Hurricane Evacuation Guide
Interstate 64 Reversal
When Might Virginia Reverse the Direction of Traffic on I-64?
Cities and counties issue standard evacuations for their areas. A standard evacuation issued by a city or county does not reverse traffic direction on Interstate 64. Only the governor can issue a lane reversal.
In addition to hurricanes, I-64 might be reversed for other emergencies at the discretion of the governor.
The I-64 reversal plan begins just east of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel at mile marker 273 and ends at the I-295 interchange in Richmond at mile marker 200.
No traffic will be allowed to travel east on the interstate.
All I-64 East lanes and ramps between Norfolk and Richmond will be closed to eastbound traffic, from just east of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel to I-295 east of Richmond.
The entrance to the reversed lanes on I-64 is in Norfolk, just east of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, at mile marker 273.
Motorists will continue traveling on the eastbound lanes until they exit I-64 or until they reach I-295 east of Richmond.
All traffic entering I-64 west of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel will travel in the westbound lanes.
There will be only two possible exits for traffic traveling on the reversed lanes between Norfolk and I-295:
- Exit 234 in Williamsburg (Route 199) for gas, food, lodging and hospital
- Exit 205 in Bottoms Bridge for gas and food
Without exiting, motorists can access a comfort station on I-64 near Jefferson Avenue (mile marker 255) and the safety rest areas in New Kent County.
Motorists exiting the reversed lanes at Exit 234 or Exit 205 cannot re-enter the reversed lanes. Once motorists exit the reversed lanes, they can re-enter I-64 using the normal I-64 westbound ramps.
All traffic traveling in the westbound lanes of I-64 can exit and enter the interstate as they normally would, though some entrance and exit ramps could be closed for traffic control.
- Motorists on I-64 West lanes must exit and use Interstate 295 North or South.
- Motorists on I-64 reversed lanes will cross over to I-64 West lanes and continue to the Interstate 95 interchanges.
- All eastbound traffic must exit.
- See map for more information.
During an evacuation on I-64 between Hampton Roads and Richmond, emergency plans call for:
- VDOT Safety Service Patrols to provide basic motorist assistance on the road or at the rest areas and comfort station
- Wreckers to be on standby along I-64 to move disabled cars and trucks out of travel lanes
- Vans to shuttle motorists whose vehicles become disabled to shelter locations
- Drinking water to be available at the New Kent safety rest areas, at the Jefferson Avenue comfort station (mile marker 255) and at the Suffolk weigh station on Route 58
For information about how to prepare for all types of emergencies, visit ReadyVirginia.gov.
