US 311
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Photo: US 311 once used this bridge over the Smith River in Martinsville (photo by Mapmikey 10/26/06)
From:  Westover (Pittsylvania County)
To:  North Carolina State Line (Pittsylvania County)
Total Length: 7.50 miles  
Nationally, US 311 runs from Westover to Randleman, NC
ROUTE LOG
US 58 Bus: 0 - 0
NC STATE LINE: 7.50 - 7.50
 Creation: Appeared in late 1926 as an original US Highway. US 311 was added to VA 33. It ran from North Carolina below Ridgeway north to US 11 in Downtown Roanoke:
US 311 initially began where today's US 220 enters Virginia from North Carolina then veered west using today's SR 686. US 311 used today's US 220 Business through Ridgeway. US 311 used today's SR 902 Mica Rd and US 220 approaching Martinsville. US 311 followed the general path of US 220 Business to the Smith River except it used Wilson Park Ln at the US 58 Bus Jct. US 311 crossed the river just west of the current US 220 Bus SB bridge span. US 311's original Martinsville routing used Bridge St to Starling Ave northeast to Church St west, then one-way splits using Walnut (NB) and Bridge St (SB), then Main St and Jones St before exiting via Fayette St and today's VA 457 and VA 57. US 311 followed VA 57 to modern US 220 and may have used today's SR 993 Reed Creek Rd. US 311 appears to have followed more or less US 220 to the Rocky Mount area except it may have used SRs 755/619 loop. Approaching Rocky Mount, US 311 used US 220 Business except SR 1020 and 1023 loops. It is unclear if US 311 used 220 Business through Rocky Mount or if it veered west through the downtown area...by 1932 the route was today's 220 Business. North of Rocky Mount, US 311 followed SR 919 to Boones Mill. US 311 followed US 220 (aside from a couple abandoned loop alignments) up to the Blue Ridge Pkwy, then used SR 766 Stable Rd and SR 789 Old Rocky Mt Rd. Approaching Roanoke, US 311 used US 220 Business into downtown, ending at US 11 Campbell Ave.
Adjustments: In 1926 or 1927, US 311 was moved to use Avenham Ave, Broadway and McClanahan to Jefferson.
About 1928, US 311 was removed from SR 993, if it indeed ever used it.
In 1928 or 1929, US 311 was taken off Starling Ave in Martinsville and placed on Broad St north, then Church St east. Additionally, the one-way splits were removed, with US 311 utilizing Walnut/Main/Franklin/Fayette.

1927 Official
VA 33 using Starling
1927 Official
1929 Official
VA 33 using Broad
1929 Official


Around 1934, US 311 was rerouted in Roanoke to again use today's US 220 Business.

1925 Auto Trails
US 311 Original Roanoke Routing
1925 Auto Trails
1928 Official
US 311 rerouted in Roanoke
1928 Official
1934 Official
US 311 returned to initial routing
1934 Official


In Sept 1934 (AASHO), US 311 in Virginia was renumbered as US 220.

US 311 (1926 Official)
US 311 appears in Virginia
1926 Official
US 311 (1936 Official)
US 220 replaces US 311
1936 Official

In July 2012 (CTB), US 311 was re-extended into Virginia from Eden, NC as an upgrade to SR 863, to end at US 58 Business in Westover a little west of Danville.

2013 NC Official
US 311 returns to Virginia
2013 NC Official

Improvements:  Upon designation, US 311 was fully paved from Martinsville to Edgewood and from Rocky Mount to Roanoke.
In 1928, US 311 was paved from NC to Martinsville; Sydnorsville to Rocky Mount
Everything that was designated US 311 from 1929 onward has been paved.
There are no multilane segments.
Posted:  Was posted between 2013-15.
Multiplexes: None
Legislative names:  None
Other names:  Berry Hill Rd
Scenic Byway:  No segments
Comments: Original US 311 had a long VA 311 extension that ran (and still does today) from Salem through Craig County to West Virginia. US 311 and VA 311 never actually touched one another, however.
Today's incarnation of US 311 is blown off by mainline US 58, though a direct connection that will connect US 311 to US 58 at its SR 1260 interchange, with US 311 being moved to that connector, is scheduled to open in 2025.
I always thought this would make more sense as a US 360 extension to replace US 311 to Winston-Salem.

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Page last modified 10 March 2022