Richmond-Petersburg Tpk construction at north end of James River Bridge fairfaxunderground.com

I-95 north leaving Maury St postcard

Note that not all of VA 350 was immediately changed to I-95 right away. The 1959 Official Map is the first to label anything (Richmond-Petersburg Tpk) as I-95. Note that there are numerous CTB references to I-95 from Woodbridge south to North Carolina as being VA 401.
Adjustments: Many of the following completion dates come from Scott Kozel's website.

Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike 1959 Official

I-95 lableled only on the Richmond Inset 1959 Official

In Sep 1959, I-95 opened between the two US 301 exits surrounding Emporia.
In Oct 1961, I-95 opened from VA 35 north to the next US 301 exit.
In Oct 1962, I-95 opened from I-85 south to US 301 to connect with the Oct 1961 segment.
In Feb 1963, I-95 opened from US 301/VA 2 north to VA 54 Ashland.
In June 1963, I-95 opened from South Emporia to the North Carolina border

I-95 open around Emporia 1961 Official

I-95 open from VA 35 to US 301 1961 Official

I-95 open from VA 35 to US 301 1963 Official

I-95 open from US 301/VA 2 to VA 54 1963 Official

I-95 open from Emporia to NC Line 1963 Official

In early 1964, I-95 was opened from VA 54 Ashland to US 1 Massaponax and from VA 234 Dumfries to US 1 Woodbridge. In Dec 1964, I-95 was opened from US 1 Massaponax to VA 234 Dumfries In Dec 1964 (CTB), VA 350 from VA 7 north to US 1 was renumbered as part of I-95. I didn't find any other explicit references renumbering 350 as I-95 (north of I-495 is now I-395). The last official map to show VA 350 was the 1965 issue. VA 350 on Shirley Hwy 1965 Official I-95 on Shirley Hwy 1966 Official In Oct 1975 (CTB), I-95 was rerouted to follow the Capital Beltway east from Springfield to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge over the Potomac River at Alexandria, replacing part of I-495 (since reinstated on this part of the Beltway). The original routing through Arlington to downtown DC became I-395.

I-95 open Ashland to Woodbridge 1965 Official

I-95 straight to downtown DC 1975 Official

I-95 moved onto the Beltway 1977 Official

In May 1977 (CTB), the portion of I-95 on the Richmond-Petersburg tpk was placed into the primary system. Operational authority for the Turnpike was transferred to VDOT in June 1973.
In June 1980, I-95 was opened from VA 35 south to SR 631 Jarrett. Much of the SB lanes were built on top of the US 301 NB lanes.
In mid-1982, I-95 was opened from SR 631 south one exit to US 301.
In Sept 1982, I-95 was finally finished in Virginia when it opened from the north end of the Emporia Bypass to US 301 south of Jarrett.

I-95 open VA 35 to Jarratt 1981 Official

I-95 finally finished 1982 Official

Improvements:  Upon designation (per 1959 topo), I-95 was 6-laned from Maury St north to VA 161 Hermitage Rd. Also, I-95 was 6-laned on its VA 350 addition from VA 27 north to DC.
The 1963 extension north had I-95 6-laned from Maury St all the way to VA 54.
The mid-60s openings from SR 619 Triangle and SR 634 (now SR 784) Dale City were 6-laned. The 1968 Topo shows I-95 as just 4-laned from Dale City across the Occoquan River.
In 1969, per Scott Kozel's detailed article, a reversible busway was opened from Springfield to DC. Some of this was just one lane.

I-95 construction approaching the Pentagon fairfaxunderground.com

I-95 with the one-lane busway maintained during construction The white border shield is VA 120. fairfaxunderground.com

The 1971 Topo shows I-95 as 6-laned from Dale City north to at least the Beltway. By the time I-95 was removed from inside the Beltway, it was 6-laned to VA 236 and 8-laned north of that.
In Dec 1973 (Kozel), the busway was converted to an HOV-4 (!) facility.
Between 1974-78 (Kozel), I-95 was 6-laned from Maury St south to I-85 Petersburg.
In 1977 (Kozel), I-95 was widened to 8 lanes on the Beltway from I-395/495 to US 1 Alexandria.
In 1980-81, I-95 was widened to 6 lanes from VA 54 Ashland to SR 619 Triangle.
In Oct 1988 (CTB), the HOV lane requirements dropped from 4 persons to 3.
Between 1988-94, I-95 was 6-laned from Maury St south to I-85 Petersburg.
In Nov 1994 (Kozel), the reversible HOV lanes were extended to just south of Newington.
In June 1995 (Kozel), the reversible HOV lanes were extended to the Occoquan River.
In Jan 1996 (Kozel), the reversible HOV lanes were extended to the SR 2000 Opitz Blvd area in Dale City.
In 1996, I-95 was widened to 8 lanes from the Beltway south to about today's VA 286 Newington.
In June 1997 (Kozel), the reversible HOV lanes were extended to Quantico Creek south of VA 234 Dumfries.
In Dec 2008, I-95 was widened to 10 lanes from west of VA 241 to across the Potomac River, by introducing a separated 2-lane roadway in each direction that serves as "Thru" lanes, while 3 "Local" lanes to the outside also exist. All lanes are able to be used for through traffic - the EB Thru lanes have no exits in Virginia but can be accessed from US 1 and from Eisenhower Ave (via Mill Rd) and the WB Thru lanes have an exit for Eisenhower Ave via Mill Rd and can be accessed from US 1. Froggie has some photos of this area at this link.
In June 2011, I-95 was widened to 8 lanes from VA 123 Woodbridge to VA 286.
On Dec 15, 2014, a reversible roadway extension south to near SR 610 Garrisonville was opened. The existing HOV lanes were widened to 3 lanes from VA 294 Dale City north to just past SR 648 Edsall Rd.
On Dec 29, 2014, the HOV lanes were converted to HOoT (High Occupancy or Toll) lanes, whereby HOV-3 with an EZ-Pass Flex could still use the lanes for free and non-HOV qualifiers could use the lanes and pay a toll via EZ-Pass. Toll rates are done via congestion pricing over several segments.
On Oct 31, 2017, the HOoT lanes were extended south 2 miles to the south side of Exit 143 SR 610 in Garrisonville.
In Dec 2021, I-95 SB was reconfigured into local and free express lanes from north of Exit 133 (US 17-17 Bus) to south of Exit 130 (VA 3)
In August 2023, the HOoT lanes were extended south another 10 miles to tie into the local/express lanes set up at Fredericksburg.
With the improvements from Fredericksburg northward, interchanges have been rebuilt: US 17; SR 630; VA 234; VA 123; SR 644; I-395/495
New Exits Added: I-295 north of Richmond (1980)
Wagner Rd - now US 460 (1989)
Ivey Ave Colonial Heights (1989)
VA 288 Chesterfield (1989)
I-295 south of Petersburg (1992)
Eisenhower Connector Alexandria (1998)
SR 656 Hanover County (2004) - interchange at today's SR 835 very nearby was removed
SR 8900 Stafford County (2005)
VDOT has expressed interest in adding interchanges with VA 208 and VA 289.
Posted:  Fully posted; A fair number of state-named shields remain, mostly in the Fredericksburg area. The last state-named shield on I-95 itself was SB after VA 40 and was removed (GMSV) between May 2012 and Aug 2013.
Multiplexes:  US 460 (2.82 mi)
I-64 (3.29 mi)
US 17 (7.24 mi)
I-495 (7.63 mi)
Legislative names:  Purple Heart Trail, entire route (since 3-8-96); Henry G. Shirley Memorial Hwy, Exit 161 to Beltway (3-20-42 designation predates I-95); Capital Beltway, I-395 to DC Line (4-21-60 designation predates I-95)
Jose M Cavazos Memroial Bridge (SR 784 overpass Dale City), since 9-18-97; Purple Heart Bridge over Occoquan River, since 3-7-91; Veterans of Foreign Wars Bridge (VA 289 overpass), since 3-19-93
Other names:  None
Scenic Byway:  No segments
HOoT Lane Exits:

Northbound: Entrance from 95 - within Exit 133, US 17-17 Bus Falmouth Entrance from US 17 Bus Falmouth [under construction] Entrance from SR 630 Stafford CH Entrance from 95 - just south of Exit 143, SR 610 Garrisonville Entrance from 95 - north of Exit 143, SR 610 Garrisonville Exit to 95 - just south of Exit 148, Quantico MCB [under construction] Entrance from 95 - just south of Exit 152, VA 234 Dumfries Entrance from 95 - just south of SR 610 overpass Dale City Exit to SR 2000 Dale City [under construction] Entrance from SRs 784/2000 Dale city Exit to 95 - just south of VA 294 Dale City Entrance from VA 294 Dale City Entrance from VA 123 Woodbridge Entrance from US 1 Woodbridge Entrance from 95 - just south of VA 286 Newington Entrance from VA 286 Newington Exit to Boudinot Dr/VA 286 Newington Exit to 95 - just north of VA 286 Newington Entrance and Exit from VA 289 Springfield Entrance from 95 - just south of SR 644 Springfield Entrance and Exit from I-95/495 Springfield

Southbound: Entrance and Exit from I-95/495 Exit to SR 644 WEST Springfield Exit to 95 - at SR 644 Springfield Entrance and Exit from VA 289 Springfield Entrance from 95 - at Exit 167 Entrance from Heller Rd Newington Entrance from VA 286 Newington Exit to US 1 SOUTH Woodbridge Entrance from 95 - at Exit 161 Woodbridge Exit to VA 123 Woodbridge Exit to VA 294 Dale City Exit to 95 - just south of VA 294 Dale City Entrance from 95 - just south of SR 784 Dale Blvd Exit to 95 - just south of SR 610 overpass Dale city Exit to 95 - just north of SR 619 Triangle Entrance from 95 - south of Exit 148 Quantico MCB [under construction] Exit to 95 - just north of SR 610 Garrisonville Exit to 95 - just south of SR 610 Garrisonville Exit to SR 630 Stafford CH Exit to 95 Local lanes for Exit 133 US 17-17 Bus Falmouth and Exit 130 VA 3 Fredericksburg Exit to 95 Express lanes at Exit 133

Comments: When the I-295 Richmond Beltway was redesigned to also bypass Petersburg in the mid 1970s, the plan also included building an interstate freeway west from the current south end of I-295 to I-85. Then I-85 would be re-routed onto this new freeway segment. Current I-85 north to Petersburg would have become I-385. I-295 would become I-95 and the original I-95 north to Petersburg would become I-795. I-385 and I-795 would have ended at the same interchange while the Richmond-Petersburg Tpk became a state route up to I-64 in Richmond. Although project numbers for I-295's completion heading southward all referenced I-95, when the new freeway reached I-95 it was continued to be signed as I-295. Virginia never did build the freeway segment west back to I-85 and I have not seen any maps showing I-85 on dotted lines.
I-95 is one of the busiest roads in America and could use more widening north of Richmond.
I-95 blows off the following primary routes in its travels: US 60, VA 33, VA 197, VA 208, VA 289 (on mainline 95), VA 400
I-95 is featured on the cover of the 1959 Official (interchange with US 58), the 1965 Official (NC State Line), and also the 1966 Official in Stafford County
The tolls of the Richmond-Petersburg Tpk were removed in 1992 when I-295 was completed.
This surely must be true: from 1977 until the exit renumbering in 1992, I-95 in Virginia had to be the only route in the country to use the same exit number three times in one state. You had Exit 2 (US 301 south of Emporia), Exit 2 (I-85) on the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike, and Exit 2 (VA 241) on the Capital Beltway; There was Exit 3 (US 58 Emporia), Exit 3 (Downtown Petersburg) on the Richmond-Petersburg Tpk., and Exit 3 (SR 613 Van Dorn St.) on the Capital Beltway; Finally, there was also Exit 4 (US 301 north of Emporia), Exit 4 (Colonial Heights), and Exit 4 (I-395/495) on the Capital Beltway.
I-95 is erroneoulsly labeled on the 1959 topo to include the part that I-85 occupies. However, there is an Apr 1960 CTB item that also refers to the US 1 Dinwiddie County interchange with the Richmond-Petersburg Tpk as being with "Route 95" - was 95 briefly signed over to US 1?
Originally, the BGSs in the HOV lanes north of SR 644 were black instead of green. These signs made it to the late 1980s at least.