Editing Roanoke, Virginia (section)

===Transportation===
{{Main|Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport|Roanoke station (Virginia)}}
[[Interstate 581]], the primary north–south roadway in the city, connects Roanoke to [[Interstate 81 in Virginia|Interstate 81]] to the north. Interstate 581 is a concurrency with [[U.S. Route 220 in Virginia|U.S. Route 220]], which continues as the Roy L. Webber Expressway from downtown Roanoke, where the I-581 designation ends, south to [[State Route 419 (Virginia)|State Route 419]]. Route 220 continues south to connect Roanoke to [[Martinsville, Virginia]], and [[Greensboro, North Carolina]]; a proposed extension of [[Interstate 73 in Virginia|Interstate 73]] into Roanoke from North Carolina, running partially concurrent with and parallel to US 220, has long been stalled due to funding issues.<ref name=Sturgeon9>{{cite news |last=Sturgeon |first=Jeff |date=June 20, 2019 |title=Diverging-diamond interchange planned for Tanglewood exit in 2028 |work=The Roanoke Times |page=1B}}</ref>

The primary east–west roadway through the city is [[U.S. Route 460 in Virginia|U.S. Route 460]], named Melrose Avenue and Orange Avenue. Route 460 connects Roanoke to Lynchburg to the east and [[Christiansburg, Virginia|Christiansburg]] to the west. [[U.S. Route 11 in Virginia|U.S. Route 11]] passes through the city, primarily as Brandon Avenue and [[Williamson Road]], which was a center of automotive-based commercial development after World War II.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McDaniel |first=Brenda |date=June 30, 2016 |title=Williamson Road: Roanoke's Historic Strip |url=https://theroanoker.com/api/content/ce5e9bf8-3ef9-11e6-8ee1-120dcefc1e29/ |access-date=July 21, 2023 |website=TheRoanoker.com |language=en-us |archive-date=December 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231218213420/https://theroanoker.com/magazine/departments/williamson-road-roanoke-s-historic-strip/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Other major roads include [[U.S. Route 221 in Virginia|U.S. Route 221]], [[State Route 117 (Virginia)|State Route 117]] (known as Peters Creek Road) and [[State Route 101 (Virginia)|State Route 101]] (known as Hershberger Road). The Blue Ridge Parkway also briefly runs adjacent to the city border.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nps.gov/archive/blri/vamap.htm |title=Parkway in Virginia |website=Nps.gov |access-date=August 27, 2009 |archive-date=September 1, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090901074809/http://www.nps.gov/archive/blri/vamap.htm |url-status=live}}</ref>[[File:Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport.jpg|thumb|[[Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport]] terminal building|212x212px]]

The [[Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport]] is located in the northern part of the city. It is the primary passenger and cargo airport for Southwest Virginia.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.flyroa.com/history |title=About us – Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport |website=flyroa.com |date=May 12, 2014 |access-date=January 16, 2022 |archive-date=January 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220116142228/https://www.flyroa.com/history |url-status=live}}</ref> The airport is served by [[American Airlines]], [[United Airlines]], [[Delta Air Lines|Delta]] and [[Allegiant Air]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Roanoke Blacksburg Regional Airport {{!}} Roanoke Transportation |url=https://www.visitroanokeva.com/plan/transportation/air-travel/ |access-date=July 21, 2023 |website=www.visitroanokeva.com |language=en-us |archive-date=July 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721204005/https://www.visitroanokeva.com/plan/transportation/air-travel/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Due to the facility's size, location in the mountains, and proximity to [[Andrews Air Force Base]], it is often used as a pilot training destination for the Special Air Mission fleet that serves as [[Air Force One]] and [[Air Force Two|Two]] when the nation's leaders are aboard.<ref name=Kojima1>{{cite news |last=Kojima |first=Emi |date=May 5, 2002 |title=Roanoke's patriotic duty - Air Force pilots sharpen skills at Roanoke Regional Airport |work=The Roanoke Times |page=1A}}</ref>

While Roanoke is known for its rail history, low ridership numbers led [[Amtrak]] to discontinue passenger rail service to the city in 1979.<ref name=Sturgeon10>{{cite news |last=Sturgeon |first=Jeff |date=July 22, 2008 |title=Can passenger rail return to Roanoke? |work=The Roanoke Times |page=1A}}</ref> Beginning in 2011, Roanoke funded a bus service, the Smart Way Connector, to connect riders to the Amtrak station in Lynchburg as well as to show Amtrak that there was once again a demand for the service in Roanoke.<ref name=Sturgeon11>{{cite news |last=Sturgeon |first=Jeff |date=October 31, 2017 |title=Amtrak is back: Amtrak returns to Roanoke |work=The Roanoke Times |page=1A}}</ref> In August 2013, it was announced that Amtrak's ''[[Northeast Regional]]'' service would be extended from Lynchburg by 2017. On October 31, 2017, after 38 years without passenger rail service, Amtrak resumed service to Roanoke.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.wsls.com/news/virginia/roanoke/roanoke-celebrates-inaugural-amtrak-ride |title=Roanoke celebrates inaugural Amtrak ride |last=Wickline |first=Alison |website=www.wsls.com |access-date=December 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107013235/https://www.wsls.com/news/virginia/roanoke/roanoke-celebrates-inaugural-amtrak-ride |archive-date=November 7, 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The service has been successful enough that a second daily train to Roanoke was added in 2022.<ref name=Sturgeon12>{{cite news |last=Sturgeon |first=Jeff |date=July 12, 2022 |title=Roanoke Amtrak expansion rolling: Significant ridership increase predicted |work=The Roanoke Times |page=1A}}</ref>
[[File:611 at Roanoke.jpg|left|thumb|The [[Norfolk and Western 611|N&W 611]] waiting at [[Roanoke station (Virginia)|Roanoke station]] in 2017]]
Despite [[Norfolk Southern Railway|Norfolk Southern]]'s relocation of its corporate headquarters out of the city, Roanoke is still a major hub in the company's [[Rail freight transport|freight rail]] system.<ref name=Sturgeon5/> The railway's Pocahontas Division, consisting of over {{convert|2,500|mi}} of track, is headquartered just outside of downtown Roanoke,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jordan |first=Greg |date=January 13, 2016 |title=Norfolk Southern consolidates Pocahontas Division moving headquarters to Roanoke, Va. |url=https://www.bdtonline.com/news/norfolk-southern-consolidates-pocahontas-division-moving-headquarters-to-roanoke-va/article_0a4e4e24-b9a8-11e5-9711-7baa62ab3f87.html |access-date=July 25, 2023 |website=Bluefield Daily Telegraph |language=en-us |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230725205945/https://www.bdtonline.com/news/norfolk-southern-consolidates-pocahontas-division-moving-headquarters-to-roanoke-va/article_0a4e4e24-b9a8-11e5-9711-7baa62ab3f87.html |archive-date=July 25, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> and though the volume of coal passing through the city has declined in recent decades, 70 million tons of freight are shipped on the area's railroads annually.<ref name=Era/><ref name=Sturgeon13>{{cite news |last=Sturgeon |first=Jeff |date=February 9, 2019 |title=Impasse fueling rail advocates: Rail advocate to try again as I-81 road measures lack support |work=The Roanoke Times |page=1C}}</ref>

The [[Valley Metro (Roanoke)|Valley Metro]] provides [[Public transport bus service|bus service]] to the city of Roanoke and surrounding areas. In June 2023, the service began operating out of a new facility on Third Street in downtown Roanoke, built to replace the aging Campbell Court station.<ref name=Dehr2>{{cite news |last=Dehr |first=Cooper |date=June 15, 2023 |title=A 'great day' for transportation: Roanoke's new bus station a 'vision of where transportation is going' |work=The Roanoke Times |page=1A}}</ref> Valley Metro also offers bus service to [[Blacksburg, Virginia|Blacksburg]], Christiansburg and Virginia Tech via its Smart Way service,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Smart Bus {{!}} Smart Way Bus |url=https://smartwaybus.com/smartway.html |access-date=July 24, 2023 |website=smartwaybus.com |archive-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724155644/https://smartwaybus.com/smartway.html |url-status=live}}</ref> as well as the Ferrum Express, a free shuttle that runs between downtown Roanoke and [[Ferrum College]] in nearby [[Rocky Mount, Virginia|Rocky Mount]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Transportation {{!}} Rocky Mount, VA |url=https://va-rockymount.civicplus.com/188/Transportation |access-date=July 24, 2023 |website=va-rockymount.civicplus.com |archive-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724140631/https://va-rockymount.civicplus.com/188/Transportation |url-status=live}}</ref>

The 21st century has seen Roanoke put considerable resources towards improving its cycling infrastructure. In addition to its extensive paved greenway network, Roanoke has added 43 miles of marked bike lanes along its major roads.<ref name=Casey1>{{cite news |last=Casey |first=Dan |date=September 22, 2022 |title=New safe-cycling group rolls out |work=The Roanoke Times |page=2A}}</ref> In recent years, the city has put millions of dollars towards pedestrian safety improvements, including lane reductions on busy roads, audible signals, and additional street lighting.<ref name=Ruhlen1>{{cite news |last=Ruhlen |first=Rachel |date=June 27, 2021 |title=Less traffic, more crashes |work=The Roanoke Times |page=6B}}</ref> Roanoke is served by RIDE Solutions, a regional [[transportation demand management]] agency that provides [[carpool]] matching, [[cycling advocacy]], transit assistance and [[remote work]] assistance to businesses and citizens in the region.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Holland |first=Monique |date=March 12, 2023 |title=Shared transportation: RIDE Solutions connects carpoolers, van-users and more |url=https://martinsvillebulletin.com/news/local/shared-transportation-ride-solutions-connects-carpoolers-van-users-and-more/article_bafd7400-bf65-11ed-a7ff-23738a4f8426.html |access-date=July 26, 2023 |website=Martinsville Bulletin |language=en-us |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230312052024/https://martinsvillebulletin.com/news/local/shared-transportation-ride-solutions-connects-carpoolers-van-users-and-more/article_bafd7400-bf65-11ed-a7ff-23738a4f8426.html |archive-date=March 12, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>