State Route 71 (SR 71) is a primary state highway in the southwest part of the U.S. state of Virginia. It runs from Gate City northeast to Lebanon, mostly through river valleys. Despite running more east–west than north–south, it is signed north–south; it parallels the similarly-oriented U.S. Route 11 and Interstate 81.

State Route 71 marker
State Route 71
Route information
Maintained by VDOT
Length35.82 mi[1][2] (57.65 km)
ExistedJuly 1, 1933[3]–present
Tourist
routes
Virginia Byway
Major junctions
South end


US 23 Bus. / US 58 Bus. / US 421 Bus. in Gate City
Major intersections
US 58 Alt. at Dickensonville
North end
US 19 Bus. in Lebanon
Location
CountryUnited States
StateVirginia
CountiesScott, Russell
Highway system
SR 70 SR 72

Route description

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View north along SR 71 at US 58 Alt. in Dickensonville

SR 71 begins in Gate City, Scott County where U.S. Routes 23/58/421 Business leaves Jackson Street to head southeast through Moccasin Gap. It runs in a general east-northeasterly direction, soon joining Big Moccasin Creek. The road and creek run through the Moccasin Valley past Slabtown (where SR 72 begins) to Snowflake, where SR 71 leaves the creek to cross Moccasin Ridge. SR 71 leaves the ridge at Dorton Fort and enters the valley formed by Copper Creek, running past Nickelsville.[4]

SR 71 continues in Russell County in a general east-northeasterly direction past Grassy Creek to U.S. Route 58 Alternate at Parsonage. The routes overlap to Dickensonville, where SR 71 splits, continuing to follow Copper Creek to near its source, passing over a small summit, and then following small creeks to its end at US 19 Bus. in Lebanon.[4]

History

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Most of present SR 71, from SR 11 (now US 58 Alt.) at Parsonage southwest to about five miles (8.0 km) from Gate City, was added to the state highway system in 1928 as SR 107;[5] the final five miles (8.0 km) were added the next year.[6] In the 1933 renumbering, SR 107 was renumbered SR 71 and extended east from Parsonage along former SR 11 (renumbered SR 64 then) to Dickensonville, replacing the former SR 110 from there to US 19 at Hansonville.[7] As part of the 1940 renumbering, which coordinated numbers with adjacent states, SR 64 and SR 71 were swapped east of Dickensonville, giving SR 71 its present terminus at Lebanon.[8]

Major intersections

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CountyLocationmi[9]kmDestinationsNotes
ScottGate City0.000.00 
 
 
 
 
 
US 23 Bus. / US 58 Bus. / US 421 Bus. (West Jackson Street / Kane Street)
Southern terminus
 
 
SR 72 north (Veterans Memorial Highway)
Southern terminus of SR 72
  SR 613 (Big Moccasin Road)to former SR 74 east
  
 
SR 774 (Long Hollow Road) to SR 65 – Dungannon
former SR 72 north
RussellParsonage25.6141.22 
 
 
US 58 Alt. west – St. Paul, Norton
Southern end of US 58 Alt. concurrency
Dickensonville27.0743.56 
 
 
US 58 Alt. east – Hansonville, Abingdon
Northern end of US 58 Alt. concurrency
Lebanon35.8257.65 
 
US 19 Bus. (Main Street) – Bluefield, Abingdon, Bristol
Northern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

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  1. ^ "2005 Virginia Department of Transportation Jurisdiction Report - Daily Traffic Volume Estimates - Scott County" (PDF). (269 KB)
  2. ^ "2005 Virginia Department of Transportation Jurisdiction Report - Daily Traffic Volume Estimates - Russell County" (PDF). (233 KB)
  3. ^ "New Numbers of Va. Highways Effective July 1". The Richmond Times-Dispatch. May 10, 1933. p. 5. Retrieved January 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ a b "Virginia State Route 71" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved August 5, 2014.
  5. ^ State Highway Commission of Virginia (August 9–10, 1928). "Minutes of Meeting" (PDF) (Report). Richmond: Commonwealth of Virginia. p. 12.
  6. ^ State Highway Commission of Virginia (August 15, 1929). "Minutes of Meeting" (PDF) (Report). Richmond: Commonwealth of Virginia. p. 15.
  7. ^ Virginia Highways Project: VA 71[unreliable source]
  8. ^ State Highway Commission of Virginia (October 10, 1940). "Minutes of Meeting" (PDF) (Report). Richmond: Commonwealth of Virginia. p. 12.
  9. ^ "VDOT Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)" (Shapefile). Virginia Department of Transportation. 2012. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
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KML is from Wikidata

Virginia Highways Project: VA 71

SR 106 District 1 State Routes
1928–1933
SR 108 >