Origin
Portsmouth Heights, VA
Morning in Portsmouth Heights on Sunday
Local time
6:32 AM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Portsmouth Heights, VA to Franklin, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
58m
Distance
38.9 mi
63 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 54m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Portsmouth Heights, VA
Daniel Miller
Franklin, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 38.9-mile drive from Portsmouth Heights, VA, to Franklin, VA, is expected to take about 58 minutes, making it a perfect single-day trip. You'll navigate primarily via Portsmouth Boulevard and West Military Highway before transitioning to US 258. With a modest fuel cost of around $6, this route offers a straightforward journey through the Southeast region. The overall feel is more of a local transit than an epic adventure, suitable for a quick excursion or a segment of a larger travel plan. Consider this a practical option when you need to get from point A to point B efficiently within Virginia.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth Boulevard | 26.9 mi | 37m |
| West Military Highway | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| US 258 | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| I 264 | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Union Camp Drive | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Jamestown Lane | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Victory Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Hampton Roads Beltway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Portsmouth Boulevard
— 26.9 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Portsmouth Heights, VA and Franklin, VA.
1
Start on Vick Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Vick Street
2
At end of road, turn right onto Shea Street
0.2 mi
·
47 sec
·
Shea Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto VA 337
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Portsmouth Boulevard
4
Turn right onto VA 239
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Victory Boulevard
Use the right lane.
5
Turn right onto Belmont Avenue
355 ft
·
7 sec
·
Belmont Avenue
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward I 264 West: Bowers Hill
7
Merge onto I 264
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
I 264
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I 664: Bowers Hill, Suffolk, Richmond
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 664
0.4 mi
·
31 sec
·
Hampton Roads Beltway
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 13A-B
Toward US 13, US 58, US 460, VA 191 North: Suffolk, Military Highway
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
12
Continue on US 13; US 58; US 460
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
West Military Highway
13
Continue on US 13; US 58; US 460
26 mi
·
35 min
·
Portsmouth Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Take the exit onto VA 189
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
VA 189
Toward VA 189 South, US 258 North: Windsor, Smithfield
Use the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Toward US 258 North
Use the slight right lane.
16
Turn straight onto US 258
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
US 258
17
Turn left onto Union Camp Drive
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Union Camp Drive
18
Turn right onto SR 691
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Jamestown Lane
19
Turn slight left onto US 58 BUS; US 258 BUS
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
Carrsville Highway
20
Continue on US 58 BUS; US 258 BUS
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
East 2nd Avenue
21
Turn left onto North Main Street
88 ft
·
3 sec
·
North Main Street
22
Arrive at destination
North Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.5 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 34.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
VA 239 / Victory Boulevard
Turn right onto VA 239 / Victory Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
8
3.7 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 664: Bowers Hill, Suffolk, Richmond
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 664: Bowers Hill, Suffolk, Richmond
8
4.8 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward US 13, US 58, US 460, VA 191 North: Suffolk, Military Highway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 13A-B
Toward US 13, US 58, US 460, VA 191 North: Suff...
7
34.5 mi into trip
|
~49m in
|
VA 189
Take the exit onto VA 189 toward VA 189 South, US 258 North: Windsor, Smithfield
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward VA 189 South, US 258 North: Windsor, Smi...
8
34.7 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 258 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 258 North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.08 one way
$12.17 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $6.65 | $13.30 |
| premium | $4.70 | $7.20 | $14.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.59 | $17.18 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.08 | $1.87 |
| Efficient EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.40 | $1.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.45 | $2.49 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Franklin, VA
Morning in Franklin on Sunday
Local time
6:32 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
35 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
58m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' for this 58-minute, 38.9-mile journey. Only about 12% of this route involves highway driving, meaning you'll be making frequent turns and navigating local roads for most of the trip. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 26.9 miles along Portsmouth Boulevard. This road profile suggests a more engaging, stop-and-go experience rather than a high-speed cruise, requiring your attention to navigate through various community settings.
Only 12% 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: 26.9 mi on Portsmouth Boulevard.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near VA 239 / Victory Boulevard.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 38.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (VA 239 / Victory Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Portsmouth Heights, VA and Franklin, VA, road signs point toward Suffolk, Richmond, Military Highway and Smithfield.
Suffolk
3.7 mi in
|
~7m
Richmond
3.7 mi in
|
~7m
Military Highway
4.8 mi in
|
~8m
Smithfield
34.5 mi in
|
~49m
|
via VA 189
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 58m. Total distance: 38.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 26.9 miles on Portsmouth Boulevard. 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 Franklin, 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 0.8 miles (VA 239 / Victory Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Franklin, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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