Origin
Portsmouth Heights, VA
Evening in Portsmouth Heights on Saturday
Local time
8:47 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Portsmouth Heights, VA to Chester, VA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 6, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 55m
Distance
81.5 mi
131 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 47m
★
6 AM
1h 55m
8 AM
2h 12m
10 AM
2h 1m
12 PM
1h 59m
3 PM
2h 2m
5 PM
2h 11m
8 PM
1h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Portsmouth Heights, VA
Daniel Miller
Chester, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Portsmouth Heights, VA to Chester, VA covers 81.5 miles and takes about 1h 55m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on James River Drive, Colonial Trail West, Benns Church Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 14.6 miles on James River Drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.49 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
40.7 miles from Portsmouth Heights, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| James River Drive | 14.6 mi | 19m |
| Colonial Trail West | 13.3 mi | 15m |
| Benns Church Boulevard | 12.1 mi | 15m |
| Colonial Trail East | 9.9 mi | 11m |
| East Hundred Road | 8.9 mi | 14m |
| Bridge Road | 6.5 mi | 11m |
| East Randolph Road | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| Brewers Neck Boulevard | 2.9 mi | 4m |
Longest stretch:
James River Drive
— 14.6 mi, about 19m
Traffic on I-664
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~2,886 veh/hr typical · worst 3,435
Quietest
1 AM
~193 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
15×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 104 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Portsmouth Heights, VA and Chester, VA.
1
Start on Vick Street
143 ft
·
6 sec
·
Vick Street
2
Continue on Vick Street
320 ft
·
17 sec
·
Vick Street
3
Turn left onto Byers Avenue
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Byers Avenue
4
Turn right onto VA 337
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Portsmouth Boulevard
5
Turn right onto Taylor Road
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Taylor Road
Use the right lane.
6
Turn left onto Pughsville Road
525 ft
·
16 sec
·
Pughsville Road
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I 664 North: Newport News
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto I 664
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Hampton Roads Beltway
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 9A
Toward US 17 North: Bridge Road
Use the right lane.
10
Merge onto VA 164
0.6 mi
·
44 sec
·
Western Freeway
11
Continue on US 17
6.5 mi
·
11 min
·
Bridge Road
Use the straight lane.
12
Continue on US 17
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Carrollton Boulevard
13
Turn left onto Brewers Neck Boulevard
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Brewers Neck Boulevard
14
Merge onto US 258; VA 10
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Benns Church Boulevard
15
Continue on VA 10
9.9 mi
·
11 min
·
Colonial Trail East
16
Turn left onto VA 10; VA 31
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Rolfe Highway
17
Turn right onto VA 10
13 mi
·
15 min
·
Colonial Trail West
18
Continue on VA 10
15 mi
·
19 min
·
James River Drive
19
Continue on VA 10; VA 156 BUS
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
East Randolph Road
20
Continue on VA 10
8.9 mi
·
14 min
·
East Hundred Road
Use the left lane.
21
Turn left onto Winfree Street
267 ft
·
11 sec
·
Winfree Street
Use the left lane.
22
Arrive at destination
Winfree Street
Trip Plan
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 40.7 miles from Portsmouth Heights, VA, or about 1h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 14.6 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 18 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 40.7 miles or 1h 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 35m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chester, VA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Portsmouth Heights, VA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Portsmouth Heights, VA
This is one driving day of about 81.5 miles and 1h 55m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Portsmouth Heights, VA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on James River Drive for about 14.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
41 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 40.7 miles from Portsmouth Heights, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 81.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Byers Avenue
Turn left onto Byers Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
2.5 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
Taylor Road
Turn right onto Taylor Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
4.6 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the ramp toward I 664 North: Newport News
Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 664 North: Newport News
7
6 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward US 17 North: Bridge Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 9A
Toward US 17 North: Bridge Road
6
81.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 55m in
|
Winfree Street
Turn left onto Winfree Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.49 one way
$24.98 round trip
$3.89/gal
25.4 MPG avg
29 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.27 | $13.70 | $27.41 |
| premium | $4.64 | $14.88 | $29.76 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $17.97 | $35.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 24.5 | 0 | $8.56 | $3.91 |
| Efficient EV | 20.4 | 0 | $7.13 | $3.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 32.6 | 0 | $11.41 | $5.22 |
Gas CO2
29 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (66% 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.
Destination
Chester, VA
Evening in Chester on Saturday
Local time
8:47 PM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
6 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 55m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Colonial National Historical Park
National Historical Park
On May 13, 1607, Jamestown was established as the first permanent English settlement in North America. Three cultures came together – European, Virginia Indian and African–to create a new society that...
11 mi from route
~26 min detour
$15
near mile 33.7
Park Closure: Rehabilitation of Colonial Parkway Continues
Petersburg National Battlefield
National Battlefield
Two hundred ninety-two days, eight offensives, over 70,000 casualties, U. S. Colored Troops, and the decline of Gen. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia all describe the Siege of Petersburg. U.S. forces c...
12 mi from route
~29 min detour
Free
near mile 81.5
View on nps.gov
Fort Monroe National Monument
National Monument
Fort Monroe's story spans from prehistory to the 2000s. Kecoughtan Indians occupied Old Point Comfort before the arrival of English colonists. The first enslaved Africans arrived in 1619. Those escapi...
13 mi from route
~32 min detour
Free
near mile 5.6
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
81.5 mi in 1h 55m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.6 mi on James River Drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Byers Avenue.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 81.5 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.1 miles (Byers Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles (Taylor Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
179 ft
7 ft
Total Climb
366 ft
Total Descent
194 ft
Highest Point
179 ft
~81.5 mi in
Elevation Range
172 ft
About the Cities
Arriving in Chester, VA
Full guide →Founded 1749
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 55m. Total distance: 81.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.6 miles on James River Drive. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Chester, VA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 0.1 miles (Byers Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles (Taylor Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Colonial National Historical Park, Petersburg National Battlefield and Fort Monroe National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Chester, VA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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