Interstate 664 Virginia

Overview

Interstate 664 in Virginia is a western bypass and alternate route for the Virginia Tidewater and the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. I-664 begins with a northerly orientation toward the James River from Bowers Hill in Chesapeake, where the east end of I-64 and west end of I-264 converge. North from Suffolk and Portsmouth, I-664 crosses the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge Tunnel before entering Newport News and Hampton, where it reunites with I-64.

Interstate 664 utilizes sequential based exit numbers. The route represents the western half of the Hampton Roads Beltway system; the eastern half is Interstate 64. Signs and trailblazers are posted on the beltway using inner and outer directions.

History

Planning for Interstate 664 began in 1968 (Burrows, 1992a) and the first contract for work on the route was awarded in 1971 (Potter, 1986). The location and design of the bridge-tunnel linking Newport News and Suffolk was approved in 1973, with initial construction starting in 1978 (Burrows, 1992a). The first segment of Interstate 664 was completed from I-64 south to Powhatan Parkway in Hampton on June 25, 1981. This entailed upgrading the previously built Newport News Connector (SR 134). The freeway was further extended another 2.6 miles southwest to Roanoke Avenue in Newport News by December 1983 (Kozel, 2004).

Dredging in Thimble Shoal Channel started on February 18, 1986 for the fill material needed to create the islands for the I-664 bridge-tunnel. 2.25 million cubic yards of material was needed (Richmond Times-Dispatch, 1986a). Virginia was awarded $149.7 million in federal highway funds in May 1986 to complete the bridge tunnel system along I-664. The $637 million overall cost for I-664 included $140 million for access roads at Newport News and $100 million for the interchange at Bowers Hill with Interstate 64 (Richmond Times-Dispatch, 1986b). The $126.25 million contract awarded on August 21, 1986 for the pair of 4,732 foot long tunnels on I-664 was the most expensive single construction contract awarded to date in the state of Virginia (Potter, 1986).

A ribbon cutting ceremony held on September 16, 1987 formally opened a 1.5 mile long section of Interstate 664 between 34th Street at Downtown Newport News and Chestnut Avenue (Exit 4) to the north (Young, 1987). This section was extended southward to 23rd and 26th Streets by January 1988 (Richmond Times-Dispatch, 1987). Work on the tunnel system continued to March 31, 1988, when the first of 15 tunnel segments were sunk into place (Richmond Times-Dispatch, 1988). The last of the tubes was laid into place on June 27, 1989 (Wilford, 1989). The steel tube segments are 80 feet wide and 40 feet deep (Richmond Times-Dispatch, 1988).

The 3.1 mile elevated roadway linking the tunnel south entrance with Suffolk was completed by August 1990 (Richmond Times-Dispatch, 1990). State officials announced on June 4, 1991 that the December 31, 1991 completion date could not be met and instead the opening was postponed to April 1992. Delays included an underestimate for the amount of steel needed for the two ventilation buildings and local opposition regarding the dredging site for the two islands at the bridge-tunnel (Suo, 1991).

The tunnel system was officially named the Monitor Merrimack Memorial Bridge Tunnel in September 1991 by the Virginia Transportation Board. 1,800 area residents signed a petition to name the crossing after the March 9, 1862 battle between the Union and Confederate ironclads. The two vessels engaged one another about a mile from the crossing (Burrows, 1991).

A seven mile section of Interstate 664, from Chesapeake north to SR 135 (Exit 8) in Suffolk, opened to traffic following a ribbon cutting ceremony held on January 17, 1992. The freeway cost $139 million (Richmond Times-Dispatch, 1992). This section tied into the bridge-tunnel complex when it opened to traffic at 12:01 AM on April 30, 1992. A formal dedication of the Monitor Merrimack Memorial Bridge Tunnel was held the previous day and led by Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, completing the $400 million crossing (Taylor, 1992) (Burrows, 1992b). Interstate 664 was not approved by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Special Committee on Route Numbering until June 13, 1992.

North End  ‐ Newport News, VA

North at

Interstate 664 advances northeast one mile from the diamond interchange (Exit 2) with Powhatan Parkway to Exits 1 A/B for I-64. 10/12/14

East at

The first sign for Interstate 664 appears within the exchange joining I-64 east with U.S. 258 (Mercury Boulevard). I-664 is the recommended route for vacationers destined to the North Carolina Outer Banks via the Chesapeake Expressway (SR 168) south. 07/29/25

West at

I-64 runs west alongside Newmarket Creek from the exchange with SR 134 (Armistead Avenue) and LaSalle Avenue to Interstate 664 south. 07/28/25

North End – Past Views

Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)

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Posted a half mile south of Interstate 64, this set of signs was replaced in kind by 2011. 03/01

South End  ‐ Chesapeake, VA

South at

Interstate 264 runs northeasterly from the south end of I-664 to Portsmouth and the tolled Downtown Tunnel into Norfolk. 07/29/25

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Interstate 64 / Hampton Roads Beltway inner loop curves northward into the exchange with I-264 east to Norfolk and I-664 north to Hampton. 07/29/25

West at

Interstate 264 ends 1.5 miles west of Greenwood Drive at I-64/664 in Chesapeake. 12/14/17

South End – Past Views

Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)

South at

The first set of signs for Exits 15 A/B to I-64/264 were replaced by 2014 with a diagrammatic overhead. Photo by Will Weaver (09/05/10).

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Previous overheads for Exits 299 A/B on Interstate 64 prior to six lane expansion. 12/14/17