Suffolk's early growth depended on its waterfront location, with access to the waterways for power and transportation. Subsequent transportation infrastructure upgraded its connections with other markets. These continue to be major factors in the 21st century.
Bike trails The Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge includes dozens of miles of trails accessible via White Marsh Road at Washington Ditch and other entry sites. Additional bike trails can be found at Lone Star Lakes City Park off Godwin Blvd. This city park provides over of rock trails. There are many rural roads with light traffic available for road riding. Adjacent to Suffolk is Isle of Wight County, where a county facility called Nike Park includes a bike trail approximately 2 miles in a loop.
Waterways Suffolk was initially a port at the
head of navigation of the
Nansemond River. The Nansemond flows into the
James River near its mouth and the ice-free harbor of
Hampton Roads.
Railroads The two
railroads completed through Suffolk before the
American Civil War were later joined by four more. These were eventually consolidated during the modern merger era of North American railroads which began around 1960. Suffolk was served by several passenger lines, concluding with Amtrak's
Mountaineer, which ended in 1977. At least two former passenger stations are still standing, the
Seaboard Coast Line station, now the Seaboard Station Railroad Museum, and the
Norfolk and Western Railway station at 100 Hollady Street. The N&W station was used by
Amtrak (as "Holiday Street") until 1977 when the
Mountaineer was replaced by a bus connection to the
Hilltopper. Currently, Amtrak's
Northeast Regional between
Norfolk and
Petersburg passes by the N&W station without stopping. Today, Suffolk is served by three freight railroads. It is located on a potential branch line for the
Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor between
Petersburg, Virginia and
South Hampton Roads, being studied by the
Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation.
Highways Suffolk is served by U.S. Highways
13,
17,
58,
258 and
460.
Interstate 664, part of the
Hampton Roads Beltway, crosses through the northeastern edge of the city.
State Route 10 is also a major highway in the area. In 2006, Suffolk assumed control of its road system from the
Virginia Department of Transportation, which is customary among Virginia's
independent cities. Since the
Byrd Road Act of 1932 created Virginia's Secondary Roads System, the state maintains the roads in most counties and towns. An exception was made by the General Assembly when the former Nansemond County became an independent city and consolidated Suffolk in the 1970s. The state maintained the primary and secondary routes in Suffolk until July 1, 2006.
Bridges, bridge-tunnel The
Monitor–Merrimac Memorial Bridge–Tunnel connects Suffolk to the independent city of
Newport News on the
Virginia Peninsula from
South Hampton Roads. It is part of the
Hampton Roads Beltway, a circumferential interstate highway that links the seven largest cities of
Hampton Roads. Completed in 1992, it provided a third major vehicle crossing of the Hampton Roads harbor area and cost $400 million to build. The city and VDOT have had disputes over ownership and responsibility for the
Kings Highway Bridge (circa 1928) across the Nansemond River on
State Route 125. VDOT closed it in 2005 for safety reasons. About 3,300 motorists a day used the bridge that connected
Chuckatuck and
Driver. The closure forced detours of as much as . The cost of a new bridge for the King's Highway crossing is estimated at $48 million, far more than could be recovered through collection of tolls at that location. In 2007, VDOT announced that it would contract for demolition and removal of the bridge. According to newspaper accounts, this was the first time in VDOT's history that it did not plan for a replacement facility. Virginia is reviewing proposals under a
public-private partnership for a major realignment and upgrade of U.S. 460 from Suffolk west to
Interstate 295 near
Petersburg. In 1995, the
Virginia General Assembly passed the Public-Private Transportation Act, allowing private entities to propose innovative solutions for designing, constructing, financing, and operating transportation improvements. The new roadway would be funded through collection of
tolls. As part of the Suffolk 2026 Comprehensive Plan, the city plans to bypass the crossroads community of Whaleyville in southwestern Suffolk City.
US 13 (along with
NC Highway 11) is a strategic highway corridor in North Carolina toward
Greenville.
Public transportation The City of Suffolk operates
Suffolk Transit, which provides local bus service. Two connections to
Hampton Roads Transit buses are also available. ==Economy==