The Richmond Road Meet, Part 2: Into The City

After spending some time visiting the US 360 white-border unisign, we began our journey back east on US 360. Steve replaced Carl in our car.

Here's a video of part of our journey eastbound on US 360. We get an unexpected guest.

We didn't get back on VA 288, instead turning just before it onto South Old Hundred Road to reach VA 76, the Powhite Parkway. Upon turning onto Old Hundred, there was this crosswalk sign with an oddly specific distance.

Getting ready to turn from Old Hundred Road onto Powhite. Old Hundred continues to the left, with a vestigial portion of VA 76 that is clearly marked.

The widening project is being done by Chesterfield County.

VA 76 has one free exit beginning northbound, for VA 288.

VA 76 also has backwards mileposts, starting with 12.2 from Old Hundred. It runs southwest-northeast, so no matter how it would be signed (it's north-south, but Will and I have seen a couple of West-bannered shield southbound over the years) it would be backwards.

At the first toll plaza. It's called the Powhite Parkway Extension because its original south end was at VA 150 and was extended southwest.

White-on-purple, yellow-on-green, black-on-orange, and Clearview. Truly atrocious.

This somewhat unnecessary Toll banner on the VA 76 reassurance shield is just past the toll plaza, so if you see it, you've already paid a toll. There's also a Toll banner on a reassurance shield before VA 288.

ECPI has changed its description a couple times over the years, so greenouts have been necessary.

See? Backwards.

Approaching our exit, Chesterfield secondary route 686, Jahnke Road (the H is silent, so it's pronounced like "Jake" with an N).

Upon departing Powhite, we see this 686 shield with Series B numerals. Might this sign have been made elsewhere in District 4?

VA 150 (Chippenham Parkway) isn't far away; they actually have an interchange nearby.

A bunch of formerly bridge-mounted signs were moved to the ground after one fell.

Behind the VA 150 trailblazer is an old Richmond city limits sign.

To reach the next site of interest, the last RMA (Richmond Metropolitan Authority, which maintains VA 76 in Richmond, VA 146, and VA 195) cutout shield, we headed north on Chippenham, and turned around at the Forest Hill Avenue exit. We stopped briefly to get snacks, then photographed the cutout, which is just past the exit southbound.

We got back on Powhite, where the mileposts now had shields. There's another toll plaza marked in negative contrast Clearview.

Crossing the James.

VA 76 gets ready to approach the 195 twins. It itself is the route to the free I-195, while VA 146 takes you to the tolled VA 195.

VA 146 has two Begin shields right at the split with VA 76.

VA 146 becomes VA 195 at some unmarked point.

The indecipherable shield in this photo is for VA 161. It looked like an oversized version of the infamous Richmond unisigns.

VA 195, now also with mileposts, is the Downtown Expressway.

These overheads look to be second generation signage (probably 1990s), but the unusual 70 cent toll patch is less than 10 years old. The Begin banner on the VA 195 shield in the background is erroneous.

Past here, Doug called me looking for the parking garage I had noted on the itinerary, so I wasn't able to get any photos before we got out. In the next installment, we'll check out some cool sites downtown.