Virginia Roads - VA 2/Bus. US 17 (Fredericksburg)

VA 2 and Business US 17 (Fredericksburg)



VA 2 follows US 301 through the Southern pines from Bowling Green all the way to Richmond for seemingly no reason. Yes, VA 2 was here first, as an eastern alternate to US 1 between there and Fredericksburg, but once US 301 came along it should have been time to decommission the multiplex.


The first acknowledgement of VA 2 as a standalone route. After leaving US 301 on the south side of town, there are a few Business 2 shields, but 2 has no Business route - it's Business 301 because it's the old route of 301, but still current 2.


NB up to the outskirts of Fredericksburg. I didn't know Stonewall was a deity.


Another state-name shield at that intersection, SB.


Still NB, now with Business US 17. That's not the fort, just a silo.


SB out of Fredericksburg to the old alignment at the Ruffins Pond bridge. Business US 17 hates being seen, so either ditches the banner or hides altogether. Rumor has it this was regular US 17 once.


Reassurance markers from Dixon St. WB at Charles St. Fredericksburg does not seem to have a single Business 17 reference to be found - they're all this regular variety, if they're posted at all. Oddly, there's no reference for the routes NB, even though they follow Charles St. up to Lafayette Blvd. (Business US 1) before cutting over to the one-way pair of Princess Anne and Caroline Streets. Notice that the "2" numeral has a shadow, clearly stuck on instead of printed like the 17.


It gets even stranger on Charles St. NB, because it's not VA 2 or Business 17. It does continue those routes straight up to Business US 1, but as I noted above those routes turn on Dixon St. to a one-way pair on the blocks to the east. From Business 1, both Charles and the one-way pair are signed as VA 2/Bus. 17 SB. From VA 2/Bus. 17 NB, there are no signs telling you to go straight or right at Charles/Dixon.


Princess Anne St. SB at Lafayette Blvd. I don't see Business US 17 or VA 2 here, although they both belong on the assembly. Technically it's accurate, as a left turn leads to a U-turn to Caroline St., but it's ambiguous to be on a route and then see that it goes both directions. The unfamiliar tourist, as many downtown drivers are, would not know how to get out to continue south.

Onto regular US 17
Follow Business US 17 onto Business US 1

Onto US 301
To (regular) VA 207
To I-95
Onto VA 3
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