{{Short description|Adjoining state highways in Virginia and West Virginia, US}} {{Hatnote|For former State Routes numbered 311, see State Route 311 (Virginia 1923-1928) and State Route 311 (Virginia 1928-1933). For the U.S. Route, see U.S. Route 311 (Virginia).}} {{Use American English|date=April 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox road |state=VA |type=VA |route=311 |maint=VDOT, WVDOH, and City of Salem, VA |length_mi=58.7 |length_ref= |established= |tourist=20px|alt=|link= Virginia Byway |map=VA WV Route 311 map.svg |direction_a1=South |direction_b4=North |section1=Virginia |length_mi1=41.90 |length_ref1=<ref name="Roanoke Traffic Data"/><ref name="Craig Traffic Data"/> |terminus_a1={{jct|state=VA|US|11}} in Salem |junction1= *{{jct|state=VA|US|460}} in Salem *{{jct|state=VA|I|81}} in Hanging Rock *{{jct|state=VA|SR|419}} in Hanging Rock *{{jct|state=VA|SR|42|Sec|615|county2=Craig}} in New Castle *{{jct|state=VA|SR|18}} in Paint Bank |section2=West Virginia |length_mi2=4.0 |length_ref2=<ref name="Google Maps WV 311 South"/> |junction2={{jct|state=WV|WV|3}} in Sweet Springs |section3=Virginia |length_mi3=12.49 |length_ref3=<ref name="Alleghany Traffic Data"/> |junction3={{jct|state=VA|SR|159}} in Crows |section4=West Virginia |length_mi4=0.3 |length_ref4=<ref name="Google Maps WV 311 North"/> |terminus_b4={{jct|state=WV|I|64|US|60}} near White Sulphur Springs |counties=City of Salem (VA), Roanoke (VA), Craig (VA), Monroe (WV), Alleghany (VA), Greenbrier (WV) |system1={{infobox road/browselinks/USA|state=WV}} |browse={{va browse|previous_route=311|previous_type=US|next_type=VA|next_route=312|route=Virginia}}{{wv browse|previous_route=310|previous_type=WV|next_type=WV|next_route=331|route=West Virginia}} }}
'''Virginia State Route 311''' ('''SR 311''') and '''West Virginia Route 311''' ('''WV 311''') are adjoining state highways in the U.S. states of Virginia and West Virginia. The two state highways together run {{convert|58.7|mi|km}} from U.S. Route 11 in Salem, Virginia north to Interstate 64 and U.S. Route 60 near White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. The two Virginia portions of Route 311 are maintained by the Virginia Department of Transportation, with the exception of the city-maintained portion within Salem. The West Virginia segments are maintained by the West Virginia Division of Highways.
SR 311 is a Virginia Byway north of SR 419.
==Route description== thumb|left|View north along SR 311 at SR 18 in Paint Bank Route 311 begins at an intersection with US 11 (College Avenue) in the independent city of Salem. The state highway, which is maintained by the city within the city limits, heads north as Thompson Memorial Drive, a four-lane divided boulevard that intersects US 460 (Main Street) and passes to the east of Roanoke College. Route 311 leaves the city limits of Salem at its partial cloverleaf interchange with I-81, entering Roanoke County. North of I-81, the state highway reduces to a two-lane undivided road and curves to the northeast into the community of Hanging Rock, where the highway meets the northern terminus of SR 419 (Electric Road). Route 311 turns left onto Catawba Valley Drive and leaves the Roanoke Valley by following Mason Creek through a gap between Fort Lewis Mountain to the west and Brushy Mountain to the east.<ref name="Google Maps VA 311 South"/>
Route 311 heads north into Mason Cove, a narrow valley between Fort Lewis Mountain and Catawba Mountain, before turning northwest and ascending Catawba Mountain, on top of which the highway intersects the Appalachian Trail. The state highway descends into the valley of Catawba Creek and passes through the community of Catawba, where the highway intersects SR 779 (Catawba Creek Road) and SR 785 (Blacksburg Road), which form the main highway along the valley. Route 311 has a short ascent to McAfee Gap, enters Jefferson National Forest, and curves to the north between Cove Mountain to the west and North Mountain to enter Craig County.<ref name="Google Maps VA 311 South"/>
thumb|left|View north along WV 311 at WV 3 in Sweet Springs Route 311 descends into the valley of Craig Creek, which the state highway follows northeast around the edge of Sinking Creek Mountain to the northwest, passing through the hamlet of Abbott. The state highway follows Craig Creek to the town of New Castle, the county seat of Craig County at the confluence of Johns Creek with Craig Creek. Route 311 meets the eastern terminus of SR 42 (Main Street) before following Johns Creek west out of town. The state highway climbs Peters Hill and descends back to the narrow creek valley before climbing Potts Mountain. Route 311 heads down the mountain and follows Paint Bank Branch through a gap between Little Mountain and Middle Mountain to the community of Paint Bank at the confluence of its namesake branch with Potts Creek. The state highway meets the southern end of SR 18, which follows the creek northeast toward the community of Potts Creek, before ascending Peters Mountain. At the summit of Peters Mountain, Route 311 leaves Jefferson National Forest and enters West Virginia.<ref name="Google Maps VA 311 South"/>
thumb|right|SR 311 at the southern terminus of SR 159 in Crows Route 311 descends the mountain to the village of Sweet Springs in the northeastern corner of Monroe County, where the state highway meets the eastern terminus of WV 3 (Sweet Springs Valley Road). Route 311 follows the valley northeast back into Virginia, entering Alleghany County and George Washington National Forest.<ref name="Google Maps WV 311 South"/> The state highway, now named Kanawha Trail, passes through the communities of Sweet Chalybeate and Earlehurst, then follows the valley of Dunlap Creek between Dameron Mountain to the northwest and Snake Run Ridge to the southeast. At the community of Crows, SR 159 (Dunlap Creek Road) continues northeast through the valley while Route 311 follows Tygers Creek up the mountain to the west. The state highway parallels CSX's Alleghany Subdivision then passes under the railroad tracks at the hamlet of Alleghany. Route 311 follows the west flank of Lewis Mountain to the West Virginia state line, then curves west into Greenbrier County and reaches its northern terminus at a partial interchange with I-64 and US 60 east of White Sulphur Springs. There is no access from westbound I-64 to southbound Route 311 or from northbound Route 311 to eastbound I-64.<ref name="Google Maps WV 311 North"/><ref name="Google Maps VA 311 North"/>
==Major intersections== {{jcttop|state_col=state|length_ref={{#tag:ref| Virginia SR 311 officially has a length of {{convert|54.39|mi|km}} in two sections. WV 311 has a length of {{convert|4.3|mi|km}} in two sections. In the table below, mileage totals reset at each crossing of the state line.<ref name="Roanoke Traffic Data"/><ref name="Craig Traffic Data"/><ref name="Google Maps WV 311 South"/><ref name="Alleghany Traffic Data"/><ref name="Google Maps WV 311 North"/>|group=lower-alpha}}}} {{VAint |sspan=9 |indep_city=Salem |lspan=2 |mile=0.00 |road={{jct|state=VA|US|11|name1=South College Avenue}} |notes=Southern terminus}} {{VAint |mile=0.17 |road={{jct|state=VA|US|460|name1=East Main Street}} }} {{VAint |county=Roanoke |cspan=4 |location=none |mile=1.66 |road={{jct|state=VA|I|81|city1=Bristol|city2=Lexington}} |notes=Exit 140 on I-81}} {{VAint |location=Hanging Rock |mile=2.93 |road={{jct|state=VA|SR|419|dir1=south|name1=Electric Road|to2=to|I|81|dir2=north|city1=Roanoke}} }} {{VAint |location=Catawba |mile= |road={{jct|state=VA|Sec|698|county1=Roanoke|dir1=north|name1=Keffer Road|Sec|779|county2=Roanoke|dir2=east|name2=Catawba Creek Road|location1=Catawba Hospital}}<!--also USBR 76 east--> |notes=former SR 114 east }} {{VAint |location=none |mile= |road={{jct|state=VA|Sec|785|county1=Roanoke|name1=Blacksburg Road}}<!--also USBR 76 west--> |notes=former SR 114 west }} {{VAint |county=Craig |cspan=3 |location=New Castle |mile=22.25 |road={{jct|state=VA|SR|42|dir1=west|Sec|615|county2=Craig|dir2=east|name2=Main Street}} }} {{VAint |location=none |mile= |road={{jct|state=VA|Sec|658|county1=Craig|name1=Johns Creek Road|city1=Craig Springs}} |notes=former SR 113 west }} {{VAint |location=Paint Bank<!--maybe--> |mile=38.51 |road={{jct|state=VA|SR|18|dir1=north|city1=Covington}} }} {{jctplace |river_wide=yes |river=Peters Mountain |mile=41.90 |mile2=0.0 |line=y |place=State line }} {{WVint |sspan=1 |county=Monroe |location=Sweet Springs |mile=3.1 |road={{jct|state=WV|WV|3|dir1=west|location1=Union|location2=Moncove Lake State Park}} }} {{jctplace |river_wide=yes |river= |mile=4.0 |mile2=0.00 |line=y |place=State line}} {{VAint |sspan=1 |county=Alleghany |location=Crows |mile=6.62 |road={{jct|state=VA|SR|159|dir1=north|name1=Dunlap Creek Road|city1=Covington}} }} {{jctplace |river_wide=yes |river= |mile=12.49 |mile2=0.0 |line=y |place=State line}} {{WVint |sspan=1 |county=Greenbrier |location=none |mile=0.3 |road={{jct|state=WV|I|64|dir1=west|US|60|dir2=west|city1=White Sulphur Springs}} |notes=Northern terminus; exit 183 on I-64}} {{jctbtm|col=7}}
==Notes== {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
==References== <references> <ref name="Roanoke Traffic Data">{{cite web|title=Daily Traffic Volume Estimates Jurisdiction Report: Roanoke County|publisher=Virginia Department of Transportation|year=2009|url=http://www.virginiadot.org/info/resources/2009/AADT_080_Roanoke_2009.pdf|format=PDF|access-date=2011-01-06}}</ref>
<ref name="Craig Traffic Data">{{cite web|title=Daily Traffic Volume Estimates Jurisdiction Report: Craig County|publisher=Virginia Department of Transportation|year=2009|url=http://www.virginiadot.org/info/resources/2009/AADT_022_Craig_2009.pdf|format=PDF|access-date=2011-01-06}}</ref>
<ref name="Alleghany Traffic Data">{{cite web|title=Daily Traffic Volume Estimates Jurisdiction Report: Alleghany County|publisher=Virginia Department of Transportation|year=2009|url=http://www.virginiadot.org/info/resources/2009/AADT_003_Alleghany_2009.pdf|format=PDF|access-date=2011-01-06}}</ref>
<ref name="Google Maps WV 311 South">{{google maps|url=https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=W+Virginia+311+N&daddr=W+Virginia+311+N&hl=en&geocode=FSbVPQIdCp83-w%3BFTBOPgIdKKU3-w&mra=ls&sll=37.630683,-80.232983&sspn=0.062401,0.154324&ie=UTF8&ll=37.617495,-80.256672&spn=0.062412,0.154324&t=h&z=13|title=West Virginia Route 311 Southern Section|access-date=2011-01-06}}</ref>
<ref name="Google Maps WV 311 North">{{google maps|url=https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=W+Virginia+311+N&daddr=W+Virginia+311+N&hl=en&geocode=FdR1QAIdtNI3-w%3BFaaAQAId2MI3-w&mra=ls&sll=37.783842,-80.233884&sspn=0.007784,0.01929&ie=UTF8&ll=37.780314,-80.230343&spn=0.007784,0.01929&t=h&z=16|title=West Virginia Route 311 Northern Section|access-date=2011-01-06}}</ref>
<ref name="Google Maps VA 311 South">{{google maps|url=https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Thompson+Memorial+Dr&daddr=W+Virginia+311+N&hl=en&geocode=FdYHOQIdKng6-w%3BFSbVPQIdCp83-w&mra=ls&sll=37.303006,-80.045872&sspn=0.062675,0.154324&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=10|title=Virginia State Route 311 Southern Section|access-date=2011-01-06}}</ref>
<ref name="Google Maps VA 311 North">{{google maps|url=https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=VA-311+S%2FKanawha+Trail&daddr=VA-311+S&hl=en&geocode=FVdOPgIdMqU3-w%3BFdR1QAIdtNI3-w&mra=prev&sll=37.778924,-80.227178&sspn=0.003892,0.009645&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=11|title=Virginia State Route 311 Northern Section|access-date=2011-01-06}}</ref> </references>
==External links== {{Attached KML|display=title,inline}} *[http://www.vahighways.com/route-log/va301-320.htm#va311 Virginia Highways Project: VA 311]
{{commons category|Virginia State Route 311}} {{commons category|West Virginia Route 311}}
{{S-start}} {{VA 1923-1933 2D|21|23}} {{S-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Route 311 (Virginia - West Virginia)}} 311 311 311 West Virginia