{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/33.2-318.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/33.2-318.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/33.2-318.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/33.2-318.html"}],"law_id":62915,"edition_id":1,"section_id":62915,"structure_id":13284,"section_number":"33.2-318","catch_line":"Bypasses through or around cities and towns","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 33-35; 1964, c. 258; 1970, c. 322, \u00a7 33.1-39; 1977, c. 578; 2014, c. 805; 2015, c. 684.","full_text":"A\n\nThe Commissioner of Highways may acquire by gift, purchase, exchange, condemnation, or otherwise such lands or interest therein necessary or proper for the purpose and may construct and improve thereon such bypasses or extensions and connections of the primary state highway system through or around cities and towns as the Board deems necessary for the uses of the primary state highway system, provided that the respective cities and towns with populations of 3,500 or more by action of their governing bodies agree to participate in all costs of such construction and improvement, including the cost of rights-of-way, on that portion of any such bypass or extension that is located within any such city or town. The maintenance of that portion of a bypass or extension located within a city or town shall be borne by the city or town. However, the Board shall contribute to such maintenance in accordance with the provisions of law governing its contribution to the maintenance of highways, bridges, and streets in such cities and towns. The location, form, and character of informational, regulatory, and warning signs, curb and pavement, or other markings and traffic signals installed or placed by any public authority shall be subject to the approval of the Commissioner of Highways. At both ends of bypasses through or around cities and towns, the Commissioner of Highways shall erect and maintain adequate directional signs of sufficient size and suitable design to indicate clearly the main route leading directly into such cities and towns.B\n\nNotwithstanding the provisions of subsection A, in any case in which a municipality refuses to contribute to the construction of a bypass or an extension or connection of the primary state highway system within said municipality, the Commissioner of Highways may construct such bypass or extension and connection without any contribution by the municipality when the Board determines that such bypass or extension and connection is primarily rural in character and that the most desirable and economical location is within the municipality. Any bypass or extension and connection built under this subsection shall be maintained by the Commissioner of Highways as a part of the primary state highway system, and the municipality shall receive no payment for such bypass or extension and connection under § 33.2-319.C\n\nAll the provisions of general law relating to the exercise of eminent domain by the Commissioner of Highways are applicable to such bypasses, extensions, and connections of the primary state highway system.D\n\nThe Board may expend out of funds appropriated to the Board and allocated to an applicable project under § 33.2-358, 33.2-370, or 33.2-371 such funds as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":229499,"text":"The Commissioner of Highways may acquire by gift, purchase, exchange, condemnation, or otherwise such lands or interest therein necessary or proper for the purpose and may construct and improve thereon such bypasses or extensions and connections of the primary state highway system through or around cities and towns as the Board deems necessary for the uses of the primary state highway system, provided that the respective cities and towns with populations of 3,500 or more by action of their governing bodies agree to participate in all costs of such construction and improvement, including the cost of rights-of-way, on that portion of any such bypass or extension that is located within any such city or town. The maintenance of that portion of a bypass or extension located within a city or town shall be borne by the city or town. However, the Board shall contribute to such maintenance in accordance with the provisions of law governing its contribution to the maintenance of highways, bridges, and streets in such cities and towns. The location, form, and character of informational, regulatory, and warning signs, curb and pavement, or other markings and traffic signals installed or placed by any public authority shall be subject to the approval of the Commissioner of Highways. At both ends of bypasses through or around cities and towns, the Commissioner of Highways shall erect and maintain adequate directional signs of sufficient size and suitable design to indicate clearly the main route leading directly into such cities and towns.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":229500,"text":"Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A, in any case in which a municipality refuses to contribute to the construction of a bypass or an extension or connection of the primary state highway system within said municipality, the Commissioner of Highways may construct such bypass or extension and connection without any contribution by the municipality when the Board determines that such bypass or extension and connection is primarily rural in character and that the most desirable and economical location is within the municipality. Any bypass or extension and connection built under this subsection shall be maintained by the Commissioner of Highways as a part of the primary state highway system, and the municipality shall receive no payment for such bypass or extension and connection under § 33.2-319.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":229501,"text":"All the provisions of general law relating to the exercise of eminent domain by the Commissioner of Highways are applicable to such bypasses, extensions, and connections of the primary state highway system.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":229502,"text":"The Board may expend out of funds appropriated to the Board and allocated to an applicable project under § 33.2-358, 33.2-370, or 33.2-371 such funds as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13284,"edition_id":1,"name":"Primary State Highway System","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12831,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:34","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:34","permalink":{"id":205785,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13284,"identifier":"2","token":"33.2\/II\/3\/2","url":"\/33.2\/II\/3\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12831,"edition_id":1,"name":"Highway Systems","identifier":"3","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12830,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","permalink":{"id":205741,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12831,"identifier":"3","token":"33.2\/II\/3","url":"\/33.2\/II\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12830,"edition_id":1,"name":"Modes of Transportation: Highways, Bridges, Ferries, Rail, and Public Transportation","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12806,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","permalink":{"id":205369,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12830,"identifier":"II","token":"33.2\/II","url":"\/33.2\/II\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12806,"edition_id":1,"name":"Highways and Other Surface Transportation Systems","identifier":"33.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","permalink":{"id":204785,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12806,"identifier":"33.2","token":"33.2","url":"\/33.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":80538,"structure_id":13284,"section_number":"33.2-310","catch_line":"Primary state highway system","url":"\/33.2-310\/","token":"33.2\/II\/3\/2\/33.2-310","metadata":false},{"id":86729,"structure_id":13284,"section_number":"33.2-311","catch_line":"Certain highways in parks included in primary state highway system","url":"\/33.2-311\/","token":"33.2\/II\/3\/2\/33.2-311","metadata":false},{"id":59348,"structure_id":13284,"section_number":"33.2-312","catch_line":"Maintenance of highways, bridges, and toll facilities within state parks","url":"\/33.2-312\/","token":"33.2\/II\/3\/2\/33.2-312","metadata":false},{"id":78800,"structure_id":13284,"section_number":"33.2-313","catch_line":"Maintenance of highways at state institutions","url":"\/33.2-313\/","token":"33.2\/II\/3\/2\/33.2-313","metadata":false},{"id":61366,"structure_id":13284,"section_number":"33.2-314","catch_line":"Transfer of highways, bridges, and streets from secondary to primary state highway system; additions to primary state highway system","url":"\/33.2-314\/","token":"33.2\/II\/3\/2\/33.2-314","metadata":false},{"id":59626,"structure_id":13284,"section_number":"33.2-315","catch_line":"Transfer of highways, bridges, and streets from primary to secondary state highway system","url":"\/33.2-315\/","token":"33.2\/II\/3\/2\/33.2-315","metadata":false},{"id":54993,"structure_id":13284,"section_number":"33.2-316","catch_line":"Primary state highway system map","url":"\/33.2-316\/","token":"33.2\/II\/3\/2\/33.2-316","metadata":false},{"id":70144,"structure_id":13284,"section_number":"33.2-317","catch_line":"Establishment, construction, and maintenance exclusively by Commonwealth; funds","url":"\/33.2-317\/","token":"33.2\/II\/3\/2\/33.2-317","metadata":false},{"id":62915,"structure_id":13284,"section_number":"33.2-318","catch_line":"Bypasses through or around cities and towns","url":"\/33.2-318\/","token":"33.2\/II\/3\/2\/33.2-318","metadata":false},{"id":56954,"structure_id":13284,"section_number":"33.2-319","catch_line":"Payments to cities and certain towns for maintenance of certain highways","url":"\/33.2-319\/","token":"33.2\/II\/3\/2\/33.2-319","metadata":false},{"id":84630,"structure_id":13284,"section_number":"33.2-320","catch_line":"Incorporation into primary state highway system of connecting streets and highways in certain other cities and towns","url":"\/33.2-320\/","token":"33.2\/II\/3\/2\/33.2-320","metadata":false},{"id":61147,"structure_id":13284,"section_number":"33.2-321","catch_line":"Agreements between Commonwealth Transportation Board and certain counties for operation of certain devices on state highways","url":"\/33.2-321\/","token":"33.2\/II\/3\/2\/33.2-321","metadata":false},{"id":54276,"structure_id":13284,"section_number":"33.2-322","catch_line":"Counties may perform certain maintenance","url":"\/33.2-322\/","token":"33.2\/II\/3\/2\/33.2-322","metadata":false},{"id":63288,"structure_id":13284,"section_number":"33.2-323","catch_line":"Approval of markings and traffic lights erected by towns","url":"\/33.2-323\/","token":"33.2\/II\/3\/2\/33.2-323","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":70144,"structure_id":13284,"section_number":"33.2-317","catch_line":"Establishment, construction, and maintenance exclusively by Commonwealth; funds","url":"\/33.2-317\/","token":"33.2\/II\/3\/2\/33.2-317","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":56954,"structure_id":13284,"section_number":"33.2-319","catch_line":"Payments to cities and certain towns for maintenance of certain highways","url":"\/33.2-319\/","token":"33.2\/II\/3\/2\/33.2-319","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/33.2-318\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 5 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1964, chapter 258; in 1970, chapter 322; in 1977, chapter 578; in 2014, chapter 805<\/a>; in 2015, chapter 684<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":81138,"section_number":"33.2-358","catch_line":"Allocation of funds to programs","order_by":null,"url":"\/33.2-358\/"},{"id":75809,"section_number":"33.2-370","catch_line":"High-priority projects program","order_by":null,"url":"\/33.2-370\/"},{"id":62249,"section_number":"33.2-371","catch_line":"Highway construction district grant programs","order_by":null,"url":"\/33.2-371\/"}],"permalink":{"id":205819,"object_type":"law","relational_id":62915,"identifier":"33.2-318","token":"33.2\/II\/3\/2\/33.2-318","url":"\/33.2-318\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/33.2-318\/","token":"33.2\/II\/3\/2\/33.2-318","dublin_core":{"Title":"Bypasses through or around cities and towns","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 33.2-318","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The Commissioner of Highways<\/span> may acquire by gift, purchase, exchange, condemnation, or otherwise such lands or interest therein necessary or proper for the purpose and may construct and improve thereon such bypasses or extensions and connections of the primary state highway<\/span> system through or around cities and towns as the Board<\/span> deems necessary for the uses of the primary state highway<\/span> system, provided that the respective cities and towns with populations of 3,500 or more by action of their governing bodies agree to participate in all costs of such construction and improvement, including the cost of rights-of-way, on that portion of any such bypass or extension that is located within any such city or town. The maintenance<\/span> of that portion of a bypass or extension located within a city or town shall be borne by the city or town. However, the Board<\/span> shall contribute to such maintenance<\/span> in accordance with the provisions of law<\/span> governing its contribution to the maintenance<\/span> of highways, bridges, and streets in such cities and towns. The location, form, and character of informational, regulatory, and warning signs, curb and pavement, or other markings and traffic signals installed or placed by any public authority shall be subject to the approval of the Commissioner of Highways<\/span>. At both ends of bypasses through or around cities and towns, the Commissioner of Highways<\/span> shall erect and maintain adequate directional signs of sufficient size and suitable design to indicate clearly the main route leading directly into such cities and towns. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A, in any case in which a municipality refuses to contribute to the construction of a bypass or an extension or connection of the primary state highway<\/span> system within said municipality, the Commissioner of Highways<\/span> may construct such bypass or extension and connection without any contribution by the municipality when the Board<\/span> determines that such bypass or extension and connection is primarily rural in character and that the most desirable and economical location is within the municipality. Any bypass or extension and connection built under this subsection shall be maintained by the Commissioner of Highways<\/span> as a part of the primary state highway<\/span> system, and the municipality shall receive no payment for such bypass or extension and connection under § 33.2-319<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> All the provisions of general law<\/span> relating to the exercise of eminent domain by the Commissioner of Highways<\/span> are applicable to such bypasses, extensions, and connections of the primary state highway<\/span> system. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> The Board<\/span> may expend out of funds appropriated to the Board<\/span> and allocated to an applicable project under § 33.2-358<\/a>, 33.2-370<\/a>, or 33.2-371<\/a> such funds as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nBYPASSES THROUGH OR AROUND CITIES AND TOWNS (\u00a7 33.2-318)\n\nA. The Commissioner of Highways may acquire by gift, purchase, exchange,\ncondemnation, or otherwise such lands or interest therein necessary or proper\nfor the purpose and may construct and improve thereon such bypasses or\nextensions and connections of the primary state highway system through or around\ncities and towns as the Board deems necessary for the uses of the primary state\nhighway system, provided that the respective cities and towns with populations\nof 3,500 or more by action of their governing bodies agree to participate in all\ncosts of such construction and improvement, including the cost of rights-of-way,\non that portion of any such bypass or extension that is located within any such\ncity or town. The maintenance of that portion of a bypass or extension located\nwithin a city or town shall be borne by the city or town. However, the Board\nshall contribute to such maintenance in accordance with the provisions of law\ngoverning its contribution to the maintenance of highways, bridges, and streets\nin such cities and towns. The location, form, and character of informational,\nregulatory, and warning signs, curb and pavement, or other markings and traffic\nsignals installed or placed by any public authority shall be subject to the\napproval of the Commissioner of Highways. At both ends of bypasses through or\naround cities and towns, the Commissioner of Highways shall erect and maintain\nadequate directional signs of sufficient size and suitable design to indicate\nclearly the main route leading directly into such cities and towns.\n\nB. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A, in any case in which a\nmunicipality refuses to contribute to the construction of a bypass or an\nextension or connection of the primary state highway system within said\nmunicipality, the Commissioner of Highways may construct such bypass or\nextension and connection without any contribution by the municipality when the\nBoard determines that such bypass or extension and connection is primarily rural\nin character and that the most desirable and economical location is within the\nmunicipality. Any bypass or extension and connection built under this subsection\nshall be maintained by the Commissioner of Highways as a part of the primary\nstate highway system, and the municipality shall receive no payment for such\nbypass or extension and connection under § 33.2-319.\n\nC. All the provisions of general law relating to the exercise of eminent domain\nby the Commissioner of Highways are applicable to such bypasses, extensions, and\nconnections of the primary state highway system.\n\nD. The Board may expend out of funds appropriated to the Board and allocated to\nan applicable project under § 33.2-358, 33.2-370, or 33.2-371 such funds as\nmay be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 33-35; 1964, c. 258; 1970, c. 322, \u00a7 33.1-39; 1977, c.\n578; 2014, c. 805; 2015, c. 684.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}