Origin
Chesapeake, VA
Evening in Chesapeake on Thursday
Local time
7:16 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chesapeake, VA to Franklin, VA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
44.4 mi
71 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chesapeake, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Franklin, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 44.4-mile drive from Chesapeake to Franklin, Virginia, is a straightforward, single-day trip that takes about 1 hour and 4 minutes to complete. You'll primarily navigate via Portsmouth Boulevard and I-264, with some time on West Military Highway. With a fuel cost estimated at $7, it's an economical excursion. The route is characterized by frequent turns, suggesting a local feel rather than a long-haul highway experience. Since it's a relatively short distance, you won't need to split this drive or plan for an overnight stay, giving you flexibility in your timing.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 44.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' on this 44.4-mile journey. Only 23% of the route is on highways, meaning you'll encounter more traffic lights and intersections than you might on a pure interstate trip. The longest continuous stretch you'll experience is 26.4 miles on Portsmouth Boulevard, offering a brief period of more consistent speed before you transition back to local roads. The road's personality shifts between faster highway segments and more intricate local street navigation.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Portsmouth Boulevard is the longest continuous segment at about 26.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 1.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 44.4 miles you will encounter 15 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 1.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
9
1.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 264 West Toll: Downtown Tunnel, Portsmouth
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 6A
Toward I 264 West Toll: Downtown Tunnel, Portsm...
7
1.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 264 West Toll: Tunnel
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 264 West Toll: Tunnel
8
9.2 mi into trip
|
~13m 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
10.2 mi into trip
|
~15m 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...
8
40.2 mi into trip
|
~56m 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
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Chesapeake, VA and Franklin, VA, road signs point toward Suffolk, Richmond, Military Highway and Smithfield.
Suffolk
9.2 mi in
|
~13m
Richmond
9.2 mi in
|
~13m
Military Highway
10.2 mi in
|
~15m
Smithfield
39.9 mi in
|
~56m
|
via VA 189
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth Boulevard | 26.4 mi | 35m |
| I 264 | 6.7 mi | 9m |
| West Military Highway | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| US 258 | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| I 464 | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Union Camp Drive | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Jamestown Lane | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Hampton Roads Beltway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Portsmouth Boulevard
— 26.4 mi, about 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chesapeake, VA and Franklin, VA.
1
Start on D Street
412 ft
·
20 sec
·
D Street
2
At end of road, turn right onto US 460; VA 166
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Poindexter Street
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
Toward I 464 North
4
Merge onto I 464
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
I 464
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Exit 6A
Toward I 264 West Toll: Downtown Tunnel, Portsmouth
Use the slight right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 264 West Toll: Tunnel
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 264; US 460 ALT
6.7 mi
·
9 min
·
I 264; US 460 ALT
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
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.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 22.2 mi from Chesapeake, VA · 32m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.2 miles from Chesapeake, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Franklin, VA
The final approach into Franklin, VA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.94 one way
$13.89 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $7.59 | $15.18 |
| premium | $4.70 | $8.22 | $16.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.80 | $19.61 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.66 | $2.13 |
| Efficient EV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.89 | $1.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.8 | 0 | $6.22 | $2.84 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Evening in Franklin on Thursday
Local time
7:16 PM
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
2 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 4m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Chesapeake, VA to Franklin, VA covers 44.4 miles and takes about 1h 4m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Portsmouth Boulevard, I 264, West Military Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 22.2 miles from Chesapeake, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.94 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 44.4 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Chesapeake, VA and Franklin, VA, road signs point toward Suffolk, Richmond, Military Highway and Smithfield.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Fort Monroe National Monument.
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