Interstate 564


Interstate 564 is an Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. Known as Admiral Taussig Boulevard, after U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Edward D. Taussig, the Interstate runs from Virginia State Route 337 east to I-64 within the city of Norfolk. I-564 is the primary access highway to Naval Station Norfolk, the world's largest naval base. The Interstate also links I-64 with Norfolk International Terminal via SR 406 and the Wards Corner area of Norfolk through connections with U.S. Route 460 and SR 165.

Route description

I-564 begins within the reservation of Naval Station Norfolk where Admiral Taussig Boulevard becomes a four-lane freeway; this point is also the eastern terminus of SR 337. The boulevard continues west as a four-lane divided highway to its intersection with Hampton Boulevard at naval station gates 1 and 2, where SR 337 turns south onto Hampton Boulevard toward downtown Norfolk. I-564 curves southeast through a trumpet interchange with the access road to gates 3 and 3A. The ramps to and from the interchange join the Interstate to form a six-lane freeway. I-564 descends into a tunnel to pass under the east-west runway of Chambers Field, a naval air station that has been consolidated with the larger naval base.
East of the tunnel, I-564 heads southeast parallel to a rail line between the naval air station to the north and Camp Allen, a United States Marine Corps base, to the south. The Interstate has a partial interchange with SR 406 that allows access to the highway to Norfolk International Terminal to and from the east. Within the interchange, eastbound I-564 has an exit for westbound I-64 and US 460. As I-564 crosses over US 460, the eastbound freeway has a left exit to and the westbound Interstate has a left entrance from I-64's reversible HOV lanes. Eastbound I-564 has an exit for SR 165, which leads to SR 170, before the four-lane freeway merges into I-64 in the direction of Virginia Beach.

History

Interstate 564 replaced former SR 170, which linked Norfolk to northeastern North Carolina via North Carolina Highway 170. West of I-564, original SR 170 crossed a ferry to Hampton Roads, where it headed west along current I-64 to SR 30 northwest of Williamsburg.

Future

Long range plans may extend I-564 westward to Hampton/Newport News via a new bridge-tunnel. Traffic demands are increasing on Interstates 64 and 664. These are the only two connections between the eastern Tidewater cities with those to the northwest. The metropolitan area sees over 1.5 million people. Therefore extending I-564 would provide needed relief if the present bridges if they are not expanded from their current capacity.

Exit list

All exits are unnumbered.