In late 1940, the Commonwealth of Virginia renumbered some of its state highways in order to provide continuous numbers across state lines. At the same time, Maryland, North Carolina, and West Virginia took part by renumbering some of their highways to match Virginia's, and Tennessee planned to renumber one of its highways but never did.
List of renumbered routes
State Route 3 was eliminated northwest of Sperryville by State Route 261 (now State Route 739) and an extension of U.S. Route 522 into Virginia.
State Route 4, which had not existed immediately prior to 1940, was assigned as a renumbering of State Route 84 to match Kentucky Route 4. This is now U.S. Route 460.
State Route 7 was eliminated northwest of Winchester by an extension of U.S. Route 522 into Virginia.
Former State Route 9 was split between State Route 120 and State Route 123. The State Route 9 designation was then used as a renumbering of State Route 238 to match West Virginia Route 9.
State Route 10 south of Suffolk became State Route 32 to match North Carolina Highway 32.
U.S. Route 15 was relocated between Warrenton and Gilberts Corner. The old alignment became an extension of State Route 17 (to match Maryland Route 17), while the new alignment replaced a secondary route and part of State Route 234.
Former State Route 16 was renumbered State Route 27. This allowed State Route 16 to be used for all of former State Route 88 and State Route 92 and part of former State Route 81. In North Carolina, North Carolina Highway 16 was rerouted over former North Carolina Highway 681 to match, while the former NC 16 to Tennessee became North Carolina Highway 88. West Virginia Route 12, at least near the Virginia line, became West Virginia Route 16.
State Route 17, which continued U.S. Route 17 northwest from Fredericksburg to Opal, was extended over U.S. Route 15 from Opal to Warrenton, former US 15 from Warrenton to Middleburg, secondary routes from Middleburg to south of Purcellville, and the northern piece of State Route 234 through Purcellville to Maryland. This is now U.S. Route 17, State Route 245, secondary routes, and State Route 287. Maryland swapped its Maryland Route 17 and Maryland Route 33 to match; SR 287's connection in Maryland is still MD 17. (The number 33 could not be used in Virginia because of U.S. Route 33.)
State Route 27 was renumbered State Route 170. On the North Carolina side, North Carolina Highway 170, which had ended at Sligo, was extended north along former North Carolina Highway 34. This is now State Route 168 and North Carolina Highway 168. The State Route 27 designotion was reused for former State Route 16.
State Route 32 had run from Boykins west to Emporia, north to Purdy, and east through Jarratt. A short piece from Boykins to Branchville became an extension of State Route 195, which had ended at Branchville. SR 32 from Branchville to Purdy became a new State Route 88, and the piece east from Purdy became an extension of State Route 137. This had the effect of freeing up the State Route 32 designation for a renumbering of State Route 10 south of Suffolk to match North Carolina Highway 32.
State Route 34, which had run from Kenbridge via Lawrenceville to North Carolina, was eliminated. It became State Route 46 to match North Carolina Highway 46, but was realigned to end at Blackstone rather than Kenbridge; State Route 137 (which had run to Blackstone) was rerouted over former SR 34 to Kenbridge.
State Route 37, from Petersburg east to Garysville, was renumbered State Route 106. This freed up State Route 37 (now U.S. Route 13) to match North Carolina Highway 37, replacing all of State Route 53.
State Route 38 was extended northwest from Amelia along former State Route 49 to Tobaccoville. This eliminated an overlap with SR 49 and U.S. Route 360 southwest of Amelia; SR 49 north of Tobaccoville was replaced by the extension of U.S. Route 522 into Virginia.
State Route 39, from near Wylliesburg north to Pamplin City, became an extension of State Route 47. This freed up State Route 39 as a renumbering of State Route 501 to match West Virginia Route 39; West Virginia was "not... able to change location of Rt. 501 through their State."
State Route 46, from Barnes Junction to Boydton, became part of an extension of State Route 47 from Barnes Junction to Chase City and a new State Route 92 from Chase City to Boydton. The State Route 46 designation was thus freed to match North Carolina Highway 46 as a renumbering of State Route 34, but the north end was swapped with State Route 137 to end at Blackstone rather than Kenbridge.
State Route 47, which had run from South Hill west to Chase City, was extended west over part of State Route 46 to Barnes Junction, north over U.S. Route 15 to near Wylliesburg, and north replacing all of State Route 39 to Pamplin City. This allowed State Route 39 to be used to match West Virginia Route 39.
State Route 49, which had run north to Flint Hill, was greatly truncated to Burkeville; most of the old route, from near Powhatan north to Culpeper, became part of U.S. Route 522's extension into Virginia. The non-concurrent piece between Burkeville and near Powhatan became an extension of State Route 38; the piece north of Culpeper became an extension of State Route 242. At the south end, SR 49 was truncated to Virgilina and taken to the North Carolina line there; the former route west from Virgilina became a new State Route 96. North Carolina Highway 49 was extended from Charlotte all the way to the state line, replacing many routes including most of North Carolina Highway 144.
State Route 53 was renumbered State Route 37 to match North Carolina Highway 37.
U.S. Route 58 was relocated to a new alignment between Damascus and Volney, replacing State Route 305. The old route mainly became part of State Route 81 (an extension of pre-1940 State Route 91), while the two north–south pieces became parts of State Route 91 and State Route 16 (both renumbered and lengthened from former State Route 81 and State Route 88).
State Route 59 was renumbered as State Route 83 to match West Virginia Route 83, and State Route 59 was used on former State Route 261 to match West Virginia Route 59.