Known as the Downtown Expressway, the state highway runs 3.39 miles (5.46 km) from Interstate 195 (I-195) east to I-95 within the independent city of Richmond.

In conjunction with another toll road, SR 76, the state highway also connects the Southside suburbs of the metropolitan area with downtown.

The transition between the Interstate and the state-numbered highway occurs just east of the McCloy Street overpass south of the Carytown district of Richmond.

East of 12th Street, SR 195 ascends onto a two-level viaduct—eastbound on the upper level and westbound on the lower level—east to its directional interchange with I-95 (Richmond–Petersburg Turnpike) at the north end of James River Bridge just east of the railroad Triple Crossing at the southeastern corner of Downtown Richmond.

The lack of mixed use urban activation along the downtown Richmond riverfront and surrounding the highway in general has been linked to the expressway.

Some have even suggested a removal or renovation in the manner of San Francisco's Embarcadero or Boston's Big Dig.