US 522

 US Route 522 is a road that goes from US 11/US 15 in Selinsgrove, PA to US 60 in Powhatan, VA. Since this is currently only a Virginia website, I will only do the Virginia part of the route.

US 522 Shield

The Route Path:

US 522 enters Virginia in Frederick County, near the state's northernmost point. The route goes south as a 4 lane divided highway, passing through the community of Reynolds Store. Shortly after, US 522 intersects the east end of VA-127.

The route continues south through hilly, rural Frederick County, before eventually meeting VA-37 northwest of Winchester. US 522 heads east from here, before turning south onto Cameron Street, on a concurrency with US 11. In Winchester, the routes meet the west end of VA-7, and shortly after, US 50 joins the concurrency. Shortly after, US 11 splits from the routes, and US 17 begins, concurrent with US 522/50.

The routes continue south from here, before eventually turning east, and having an interchange with I-81. US 522 splits off from the concurrency at the Northbound junction. The route heads south through Frederick County, passing through the communities of Parkins Mills and Armel, before entering Clarke County.

Looking northbound at the interchange with I-81 near Winchester.

US 522 meets US 17/50 and I-81 shortly before entering Winchester, looking northbound.

An intersection with SR-756 in Frederick County, looking northbound.

Looking northbound as US 522 enters Frederick County from Clarke County.

US 522 meets the north end of its concurrency with US 340, which is also the east end of VA-277. The routes continue south, close to the western edge of Clarke County, before entering Warren County. US 522 and US 340 run parallel to the Crooked Run for a few miles, before having an interchange with I-66 north of Front Royal.

The north end of the US 522/US 340 concurrency, looking northbound.

Approaching the US 340/VA-277 intersection, heading northbound of course.

Heading northbound on US 522/US 340 after the I-66 interchange.

The routes pass under I-66 at their interchange.

South of I-66, the routes meet the north end of their concurrency with VA-55, before crossing the South Fork Shenandoah River, and entering downtown Front Royal. In the town, US 522 splits from US 340 and VA-55, and continues south. At the southern part of Front Royal, the route has an intersection with VA-55, and US 522 turns southeast.

Northbound US 522/US 340 just after leaving VA-55.

A very nice intersection area with US 522, US 340, and VA-55.

South US 522 turns away at the south end of the US 340/VA-55 concurrency in Front Royal.

US 522 intersecting VA-55 before the concurrency.

Northbound US 522 entering Front Royal.

The route goes through a low part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, before entering Rappahannock County at Chester Gap. US 522 continues south, turning parallel to the Blue Ridge Mountains, passing through the CDP of Flint Hill, before meeting the east end of its concurrency with US 211. The routes head west, before intersecting their business routes for the town of Washington. South of the town, the Business routes reunite with the mainline routes, and US 522 and US 211 continue southwest.

Northbound US 522 crossing into Warren County from Rappahannock County.

Remove the L in that name and we're good.

Northbound US 522 has 10 miles remaining until it reaches Front Royal.

This old alignment intersection is odd with the current route being 55 MPH.

The north end of the US 522/US 211 concurrency.

US 522 and US 211 at the intersection with the north end of their business routes.

Just east of the town of Sperryville, US 522 splits from US 211, before immediately turning east onto Sperryville Pike. Shortly after, the route intersects the north end of VA-231, and continues east through rural Rappahannock County, eventually entering Culpeper County.

Northbound US 522 on the short road connecting Main Street and US 211 in Sperryville.

US 522 Northbound turns away from downtown Sperryville.

US 522 Northbound approaching Sperryville after the VA-231 intersection.

US 522 heads east through western Culpeper County, passing through the community of Salem, shortly before entering the town of Culpeper. In the town, the route has a roundabout with Colonel Jameson Blvd, before reaching Business US 15/29. US 522 turns south with the routes, going through Downtown Culpeper. At the south end of the town, US 522 splits from the concurrency, but joins VA-3, which has its west end at that intersection. The routes head east, intersecting Mainline US 15/29 at a diamond interchange. Shortly after the interchange, US 522 splits from VA-3, heading south,

The route continues south through rural Culpeper County, intersecting many secondary routes, including SR-615, where US 522 curves southeast, entering Orange County after almost 4 miles. Shortly after entering Orange County, the route turns south in a straight line, staying like that for half the routes length in the county. US 522 eventually intersects VA-20 in Unionville, where US 522 takes a slight curve to the south-southeast. The route continues in another straight line for about 8.5 miles, before curving a bit, and entering Spotsylvania County.

US 522 goes southeast in its very short time in the county, before entering Louisa County. The route continues east, before curving to the south, and intersecting the north end of its concurrency with VA-208. US 522 and VA-208 head south for just over 5 miles, before entering the town of Mineral as Louisa Avenue. In the town, the routes turn west onto 1st Street, before US 522 and VA-208 split at Mineral Avenue. US 522 turns south, passing through the rest of the town. After leaving Mineral, the route heads southeast, before curving back south, shortly after, US 522 meets the west end of its concurrency with US 33. Both routes head east for less than a mile, before US 522 splits off again, heading south as a windy road.

The route intersects many secondary routes, as it goes south through some hilly terrain. About 14 miles later, US 522 intersects I-64 at a diamond interchange. Shortly after, the route meets US 250 at a roundabout, and US 522 continues south, entering Goochland County. The route goes through rural areas, before passing through the unincorporated community of Sandy Hook, where US 522 meets SR-673. US 522 continues southeast from here, before entering the CDP of Goochland. The route passes through the commercial part of the county seat, before reaching VA-6. The routes head south together, passing through the main part of Goochland. Shortly after leaving the CDP, US 522 turns south, leaving the concurrency, and crossing the James River into Powhatan County.

The route heads south through wooded rural areas, intersecting many secondary routes, including SR-617 and SR-711. After the intersection with SR-711, US 522 continues south for about 5 miles, before reaching its southern end at an intersection with US 60. The road itself continues south as SR-1002, before becoming VA-13, heading west to return to US 60.

My Experiences:

I have been on US 522 numerous times, including on November 27, 2022, June 7, 2023, July 8, 2023, and March 18, 2024, where I used it for a major part of the trip TO Winchester.