Portsmouth Heights, VA to Petersburg, VA is 79.6 miles and takes about 1h 49m via James River Drive, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This one-day trip stays within the Southeast region, traveling solely within Virginia. Expect a local drive with frequent turns, making it a more engaging experience than a simple highway cruise. It's a manageable distance, perfect if you're looking for a shorter drive that still offers a change of scenery.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
39.8 miles from Portsmouth Heights, VA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 58m 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
Bridge Road
6.5 mi
11m
East Washington Street
4.6 mi
5m
Brewers Neck Boulevard
2.9 mi
4m
Carrollton Boulevard
2.4 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
James River Drive
— 14.6 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Portsmouth Heights, VA and Petersburg, 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 NewsUse 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 9AToward US 17 North: Bridge RoadUse 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
1.2 mi·2 min·East Randolph Road
20
Turn left onto VA 156 Business
1.8 mi·2 min·Winston Churchill Drive
21
Continue on VA 36
0.4 mi·26 sec·Oaklawn Boulevard
22
Continue on VA 36
1.0 mi·1 min·Woodlawn Street
23
Continue on VA 36
1.0 mi·1 min·Oaklawn Boulevard
24
Continue on VA 36
4.6 mi·5 min·East Washington Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
25
Turn left
36 ft·2 sec
26
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the relatively short duration of 1 hour and 49 minutes, this trip is easily completed in a single day. Leaving in the morning or early afternoon will give you plenty of flexibility. Since it's a turn-heavy local drive, pay close attention to your GPS and road signage, especially when transitioning between James River Drive, Colonial Trail West, and Benns Church Boulevard. With a fuel cost estimated at $12, it's wise to ensure your tank is full before departing to avoid any unnecessary stops in potentially less convenient areas along the local roads.
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 39.8 miles from Portsmouth Heights, VA, or about 58m 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 39.8 miles or 58m 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 33m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Petersburg, 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 79.6 miles and 1h 49m.
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.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 40.6 — 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
4
40.6 mi into trip|~59m in|VA 10; VA 31 / Rolfe Highway
Turn left onto VA 10; VA 31 / Rolfe Highway
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.45 one way
$24.90 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg28 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$13.61
$27.22
premium
$4.70
$14.73
$29.46
diesel
$5.61
$17.57
$35.15
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: 27.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
23.9
0
$8.36
$3.82
Efficient EV
19.9
0
$6.96
$3.18
EV Truck/SUV
31.8
0
$11.14
$5.09
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
9 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
Portsmouth Heights, VA
Morning
in Portsmouth Heights on Sunday
Local time
8:16 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Mostly Clear
SE 2 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Petersburg, VA
Morning
in Petersburg on Sunday
Local time
8:16 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Mostly Clear
NE 1 mph0% chanceLive 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
4 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 49m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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.
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...
5 mi from route
~12 min detour
Free
near mile 79.6
Park Closure: Eastern Front Tour Road south of Route 36 - Closed
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
~27 min detour
$15
near mile 32.9
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
~33 min detour
Free
near mile 5.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll be navigating through towns and local roads quite a bit. With a highway share of only 1%, the majority of your journey will be on less direct, more community-focused routes. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 14.6 miles on James River Drive. Be prepared for a driving experience that requires attention to turns and local traffic patterns, rather than a high-speed interstate transit.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
26 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?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 12 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 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 79.6 miles you will encounter 12 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.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 49m. Total distance: 79.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (1%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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.
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 — Petersburg National Battlefield, Colonial National Historical Park 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 Petersburg, VA before heading back.
