SR 54 begins at an intersection with US 33 (Mountain Road) just east of Montpelier. The state highway heads east as two-lane Patrick Henry Road, which intersects Scotchtown Road. Scotchtown Road heads north toward
Scotchtown, the estate of
Patrick Henry. SR 54 heads southeast and crosses the
South Anna River and Kings Pond, an impoundment of Falling Creek, before entering the town of Ashland, where the highway becomes Thompson Street. The state highway intersects
CSX's
RF&P Subdivision just south of the
Ashland Amtrak station. SR 54 continues east as England Street, a three-lane road with center turn lane, and passes to the south of the campus of
Randolph-Macon College. The state highway expands to a six-lane divided highway at US 1 (Washington Highway) and passes through a commercial area between the U.S. Highway and the state highway's
partial cloverleaf interchange with I-95. East of the Interstate, SR 54 reduces to two lanes and leaves the town of Ashland, becoming Patrick Henry Road again. The state highway intersects CSX's Piedmont Subdivision before reaching its eastern terminus at US 301/SR 2 (Hanover Courthouse Highway) within the
Hanover County Courthouse Historic District. ==Major intersections==