Route 5 through eastern Henrico has two live county records right now: a safety study on Route 5 and New Osborne Turnpike, and an older planning study of the Route 5 corridor in the Varina district. Neither one sets a construction date. This guide lays out what each page says, with the dates printed on it, so you can judge the road before you judge a house.
It is the next post in our Richmond-area series that already covers Route 10 from Chester to Enon, Route 288 and the Virginia Capital Trail. Route 5 is also called New Market Road in Henrico. We could not find a public dataset for neighborhood commute times, so this post does not quote any. The places below run roughly west to east along the corridor and are not a ranking of quality.
What the official pages say about Route 5, with dates
Henrico’s Route 5 Corridor study page describes Route 5 (New Market Road) as a state-maintained road of about 14 miles, from the eastern boundary of Richmond to Charles City County, running through the Varina district. Its study area reaches 500 feet on each side of the centerline and covers 878 parcels and 1,409 acres. The page states that widening Route 5 and redesigning its intersections fall to VDOT, with the county coordinating as growth occurs.
| Place or stretch | Mission Realty community page? | Official project found | Date stated on the page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Route 5 and New Osborne Turnpike, Varina district | Yes, Varina | Safety and operations study with Henrico, VDOT and the City of Richmond | Study began February 2025, finish expected second quarter 2026; public meetings August 7, 2025 and March 5, 2026 |
| Route 5 corridor, Richmond line to Charles City County | Yes, Varina | Route 5 Corridor study, listed as underway | Board directed the study March 14, 2017; latest posted step April 16, 2018 |
| Marion Hill | No, see the Henrico hub | Pulled out of the corridor study for a separate later study | April 16, 2018 |
| Tree Hill | No | Named on the study page for cut-through traffic concerns | Page content runs 2017 to 2018 |
| Gregg Road and Strath Road area | No | Named by workshop participants as a possible town center | Workshops August 3 and October 19, 2017 |
| New Osborne Turnpike to the Richmond line | No | Through-truck restriction approved | October 11, 2022 |
Read the table as a record of paperwork, not a forecast. The safety study page lists the start and end dates of any construction as to be determined. It says feedback and traffic data had been analyzed and that alternatives were being developed. The March 5, 2026 meeting showed proposed alternatives, and the survey deadline on that page was March 19, 2026. We did not find a page stating which alternative was chosen, so check the county project page before you rely on any design.
The older corridor study is a different kind of document. It was written to guide how the county reviews development proposals, and the 2017 page notes that Marion Hill was removed from it in April 2018. That page states no date for a next meeting, and we found no adopted plan on it. If a listing near Route 5 mentions a planned improvement, ask for the project name and look it up before you count on it.
Save a search for the Route 5 side of Henrico
We can set up a saved search for homes in Varina and the eastern Henrico areas along New Market Road, so new listings reach you as they appear. Tell us which parts of the corridor you want to watch and we will build it.
Six places along Route 5, west to east
Only places named on an official page are listed. We left out neighborhoods we could not tie to Route 5 from a county or state source.
1. New Osborne Turnpike and the Richmond line
The county’s truck study lists New Osborne Turnpike (Route 5, Osborne Turnpike) from the Richmond city line as a restricted road. The Board of Supervisors approved the through-truck restrictions on October 11, 2022. This is the end of the corridor closest to the city, and it is part of the current safety study.
2. Marion Hill
Marion Hill is a neighborhood along Route 5. In April 2018 the county pulled it out of the corridor study so it could get its own later study. We found no page showing that study finished. Ask the county what, if anything, is pending.
3. Tree Hill
The corridor study page names Tree Hill when it discusses cut-through traffic, so drive the side streets at rush hour before you decide. We found no figure for how much traffic uses them, so we give none.
4. The Gregg Road and Strath Road area
Workshop participants in 2017 pointed to this area as a possible town center. That was an idea from a public workshop, not an adopted plan, and we found no approval for it. We do not describe what may be built there.
5. Varina
The Varina Area Library sits at 1875 New Market Road, and both public meetings on the safety study were held in Varina, at the library on August 7, 2025 and at the Varina High School auditorium on March 5, 2026. Our Varina community page covers the district in more detail.
6. The Charles City County line
Route 5 reaches Charles City County at the eastern end of the Henrico stretch, per the county page. Charles City is outside our market, so we point you to eastern Henrico pages such as Highland Springs and Sandston if you want to compare nearby areas.
How to check a Route 5 address yourself
Start at the Henrico project page for Route 5 and New Osborne Turnpike. It hosts a survey and a corridor map, and it carries the study dates. Then compare a home to the map. Our mortgage calculator helps you set a budget, and our preferred lenders can walk through financing. If you are weighing Route 5 against other parts of Henrico, the Henrico County hub and our buyer page are good starting points. If you sell near the corridor, our seller page explains how we work.
When you tour, drive Route 5 at the hours you would commute and walk the side streets. Ask for the project name of any road work a seller mentions, and then read its county page. Nothing on the pages we read says a project will raise or lower the value of any house.
Get a saved search for Route 5 and eastern Henrico
Tell us the parts of the corridor you want, and we will set up a saved search so new listings reach you first.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Route 5 in eastern Henrico?
Henrico’s Route 5 Corridor study page, with content from 2017 and 2018, describes Route 5 (New Market Road) as about 14 miles from the eastern boundary of Richmond to Charles City County.
Who decides whether Route 5 gets widened?
The same county page says widening Route 5 and changing its intersections fall under VDOT, with Henrico coordinating as growth occurs. The safety study is a partnership of Henrico, VDOT and the City of Richmond.
What did the county say the safety study would cost?
The project page lists an estimated cost of $230K and start and end dates as to be determined. It describes the work as a study, so the figure is not a construction budget.
Were trucks restricted on roads that meet Route 5?
On October 11, 2022 the Henrico Board of Supervisors approved through-truck restrictions after the Eastern Henrico Truck Travel Study. Willson Road, Doran Road and Turner Road were each listed from a starting road to New Market Road, and New Osborne Turnpike was listed up to the Richmond line.
Where were the public meetings held?
The first was August 7, 2025, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m., at the Varina Library, 1875 New Market Road. The second was March 5, 2026, at the Varina High School auditorium, 7053 Messer Road, with doors at 5:30 p.m.
Is there a survey or map online?
Yes. The county’s Route 5 and New Osborne Turnpike project page hosts a survey and a corridor map. The survey deadline stated on that page was March 19, 2026, so it has passed.
Can I rely on the Route 5 study to predict what gets built nearby?
No. The corridor study page lists no adopted plan, and the safety study page lists construction dates as to be determined. Ask the county planning office about any specific parcel, and use our contact page to ask us to pull the listing details.
