If you are looking to travel from Colonial Heights to South Suffolk, this 64-mile trek is an ideal candidate for a single-day journey. Expect to spend approximately 1 hour and 39 minutes on the road, making it a manageable drive that does not require an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via General Mahone Highway, Windsor Boulevard, and County Drive, keeping your fuel costs to a modest $10. Both your starting point and destination sit within the Southeast region of Virginia, ensuring a consistent regional feel throughout the trip. This route works best for those who prefer local roads over the monotony of major interstates.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
32 miles from Colonial Heights, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 48m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
General Mahone Highway
14.3 mi
19m
Windsor Boulevard
9.9 mi
15m
County Drive
9.5 mi
14m
General Mahone Boulevard
8.4 mi
11m
Pruden Boulevard
6.2 mi
10m
I 95
4 mi
5m
North County Drive
2.4 mi
4m
North Main Street
2.2 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
General Mahone Highway
— 14.3 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Colonial Heights, VA and South Suffolk, VA.
1
Start on this road
257 ft·20 sec·this road
2
At end of road, turn right onto East Ellerslie Avenue
0.8 mi·1 min·East Ellerslie Avenue
3
Turn right onto Conduit Road
0.9 mi·2 min·Conduit Road
Use the right lane.
4
Turn left onto West Roslyn Road
0.8 mi·1 min·West Roslyn Road
5
Take the ramp
382 ft·9 sec
Toward I 95 South
6
Merge onto I 95
1.3 mi·1 min·Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
4.0 mi·5 min·I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·37 sec
Exit 47Toward SR 629: Rives RoadUse the slight right lane.
9
Turn left onto SR 629
2.0 mi·3 min·Rives Road
10
Turn sharp right onto US 460
9.5 mi·14 min·County Drive
11
Continue on US 460
6.1 mi·8 min·General Mahone Highway
12
Continue on US 460
1.4 mi·2 min·North County Drive
13
Continue on US 460
6.2 mi·8 min·General Mahone Highway
14
Continue on US 460
1.1 mi·2 min·North County Drive
15
Continue on US 460
2.0 mi·2 min·General Mahone Highway
16
Continue on US 460
0.1 mi·9 sec·Mahone Highway
17
Continue on US 460
8.4 mi·11 min·General Mahone Boulevard
18
Continue on US 460
9.9 mi·15 min·Windsor Boulevard
19
Continue on US 460
5.1 mi·8 min·Pruden Boulevard
20
Continue on US 460 BUS
1.1 mi·1 min·Pruden Boulevard
Use the left lane.
21
Continue on US 460 BUS; VA 10; VA 32
2.2 mi·4 min·North Main Street
22
Continue on US 13 BUS; VA 32
0.9 mi·1 min·Carolina Road
23
Arrive at destination
US 13 BUS; VA 32
Trip Plan
Since this is a straightforward 64-mile trip with no mandatory stops, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around your personal schedule. You can easily complete the entire drive in one go, so there is no need to worry about splitting the trip into multiple days. Keep in mind that the turn-heavy nature of the route means you should stay alert at every intersection and junction. Given the $10 fuel estimate, it is wise to fill your tank before you leave Colonial Heights to ensure a stress-free transit. Use the 14.3-mile stretch on General Mahone Highway as your baseline for gauging your arrival time in South Suffolk.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 32 miles from Colonial Heights, VA, or about 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 14.3 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 14 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 32 miles or 48m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near South Suffolk, VA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Colonial Heights, VA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Colonial Heights, VA
This is one driving day of about 64 miles and 1h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 14 miles from Colonial Heights, VA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on General Mahone Highway for about 14.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The Exchange Building and Petersburg Visitors Center
4.2
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Near the start, short detour
1.4 mi from route
~4 min detour
mile 4.6
Petersburg, Virginia
+18048359630
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 10.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.9 mi into trip|~1m in|Conduit Road
Turn right onto Conduit Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
2.6 mi into trip|~5m in|I 95 / Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike
Merge onto I 95 / Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
3.9 mi into trip|~7m in|I 95
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
8 mi into trip|~12m in
Take the exit toward SR 629: Rives Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 47
Toward SR 629: Rives Road
5
10.2 mi into trip|~16m in|US 460 / County Drive
Turn sharp right onto US 460 / County Drive
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.01 one way
$20.02 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg22 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$10.94
$21.89
premium
$4.70
$11.85
$23.69
diesel
$5.61
$14.13
$28.26
Estimated Tolls: $0.09
Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike
(1.3 mi)$0.09
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$0
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$35–$60
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
19.2
0
$6.72
$3.07
Efficient EV
16
0
$5.60
$2.56
EV Truck/SUV
25.6
0
$8.96
$4.10
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Colonial Heights, VA
Morning
in Colonial Heights on Sunday
Local time
7:31 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
South Suffolk, VA
Morning
in South Suffolk on Sunday
Local time
7:31 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
52°F
Waverly, VA
32 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
26 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 39m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Prepare for a turn-heavy, local driving experience that favors backroads over high-speed transit. With only 8% of the journey taking place on highways, you should anticipate a more deliberate pace as you navigate the regional layout. Your longest uninterrupted stretch lasts for 14.3 miles along the General Mahone Highway, providing the most consistent flow before the road transitions into more frequent turns. Because this is a local-heavy route, you will experience a constant change in scenery as the roads wind through the landscape. It is a practical drive that demands more attention from the driver than a standard interstate cruise.
Only 8% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.3 mi on General Mahone Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near Conduit Road.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 64 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (Conduit Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles (I 95 / Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles (I 95): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 39m. Total distance: 64 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (8%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.3 miles on General Mahone Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.09 in tolls one way, starting with Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (Conduit Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles (I 95 / Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles (I 95): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at South Suffolk, VA before heading back.
