The Downtown Expressway opened to traffic from Interstate 195 (near Byrd Park) eastward to 7th Street on Feb. 3, 1976.

The northbound connections to the former Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike (I-95) opened in August 1976, and the southbound connections were completed on Sept. 1, 1977.In 1992, additional lanes were added to the 7th Street and 12th Street westbound on-ramps. At that time, the 11th Street on-ramp and Canal Street off-ramp were widened to two lanes each.

The stretch from Meadow Street to the junction with I-95 is 2.5 miles long. It contains a barrier toll plaza with 12 lanes. Four of the lanes there are reversible.The Second Street ramps have two unmanned tolls. Beginning in March 1994, a toll collection attendant was stationed at the 11th Street and Canal Street ramps during peak traffic times.

An average of approximately 54,000 vehicles utilize the Downtown Expressway each day.