View source for Virginia State Route 156

{{Short description|State highway in eastern Virginia, US}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox road
|state=VA
|type=VA
|route=156
|length_mi=57.38
|length_ref=<ref name="VDOT Traffic Data"/>
|length_round=2
|map=VA 156 map.svg
|established=July&nbsp;1, 1933<ref>{{cite news |title=New Numbers of Va. Highways Effective July 1 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42704631/va_route_changes_may_10_1933/ |access-date=January 21, 2020 |work=The Richmond Times-Dispatch |date=May 10, 1933 |page=5|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref>
|direction_a=South
|direction_b=North
|terminus_a={{Jct|state=VA|US|301|SR|35}} at [[Templeton, Virginia|Templeton]]
|junction=
*{{jct|state=VA|US|460}} near [[Disputanta, Virginia|Disputanta]]
*{{jct|state=VA|SR|106}} near [[Prince George, Virginia|Prince George]]
*{{jct|state=VA|SR|10}} near [[Jordan Point, Virginia|Jordan Point]]
*{{jct|state=VA|SR|5|SR|106}} at [[Kimages, Virginia|Kimages]]
*{{jct|state=VA|US|60}} in [[Sandston, Virginia|Sandston]]
*{{jct|state=VA|I|64}} in Sandston
*{{jct|state=VA|SR|33}} in [[Highland Springs, Virginia|Highland Springs]]
*{{jct|state=VA|I|295}} near Highland Springs
*{{jct|state=VA|US|360}} in [[Mechanicsville, Virginia|Mechanicsville]]
|terminus_b={{Jct|state=VA|US-Bus|360|dab1=Mechanicsville|Sec|638|county2=Hanover}} in Mechanicsville
|counties=[[Prince George County, Virginia|Prince George]], [[Charles City County, Virginia|Charles City]], [[Henrico County, Virginia|Henrico]], [[Hanover County, Virginia|Hanover]]
|previous_type=VA
|previous_route=155
|next_type=VA
|next_route=157
}}

'''State Route 156''' ('''SR 156''') is a primary [[state highway]] in the U.S. state of [[Virginia]]. The state highway runs {{convert|57.38|mi|km}} from [[U.S. Route 301 in Virginia|U.S. Route 301]] (US 301) and [[Virginia State Route 35|SR 35]] in [[Templeton, Virginia|Templeton]] north to [[U.S. Route 360 Business (Mechanicsville, Virginia)|US 360 Business]] in [[Mechanicsville, Virginia|Mechanicsville]]. SR 156 follows a circuitous route through the eastern part of the [[Richmond&ndash;Petersburg]] metropolitan area. South of the [[James River]], the state highway connects Templeton in [[Prince George County, Virginia|Prince George County]] with [[Hopewell, Virginia|Hopewell]], which is directly served by [[#Hopewell business route|SR 156 Business]]. SR 156 crosses the James River on the [[Benjamin Harrison Memorial Bridge]] and briefly passes through [[Charles City County, Virginia|Charles City County]]. For most of its length in [[Henrico County, Virginia|Henrico]] and [[Hanover County, Virginia|Hanover]], the state highway is a rural road that provides access to several units of [[Richmond National Battlefield Park]]. However, SR 156 provides access to [[Richmond International Airport]], [[Interstate 64 in Virginia|Interstate 64]] (I-64), and [[Interstate 295 (Virginia)|I-295]] as it passes through the Richmond suburbs of [[Sandston, Virginia|Sandston]] and [[Highland Springs, Virginia|Highland Springs]] as a major highway.

==Route description==
[[File:2017-07-13 18 07 13 View south along Virginia State Route 156 (Prince George Drive) at Virginia State Route 106 (Courthouse Road) in Prince George, Prince George County, Virginia.jpg|thumb|right|View south along SR 156 at SR 106 in Prince George]]
SR 156 begins at a four-way intersection with US 301 and SR 35 (Courtland Road) in Templeton. The south leg of the intersection is an exit ramp from northbound [[Interstate 95 in Virginia|I-95]]. US 301 and SR 35 head west along Courtland Road to provide access to the remaining ramps of the highways' [[diamond interchange]] with I-95. SR 35 heads east along Courtland Road toward [[Courtland, Virginia|Courtland]]. SR 156 and US 301 run concurrently north along Prince George Drive before US 301 splits northwest to follow Crater Road toward [[Petersburg, Virginia|Petersburg]]. SR 156 continues northeast along two-lane undivided Prince George Drive toward its junction with [[U.S. Route 460 in Virginia|US 460]] (County Drive) northwest of [[Disputanta, Virginia|Disputanta]], which occurs just after the state highway crosses [[Norfolk Southern Railway]]'s [[Norfolk District]]. The state highway continues north to the community of [[Prince George, Virginia|Prince George]], the [[county seat]] of Prince George County, where the highway has a four-way intersection with [[Virginia State Route 106|SR 106]] (Courthouse Road) and SR 156 Business (Prince George Drive).  SR 106 heads southwest toward the county office complex, SR 156 Business heads north to serve Hopewell, and SR 156 and SR 106 head northeast along Ruffin Road to bypass Hopewell.<ref name="VDOT Traffic Data"/><ref name="Google Maps VA 156"/><ref name="Google Maps VA 156 Bus"/>

SR 156 and SR 106 follow Ruffin Road to [[Virginia State Route 10|SR 10]] (James River Drive); this intersection is also the northern end of SR 156 Business. The two highways turn east to [[concurrency (road)|run concurrently]] with the four-lane [[divided highway]] to its next intersection with Jordan Point Road.  SR 156 and SR 106 turn north onto two-lane undivided Jordan Point Road, which leads to [[Jordan Point, Virginia|Jordan Point]]. The two highways cross the James River on the Benjamin Harrison Memorial Bridge, a [[vertical-lift bridge]] that is named for [[Benjamin Harrison V]], the father of [[William Henry Harrison]] and great-grandfather of [[Benjamin Harrison]]. The two highways enter Charles City County as Roxbury Road, which they follow north to [[Virginia State Route 5|SR 5]] (John Tyler Memorial Highway) at [[Kimages, Virginia|Kimages]]. SR 5 heads east toward [[Charles City, Virginia|Charles City]], SR 106 continues north along Roxbury Road toward [[Roxbury, Virginia|Roxbury]], and SR 156 turns west to join SR 5 in a concurrency.<ref name="VDOT Traffic Data"/><ref name="Google Maps VA 156"/>

SR 156 and SR 5 initially head west but curve north and pass by [[Shirley Plantation]], one of the [[List of James River plantations|James River plantations]]. The two highways pass through the hamlet of [[Granville, Virginia|Granville]], which lies on the James River opposite Turkey Island, which is formed by a bend in the river that encloses [[Presquile National Wildlife Refuge]]. Just north of Granville, SR 156 and SR 5 cross Turkey Island Creek into Henrico County, where the highways follow New Market Road until SR 156 turns northeast onto Willis Church Road. At Carters Mill Road, SR 156 makes a right-angle turn north just before passing through the [[Battle of Malvern Hill|Malvern Hill]] unit of Richmond National Battlefield Park. The state highway passes [[Glendale National Cemetery]] and the [[Battle of Glendale|Glendale]] unit of the battlefield park before reaching a four-way intersection with Charles City Road and Darbytown Road, where SR 156 makes a right-angle turn to the east onto Charles City Road. SR 156 follows Charles City Road to Elko Road, onto which the highway turns north to cross the White Oak Swamp and intersect [[CSX Transportation|CSX]]'s [[Peninsula Subdivision]] in the hamlet of Elko. The state highway passes scattered residential subdivisions as it follows the eastern edge of the [[Elko Tract]], part of which is an industrial park accessed via [[Virginia State Route 380|SR 380]] (Elko Tract Road).<ref name="VDOT Traffic Data"/><ref name="Google Maps VA 156"/>

North of the Elko Tract, SR 156 turns west and joins [[U.S. Route 60 in Virginia|US 60]] and [[Virginia State Route 33|SR 33]] on Williamsburg Road, a four-lane divided highway. The three highways meet I-295 at a [[cloverleaf interchange]] and enter the community of Sandston, through which the highways pass as a two-lane undivided road. SR 33 turns north onto Nine Mile Road next to [[Seven Pines National Cemetery]]. SR 156 and US 60 expand to a four-lane divided highway again as they begin to follow the northern edge of the Richmond International Airport property. SR 156 and US 60 diverge at Airport Drive, which heads south into the airport and north as part of SR 156. The four-lane divided highway has a cloverleaf interchange with I-64 and, just to the north, intersects Norfolk Southern Railway's [[Richmond District (Norfolk Southern)|Richmond District]] at grade. SR 156 continues northeast through the community of Highland Springs, where it intersects SR 33 (Nine Mile Road) again. SR 156 has another cloverleaf interchange with I-295. East of the Interstate at Old Hanover Road, the state highway reduces to two lanes and briefly becomes Hanover Road before crossing the [[Chickahominy River]] into Hanover County.<ref name="VDOT Traffic Data"/><ref name="Google Maps VA 156"/>

SR 156 continues north as Cold Harbor Road, which makes a right-angle turn west at SR 619 (Rockhill Road) to pass by the [[Battle of Gaines' Mill|Gaines' Mill]] and [[Battle of Cold Harbor|Cold Harbor]] units of Richmond National Battlefield Park. After intersecting SR 615 (Creighton Road), which provides access to I-295, the state highway enters a suburban area where the highway makes another right-angle turn west at SR 636 (Walnut Grove Road) and SR 643 (Lee Davis Road). SR 156 crosses over I-295 with no access and passes by the [[Battle of Beaver Dam Creek|Beaver Dam Creek]] unit of the battlefield park before entering Mechanicsville. The state highway has a three-quarter diamond interchange with [[U.S. Route 360|US 360]] (Mechanicsville Bypass) just before reaching its northern terminus at US 360 Business (Mechanicsville Turnpike), which completes the missing westbound US 360 to SR 156 movement of the interchange. The road continues northwest as SR 638 (Atlee Road).<ref name="VDOT Traffic Data"/><ref name="Google Maps VA 156"/>

==Major intersections==<!--MILEAGE NEEDS TO BE FIXED TO START AT 0-->
{{jcttop|length_ref=<ref name="VDOT Traffic Data"/>}}
{{VAint
|county=Prince George
|cspan=5
|location=Templeton
|mile=0.17
|road={{Jct|state=VA|US|301|name1=South Crater Road|Sec|668|county2=Prince George|name2=Prince George Drive|to3=to|I|95|SR|35|city1=Petersburg|city2=Courtland|city3=Emporia}}<!--cities are only signed if you continue straight on US 301-->
|notes=Southern terminus 
}}
{{VAint
|location=Disputanta
|mile=7.33
|road={{Jct|state=VA|US|460|name1=County Drive|city1=Petersburg|city2=Suffolk}}
}}
{{VAint
|location=none
|type=concur
|mile=13.06
|road={{jct|state=VA|SR|106|dir1=south|name1=Courthouse Road|SR-Bus|156|dab2=Hopewell|dir2=north|name2=Prince George Drive|to3=to|I|95|I|295|city1=Hopewell|city2=Prince George}}
|notes=South end of concurrency with SR 106
}}
{{VAint
|location=none
|type=concur
|mile=17.62
|road={{jct|state=VA|SR|10|dir1=west|SR-Bus|156<!--not signed here?-->|dab2=Hopewell|dir2=south|name2=James River Drive|Sec|644|county3=Prince George|name3=Ruffin Road|city1=Hopewell}}<!--Petersburg is signed at the other end of the overlap, but it's unclear whether the intended route is SR 36 or SR 106-->
|notes=South end of concurrency with SR 10
}}
{{VAint
|type=concur
|location=none
|mile=18.35
|road={{jct|state=VA|SR|10|dir1=east|name1=James River Drive|city1=Suffolk}}
|notes=North end of concurrency with SR 10
}}
{{jctbridge
|river=[[James River]]
|mile=21.04
|mile2=
|bridge=[[Benjamin Harrison Memorial Bridge]]
}}
{{VAint
|county=Charles City
|location=none
|type=concur
|mile=22.35
|road={{jct|state=VA|SR|5|dir1=east|name1=John Tyler Memorial Highway|SR|106|dir2=north|name2=Roxbury Road|city1=Williamsburg}}
|notes=North end of concurrency with SR 106; south end of concurrency with SR 5
}}
{{VAint
|county=Henrico
|cspan=9
|location=none
|type=concur
|mile=28.41
|road={{Jct|state=VA|SR|5|dir1=west|name1=New Market Road|city1=Richmond<!--signed at the other end of the overlap-->}}
|notes=North end of concurrency with SR 5
}}
{{VAint
|location=none
|mile=37.70
|road={{Jct|state=VA|SR|380|name1=Elko Tract Road}}
}}
{{VAint
|location=none
|type=concur
|mile=38.24
|road={{Jct|state=VA|US|60|dir1=east|SR|33|dir2=east|name2=Williamsburg Road}}
|notes=South end of concurrency with US 60 and SR 33
}}
{{VAint
|location=none
|mile=40.48
|road={{Jct|state=VA|I|295|to2=to|I|64|I|95|location1=[[Rocky Mount, NC]]|location2=[[Washington, DC|Washington]]}}
|notes=Exit 28 (I-295)
}}
{{VAint
|location=Seven Pines
|type=concur
|mile=41.88
|road={{jct|state=VA|SR|33|dir1=west|name1=East Nine Mile Road|city1=Highland Springs}}
|notes=North end of concurrency with SR 33
}}
{{VAint
|type=concur
|location=Sandston<!--maybe-->
|mile=43.36
|road={{Jct|state=VA|US|60|dir1=west|name1=Williamsburg Road|road|Airport Drive|location1=[[Richmond International Airport]]|location2=[[Virginia Aviation Museum]]}}
|notes=North end of concurrency with US 60
}}
{{VAint
|location=none
|mile=43.90
|road={{Jct|state=VA|I|64|to2=to|I|95|I|295|dir3=south|city1=Richmond|city2=Norfolk|location3=[[Rocky Mount, NC]]}}
|notes=Exit 197 (I-64)
}}
{{VAint
|location=Highland Springs
|mile=44.66
|road={{Jct|state=VA|SR|33|name1=East Nine Mile Road}}
|notes=Exit 193 (I-64)
}}
{{VAint
|location=none
|mile=46.52
|road={{Jct|state=VA|I|295|to2=to|I|64|I|95|dir3=north|city1=Charlottesville|location2=[[Washington, DC|Washington]]|city3=Norfolk|location4=[[Rocky Mount, NC]]}}
|notes=Exit 31 (I-295)
}}
{{VAint
|county=Hanover
|cspan=2
|location=Mechanicsville
|lspan=2
|type=incomplete
|mile=57.26
|road={{Jct|state=VA|US|360|to2=to|I|295|city1=Richmond|city2=Tappahannock}}
|notes=Diamond interchange; no direct access from westbound US 360 to SR 156
}}
{{VAint
|mile=57.38
|road={{Jct|state=VA|US-Bus|360|dab1=Mechanicsville|name1=[[Mechanicsville Turnpike]]|Sec|638|county2=Hanover|name2=Atlee Road}}
|notes=Northern terminus
}}
{{Jctbtm|keys=concur,incomplete}}

==Bannered route==

===Hopewell business route===
{{Infobox road small
|state=VA
|type=SR-Bus
|route=156
|location=[[Hopewell, Virginia|Hopewell]]
|formed=
|length_mi=8.10
|length_round=2
|length_ref=<ref name="VDOT Traffic Data"/>
}}

[[File:2017-07-13 18 08 30 View north along Virginia State Route 156 Business (Prince George Drive) at Virginia State Route 109 (Courthouse Road) in Prince George, Prince George County, Virginia.jpg|thumb|left|View north along SR 156 Bus. at SR 109 in Prince George]]
Virginia State Route 156 Business (SR 156 Business) is a business route of SR 156 through the [[independent city]] of Hopewell. The highway runs {{convert|8.10|mi|km}} from SR 156 and SR 106 in Prince George north to SR 156, SR 10, and SR 106 near Jordan Point. SR 156 Business begins as Prince George Drive, which heads northwest as a two-lane undivided road from the SR 156&ndash;SR 106 junction and enters the city of Hopewell by crossing Bailey Creek. The highway enters the city as Arlington Road, which immediately expands to four lanes. When Arlington Road splits to the north, SR 156 Business continues on High Street to [[Virginia State Route 36|SR 36]] (Winston Churchill Drive). The business route turns northeast onto the four-lane divided highway and runs concurrently with SR 36 until that highway turns onto Arlington Road to head toward downtown Hopewell. SR 156 Business intersects several rail spurs as the highway enters an industrial area. Within the industrial area, the business route intersects SR 10 (Randolph Road). SR 156 Business and SR 10 run concurrently east out of the industrial area. The highways leave the city of Hopewell by crossing Bailey Creek again before the business route reaches its northern terminus at the intersection between SR 156, SR 10, and SR 106.<ref name="VDOT Traffic Data"/><ref name="Google Maps VA 156 Bus"/>
{{Clear}}

==References==
{{reflist|refs=

<ref name="VDOT Traffic Data">{{cite web|url=http://www.virginiadot.org/info/2010_traffic_data_by_jurisdiction.asp|title=2010 Traffic Data|publisher=Virginia Department of Transportation|year=2010|access-date=2011-11-15}}
*[http://www.virginiadot.org/info/resources/2010/AADT_074_PrinceGeorge_2010.pdf Prince George County and City of Hopewell] (PDF)
*[http://www.virginiadot.org/info/resources/2010/AADT_018_CharlesCity_2010.pdf Charles City County] (PDF)
*[http://www.virginiadot.org/info/resources/2010/AADT_043_Henrico_2010.pdf Henrico County] (PDF)
*[http://www.virginiadot.org/info/resources/2010/AADT_042_Hanover_2010.pdf Hanover County] (PDF)
</ref>

<ref name="Google Maps VA 156">{{google maps|url=https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=US-301+N%2FS+Crater+Rd&daddr=VA-106+S%2FVA-156+S%2FJordan+Point+Rd+to:VA-156+S%2FElko+Rd+to:US-60+W%2FVA-156+N%2FW+Williamsburg+Rd+to:VA-156+S%2FCold+Harbor+Rd+to:Cold+Harbor+Rd+to:Cold+Harbor+Rd+to:Cold+Harbor+Rd&hl=en&sll=37.601907,-77.367289&sspn=0.013226,0.01929&geocode=FYLNNQIdyKFj-w%3BFbxYOQIdoqxl-w%3BFTYKPAIdZrpl-w%3BFQaOPAIdpClk-w%3BFWaRPQIdGPFk-w%3BFdG-PQIdFgNk-w%3BFS61PQIdvpxj-w%3BFbLKPQIdlmVj-w&vpsrc=0&mra=ls&t=h&z=10|title=Virginia State Route 156|access-date=2011-11-15}}</ref>

<ref name="Google Maps VA 156 Bus">{{google maps|url=https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=VA-106+S%2FCourthouse+Rd&daddr=Winston+Churchill+Dr+to:VA-106+N%2FVA-156+Bypass+N%2FRuffin+Rd&hl=en&sll=37.26577,-77.26903&sspn=0.106286,0.154324&geocode=FUwkOAIdAgxl-w%3BFQcOOQIdW7Bk-w%3BFajqOAIdaG5l-w&vpsrc=0&mra=ls&t=h&z=13|title=Virginia State Route 156 Business|access-date=2011-11-15}}</ref>

}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Virginia State Route 156}}
{{Attached KML|display=title,inline}}
*[http://www.vahighways.com/route-log/va141-160.htm#va156 Virginia Highways Project: VA 156]

{{s-start}}
{{VA 1928-1933 3D|4|413|415}}
{{s-end}}

[[Category:State highways in Virginia|156]]
[[Category:Transportation in Prince George County, Virginia|State Route 156]]
[[Category:Transportation in Hopewell, Virginia|State Route 156]]
[[Category:Transportation in Charles City County, Virginia|State Route 156]]
[[Category:Transportation in Henrico County, Virginia|State Route 156]]
[[Category:Transportation in Hanover County, Virginia|State Route 156]]