[1] Williamson Road begins in the south at an interchange with Jefferson Street near the boundary of downtown Roanoke with the Old Southwest neighborhood.
For the next couple of blocks, Williamson Road passes through an area consisting largely of parking garages for downtown Roanoke.
After crossing Norfolk Southern's railyard on the Hunter Viaduct, Williamson Road passes the Hotel Roanoke before an interchange with Interstate 581.
The Roanoke Civic Center is located just beyond I-581 at the intersection of Williamson Road and Orange Avenue, which carries U.S. Route 460 and also picks up US 221 here.
The road still maintains some remnants of this history though most major retail has left for malls with largely small, locally owned businesses remaining.
Happy's featured a large indoor building, formerly a department store, with rented stalls and an outdoor area which had vendors every Saturday and Sunday.