Southwest Virginia (e-Region)

Southwest Virginia is a region of mountains, rolling hills, and wide-open valleys that includes seven counties (Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Tazewell, and Wise) and the City of Norton. An abundant natural resource base consisting of timber, coal, limestone, and natural gas provides economic opportunities for onshoring. Accessibility to interstate highways makes the region a convenient location to reach markets east of the Mississippi and in the Midwest.

As the trivia question goes, Lee County in far Southwest Virginia is closer to eight other state capitals than it is to Richmond. The westernmost corner of the Commonwealth is midway between Atlanta and Pittsburgh, Charlotte and Cincinnati, and Richmond and Louisville. That placement, along with strong nearby infrastructure — seven interstate highways run within close proximity to its borders, accessible via four-lane highways in the region — makes Southwest Virginia an advantageous location for companies looking to reach markets east of the Mississippi River. The region is known as Virginia’s e-Region because of its broadband access and focus on electronic information technology, energy, emerging technologies, education, and entrepreneurship. Major IT and data center companies such as Northrop Grumman, CGI, SAIC, and DP Facilities have chosen to operate in Southwest Virginia alongside leading manufacturers like Tempur Sealy International and Tadano Mantis.

• Seven interstates are within close proximity: I-81 (1 mile), I-26 (2 miles), I-381 (6 miles), I-77 (6 miles), I-75 (24 miles), I-64 (28 miles), and I-40 (36 miles).
• Four-lane highways in the region (U.S. 19, 23, 58, 460 and 421) increase connectivity to major interstates and markets.
• Freight rail service is provided by CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern, offering a wide range of reliable and efficient shipping options.
• The Virginia TradePort, located at the New River Valley Airport, is 67 miles north, and The Port of Virginia, offering the deepest harbor on the U.S. East Coast, is 387 miles east.
• Six regional airports provide general aviation service, and Tri-Cities Regional Airport (TRI) provides commercial air service with connections to Atlanta, Charlotte, and Orlando/Tampa.

As U.S. Route 58 winds west along the southern border of Virginia into the Blue Ridge Mountains, the road takes on another name — The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail is a 330-mile driving route through Southwest Virginia.