Located in the northwestern section of the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Planning Area, the Historic Triangle – comprised of James City County, Williamsburg, and York County – not only includes tourist destinations such as Busch Gardens, Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown Settlement and the Yorktown Battlefield but also serves as a gateway for the Hampton Roads region.  I-64 is the most critical gateway to the region in terms of traffic volumes, tourists, and freight movement.  Other major highways, such as US Routes 17 and 60, also provide access to the area through the Historic Triangle.  Amtrak – which provides service to a station in Williamsburg – operates inter-city rail service through the area between Newport News and the Northeast Corridor.  CSX Transportation operates freight rail service on the same corridor, and air passenger service is provided at nearby Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport. Public Transportation is also provided in the Historic Triangle via the Williamsburg Area Transit Authority, with connections to Hampton Roads Transit.

The Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) has recently completed the Historic Triangle Comprehensive Transportation Study.  The purpose of this report is to assist James City County, Williamsburg, and York County officials with the transportation sections of their respective Comprehensive Plan updates.  A Comprehensive Plan is a policy document that provides direction for policy makers to guide growth and development by providing the long-range vision, goals, and strategies of their communities.  Every Virginia locality is required to have a Comprehensive Plan, and all three communities have begun the process of updating their Plans. 

This report is broken down into separate sections for current and future conditions in the Historic Triangle.  Roadway travel and congestion, safety, commuting patterns, rail, active transportation, public transportation, bridges, freight, air service, and sea level rise/storm surge impacts are all examined in this report. 

The Historic Triangle Comprehensive Transportation Study can be accessed by clicking on the following link:

Historic Triangle Comprehensive Transportation Study

2017 Congestion Levels During the PM Peak Period - Historic Triangle (Source: HRTPO)