCarthys Corner

McCarthys Corner, Virginia

McCarthys Corner is an unincorporated community in Stafford County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...

, and White Oak

White Oak, Virginia

White Oak is a small agricultural unincorporated community on the Potomac River in southeastern Stafford County in the U.S. state of Virginia.- External links :*...

, which contains White Oak Church

White Oak Church

White Oak Church is a church in Falmouth in Stafford County, Virginia. It was built sometime around 1789. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991....

.

After crossing Muddy Creek into King George County, SR 218's name changes to Caledon Road. After passing through the hamlet of Passapatanzy

Passapatanzy, Virginia

Passapatanzy is a census-designated place in King George County, Virginia, United States. The population as of the 2010 Census was 1,283....

, the state highway follows a curvaceous alignment through a forested area. SR 218 passes through the hamlets of Mustoe

Mustoe, Virginia

Mustoe is an unincorporated community in King George County, Virginia, United States....

, Goby

Goby, Virginia

Goby is an unincorporated community in King George County, Virginia, United States....

, and Osso

Osso, Virginia

Osso is an unincorporated community in King George County, Virginia, United States....

 and passes roads that head north to the Potomac River

Potomac River

The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...

 beach communities of Belvedere Beach

Belvedere Beach, Virginia

Belvedere Beach is an unincorporated community in King George County, Virginia, United States....

, Fairview Beach

Fairview Beach, Virginia

Fairview Beach is a census-designated place in King George County, Virginia, United States. The population was 230 at the 2000 census. It is located within the Northern Neck George Washington Birthplace American Viticultural Area winemaking appellation....

, and Somerset Beach

Somerset Beach, Virginia

Somerset Beach is an unincorporated community in King George County, Virginia, United States....

. Near the hamlets of Ambar

Ambar, Virginia

Ambar is an unincorporated community in King George County, Virginia, United States....

 and Hampstead

Hampstead, Virginia

Hampstead, Virginia may refer to:*Hampstead, King George County, Virginia*Hampstead, New Kent County, Virginia...

, SR 218 passes along the edge of Caledon Natural Area

Caledon Natural Area

The Caledon Natural Area is a state park located in King George, Virginia. The property was initially owned by the Alexander brothers, founders of the city of Alexandria, and was established in 1659 as Caledon Plantation. Ownership passed, in 1974, to the Commonwealth of Virginia...

, a National Natural Landmark

National Natural Landmark

The National Natural Landmark program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the natural history of the United States. It is the only natural areas program of national scope that identifies and recognizes the best examples of biological and geological features in...

 that contains old growth forest and is a haven for bald eagles. At Berthaville

Berthaville, Virginia

Berthaville is an unincorporated community in King George County, Virginia, United States. Berthaville developed as an agricultural community in the nineteenth century at the crossroads of Caledon Road , Dahlgren Road , and Saint Paul's Road . Current Mayor is Michael Fitzgerald....

, SR 218 joins SR 206

Virginia State Route 206

State Route 206 is a primary state highway in the Northern Neck region of the U.S. state of Virginia. It runs from State Route 3 west of King George east via Owens to State Route 604 in Dahlgren at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division entrance.-External links:*...

 (Dahlgren Road) in a concurrency east to Owens

Owens, Virginia

Owens is a small unincorporated crossroads community at the intersection of Dahlgren Road, Windsor Drive, and Owens Drive in King George County, Virginia, United States. State Routes 206 and 218 meet at this intersection, with 206 going east towards U.S...

. In Owens, SR 206 heads east toward Dahlgren

Dahlgren, Virginia

Dahlgren is a census-designated place in King George County, Virginia, United States. The population was 997 at the 2000 census. The community is located within the Northern Neck George Washington Birthplace American Viticultural Area winemaking appellation established by the United States...

 while SR 218 turns south as Windsor Drive to an intersection with US 301

U.S. Route 301 in Virginia

U.S. Route 301 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Sarasota, Florida to Glasgow, Delaware. In Virginia, the U.S. Highway runs from the North Carolina state line near Skippers north to the Maryland state line at the Potomac River near Dahlgren. US 301 forms the local complement...

 (James Madison Parkway). The state highway curves to the east to cross Upper Machodoc Creek, then turns south onto Tetotum Road. SR 218 passes through the community of Tetotum before reaching its eastern terminus at SR 205 (Ridge Road) just north of the Westmoreland County

Westmoreland County, Virginia

As of the census of 2000, there were 16,718 people, 6,846 households, and 4,689 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 9,286 housing units at an average density of...

 line at Pine Hill Creek.

Major intersections

{| class=wikitable
!County
!Location
!Mile

!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=2|Stafford

Stafford County, Virginia

Stafford County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a U.S. state, and just across the Rappahannock River from the City of Fredericksburg. As of the 2000 census, the population was 92,446, increasing to 128,961 in 2010.. Its county seat is Stafford. In 2006, and again in 2009,...

|Falmouth

Falmouth, Virginia

Falmouth is an unincorporated community in Stafford County, Virginia, United States. Situated on the north bank of the Rappahannock River at the falls, the community is north of and opposite the city of Fredericksburg. Recognized by the U.S...

|0.00
|
|Western terminus
|-
|Dahlgren Junction

Dahlgren Junction, Virginia

Dahlgren Junction is an unincorporated community in Stafford County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...

|1.13
|
|Old alignment of SR 218
|-
|rowspan=4|King George

King George County, Virginia

As of the census of 2010, there were 23,584 people, 9,411 households, and 4,525 families residing in the county. The population density was 93 people per square mile . There were 6,820 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...

|Berthaville

Berthaville, Virginia

Berthaville is an unincorporated community in King George County, Virginia, United States. Berthaville developed as an agricultural community in the nineteenth century at the crossroads of Caledon Road , Dahlgren Road , and Saint Paul's Road . Current Mayor is Michael Fitzgerald....

|21.51
|
|West end of concurrency with SR 206
|-
|rowspan=2|Owens

Owens, Virginia

Owens is a small unincorporated crossroads community at the intersection of Dahlgren Road, Windsor Drive, and Owens Drive in King George County, Virginia, United States. State Routes 206 and 218 meet at this intersection, with 206 going east towards U.S...

|23.70
|
|East end of concurrency with SR 206
|-
|23.98
|
|
|-
|Tetotum

Tetotum, Virginia

Tetotum is an unincorporated community in King George County, Virginia, United States....

|30.00
|
|Eastern terminus

External links

• Virginia Highways Project: VA 218