VA 43 truncated north of BRP 1940 Botetourt County

VA 43 truncated south of BRP Note current 43 meets SR 614 to the west of SR 784 (old 43) 1943 Bedford County

In April 1944 (CTB), VA 43 was added to SR 714 between VA 24 and the Campbell County line.
In May 1945 (CTB), VA 43 north was truncated to US 220 (now SR 870) Eagle Rock, leaving behind SR 615 to Strom.
In May 1946 (CTB), VA 43 was added back to Botetourt SR 695 (3.10 miles) and to Bedford SR 764 (2.30 miles) in the Blue Ridge Parkway area. This made a direct connection at both BRP splits.

VA 43 in two pieces 1933 Official

Both VA 43 gaps filled 1946 Official

In March 1952 (CTB), VA 43's approach to US 29 Altavista was moved from 9th and Broad Sts to just Bedford Ave all the way.

VA 43 using 9th and Broad Sts. 1936 Campbell County

VA 43 using only Bedford Hwy 1958 Campbell County

In May 1954 (CTB), VA 43 was removed from the SR 643 loop at Peaksville.
In April 1965 (CTB), VA 43 was removed from the SR 712 loop west of Lynch Station.
Between 1970 and 2000, VA 43 was placed on split routing below Main St in Bedford - NB using Otey St and SB using South St
In Feb 1975 (CTB), VA 43 was removed from a piece of SR 649 northwest of Buchanan.
In 1979, VA 43 north was extended over what was US 220 to its current endpoint.
Improvements:  Upon designation VA 43 was paved from Altavista to Leesville; a few miles centered around Bedford; Buchanan to SR 619; a mile into Eagle Rock
In 1939, VA 43 was paved from Bedford south to VA 24.
In 1941, VA 43 was paved from Eagle Rock south about 8 miles.
In 1944, VA 43 was paved on its addition from VA 24 to Campbell County.
In 1948, VA 43 was paved from Bedford to Buchanan.
In 1950, VA 43 was fully paved when the last piece north of Botetourt SR 619 was paved.
There are no multilane segments on VA 43.
Posted:  Fully posted; last known cutouts were removed from Bedford in early 1990s
There are odd 043 rectangle shields in Eagle Rock at varios SR intersections.
Multiplexes:  VA 24 (2.58 mi)
US 460 Bus (0.15 mi)
US 221 Bus, VA 122 Bus (0.27 mi)
US 11 (0.18 mi)
Legislative names:  None
Other names:  Bedford Hwy (Altavista/Campbell Co); Dearing Ford Rd (Bedford Co s of SR 626); Leesville Rd (SR 626 to VA 24); Glenwood Dr (VA 24 duplex); Virginia Byway (VA 24 to Bedford City); South St/Talbot St/Main St/Bridge St/Peaks St (Bedford City); Peaks Rd (Bedford to BRP); Parkway Dr (BRP to Buchanan); Main St/First St (Buchanan); Narrow Passage Rd (Buchanan to Eagle Rock); Second St/Branch Rd/Church St (Eagle Rock)
Scenic Byway:  Eagle Rock to Blue Ridge Pkwy (since 5/17/90); Altavista to Blue Ridge Pkwy (since 12/17/92)
Comment: VA 43 is a difficult drive from Leesville to near VA 24 - in fact there are signs telling drivers to use SR 628 to reach destinations instead of VA 43. In southern Bedford County it is more like a secondary road. From the BRP to Eagle Rock VA 43 is not exactly a speedway either.
So. Is VA 43 duplexed with the Blue Ridge Pkwy? The answer is no. THere are signs on VA 43 in both directions indicating to follow parkway to VA 43. However, the traffic logs show the BRP as only VA 48 and not bothe VA 43 and VA 48. Coming from Bedford, it appears that VA 43 turns into a spur of the Blue Ridge Pkwy about 3/4 mile short of the mainline parkway (there is a begin scenic byway sign and reassurance shield well off the parkway). A couple side roads to NPS areas show signage as if it were the mainline BRP. However, at SR 618 literally at the parkway has a rectangle 43 sign indicating the road is VA 43 all the way to the parkway. Plus the mileages add up as if there are no gaps near the Parkway.
VA 43 is blown off by I-81.
The 1939 VDOT report on primary system development had recommended that VA 43 be decommissioned from Alta Vista to Bedford and also from Buchanan to Eagle Rock.

VA 43 in two pieces 1929 Official

VA 43 connected 1931 Official

VA 43-Y: Appeared in 1979 as a renumbering of US 220, connecting the new alignment of US 220 to VA 43 in Eagle Rock.
About 1998, VA 43-Y was downgraded to SR 870 when the James River bridge was rebuilt.
VA 43-Y was on official maps from 1984-96.
I did not get by here while it existed but my hunch is that it was posted.

VA 43-Y in Eagle Rock 1995 Botetourt County

VA 43-Y shown on official maps 1986 Official