U.S. Route 301 (US 301) is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Sarasota, Florida, to Biddles Corner, Delaware. In Virginia, the U.S. Highway runs from the North Carolina state line near Skippers north to the Maryland state line at the Potomac River near Dahlgren. US 301 forms the local complement to Interstate 95 (I-95) from Emporia to Petersburg. The U.S. Highway runs concurrently with US 1 between Petersburg and the state capital of Richmond, where the highways form one of the main north–south avenues. US 301 continues north concurrent with Virginia State Route 2 (SR 2) to Bowling Green, forming an eastern alternative to I-95 and US 1 north of Richmond. At Bowling Green, which is connected to I-95 by SR 207, US 301 becomes the primary highway connecting Richmond and the Northern Neck with Southern Maryland. US 301 was constructed in four main segments: as the original SR 24 and then US 17-1 south of Petersburg, as US 1 from Petersburg to Richmond, as SR 2 from Richmond to Bowling Green, and as part of SR 207 toward Dahlgren. US 301 replaced US 17–1 in the early 1930s and was extended from Petersburg north along its current course into Maryland when the Potomac River Bridge was completed in 1940. Route description North Carolina to Petersburg US 301 enters Greensville County, Virginia from North Carolina as two-lane Skippers Road, which closely parallels CSX's North End Subdivision rail line, crosses Fontaine Creek, and passes through the hamlet of Skippers. The U.S. Highway temporarily expands to a four-lane divided highway through its trumpet interchange with I-95 before becoming two lanes again as it enters the independent city of Emporia as Main Street. US 301 passes through downtown Emporia, crosses the Meherrin River, passing three Virginia Historical Markers in one block facing northbound traffic between Virginia Avenue and Valley Street, and has a grade crossing of Norfolk Southern Railway's Franklin District immediately to the south of its intersection with US 58 Business (Atlantic Street). The U.S. Highway expands to a four-lane undivided highway and has a partial cloverleaf interchange with US 58 before re-entering Greensville County as four-lane divided Sussex Drive. Northbound US 301 receives a ramp from northbound I-95 a short distance south of I-95's diamond interchange with SR 614 (Otterdam Road) just west of the US 301–SR 614 intersection. US 301 crosses over to the east side