U.S. Route 250 in Virginia
U.S. Route 250 (US 250) is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Sandusky, Ohio to Richmond, Virginia. In Virginia, the U.S. Highway runs 166.74 miles (268.34 km) from the West Virginia state line near Hightown east to its eastern terminus at US 360 in Richmond. US 250 is the main east–west highway of Highland County, which is known as Virginia's Little Switzerland; the highway follows the path of the 19th century Staunton and Parkersburg Turnpike. From Staunton east to Richmond, the U.S. Highway serves as the local complement to Interstate 64 (I-64), roughly following the 18th century Three Notch'd Road through Waynesboro and Charlottesville on its way through the Shenandoah Valley, its crossing of the Blue Ridge Mountains at Rockfish Gap, and the Piedmont. In the Richmond metropolitan area, US 250 is known as Broad Street, a major thoroughfare through the city's West End and downtown areas.
Route description
West Virginia to Staunton
US 250 enters Virginia on top of Allegheny Mountain, the ridgeline that forms the Virginia – West Virginia state line and the Eastern Continental Divide. The U.S. Highway continues northwest into Pocahontas County, West Virginia toward Durbin and Elkins. US 250, which is known as Highland Turnpike, parallels the state line, then veers east and has a curvaceous descent along the east side of the mountain to the narrow valley of Back Creek. The highway climbs over Lantz Mountain before reaching Hightown in the Bluegrass Valley, which contains the headwaters of both the South Branch Potomac River on the north and the Jackson River, one of two chief tributaries of the James River, on the south. East of Hightown, US 250 crosses Monterey Mountain and enters the town of Monterey, the county seat of Highland County. The U.S. Highway serves as the town's Main Street and intersects US 220 (Jackson River Road).