Known as Peters Creek Road, the state highway runs 7.21 miles (11.60 km) from U.S. Route 11 (US 11) in Roanoke north to US 11 in Hollins.

The state highway heads north as a five-lane road with a center left-turn lane that crosses Norfolk Southern Railway's Whitethorne District.

The state highway passes through an industrial park and crosses over the Roanoke River and the western end of the rail yard on Norfolk Southern's Christiansburg District.

North of the rail yard, SR 117 intersects Shenandoah Avenue to the east of the Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

The state highway begins to parallel Peters Creek to the west of the Wilmont neighborhood and intersects Salem Turnpike before reaching its junction with US 460 and US 11 Alternate (Melrose Avenue).