▁long - pl anned ▁route ▁for ▁the ▁inter state ▁highway , ▁now ▁known ▁as ▁I - 6 4 , ▁between ▁Cl if ton ▁For ge ▁and ▁Richmond . ▁ ▁Since ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s , ▁maps ▁of ▁the ▁federal ▁inter state ▁highway ▁system ▁showed ▁a ▁proposed ▁northern ▁route , ▁by pass ing ▁the ▁manufact uring ▁cent ers ▁at ▁Lyn ch burg ▁and ▁Ro ano ke . ▁But ▁federal ▁officials ▁assured ▁Virginia ▁that ▁the ▁state ▁would ▁decide ▁the ▁route . ▁Although ▁initially ▁favor ing ▁that ▁northern ▁route , ▁Virginia ' s ▁State ▁Highway ▁Commission ▁eventually ▁supported ▁a ▁southern ▁route ▁from ▁Richmond ▁via ▁US - 3 6 0 ▁and ▁US - 4 6 0 , ▁which ▁connected ▁Lyn ch burg ▁and ▁Ro ano ke ▁via ▁US - 2 2 0 ▁from ▁Ro ano ke ▁to ▁Cl if ton ▁For ge , ▁then ▁continued ▁west ▁following ▁US - 6 0 ▁into ▁West ▁Virginia . ▁But ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁Governor ▁L inds ay ▁Al mond ▁and ▁US ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Com merce ▁Luther ▁H od ges ▁announced ▁that ▁the ▁route ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁changed . ▁Lyn ch burg ▁was ▁left ▁as ▁the ▁only ▁city ▁with ▁a ▁population ▁in ▁excess ▁of ▁ 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁( at ▁the ▁time ) ▁that ▁was ▁not ▁served ▁by ▁an ▁inter state . ▁ ▁The ▁Virginia ▁State ▁Col ony ▁for ▁Ep ile pt ics ▁and ▁F ee blem ind ed ▁( now ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Central ▁Virginia ▁Training ▁School ), ▁was ▁established ▁outside