Interstate 70 in West Virginia
Encyclopedia
Interstate 70 in the U.S. state of West Virginia
crosses the Northern Panhandle
region, through Ohio County
and the city of Wheeling
. The shortest segment of I-70 in any state it crosses is the segment in West Virginia, spanning 14.45 miles (23.3 km) across the panhandle. The portion of the route in West Virginia begins on a bridge between the eastern border of Ohio
, over the western channel of the Ohio River
, crossing onto Wheeling Island
. The Fort Henry Bridge
carries I-70 across the main channel of the Ohio River and onto mainland West Virginia.
The city of Wheeling sits on the eastern banks of the Ohio River, and I-70 passes over the town on an elevated structure before entering the Wheeling Tunnel
. On the other side of the tunnel, the highway meets the eastern terminus of I-470, a bypass
of Wheeling. Before the highway crosses into Pennsylvania, I-70 passes The Highlands
, a major shopping center in the panhandle. The first portions of the freeway were opened in 1963, and construction was completed in 1971. On average, between 32,000 and 60,000 vehicles use the freeway every day.
(US 40) and US 250 become concurrent
with I-70 as it travels east towards the Fort Henry Bridge. The bridge crosses the main channel of the river and the main branch of the Greater Wheeling Trail
, a rail trail
that parallels the eastern banks of the river. Elevated above the city, a complex interchange provides access to downtown Wheeling and Benwood
. Traveling eastbound US 40 departs the freeway at this interchange and becomes concurrent with West Virginia Route 2 (WV 2) northbound. The intersected highways travel through downtown Wheeling on a one-way pair
, with the southbound lanes passing under the freeway and the northbound lanes passing over the freeway. After the interchange, I-70 enters the approximately 1/4 mi long Wheeling Tunnel which passes through Wheeling Hill. Immediately east of the tunnel, a trumpet interchange provides access to US 250 and WV 2 southbound near some homes north of the highway. Traveling east, US 250 leaves I-70 at this interchange, which is the first non-elevated portion of the freeway.
As I-70 curves to the south, it intersects US 40 and WV 88. The ramps from the eastbound lanes crossing underneath I-70, parallel to Wheeling Creek
. The interchange just west of the Wheeling Tunnel and this interchange are complicated due to the fact that both are abutted by hills. Wheeling Jesuit University's
southeastern border is formed by the freeway as I-70 approaches the neighborhood of Elm Grove
. Washington Avenue provides access to the college as the highway continues south before meeting the eastern terminus of I-470, which is a bypass of Wheeling. Between the trumpet interchange and I-470, I-70 is paralleled by the eastern branch of the Greater Wheeling Trail. A final interchange with in Wheeling city limits
provides access to US 40 and WV 88. Leaving the city, the highway turns further east and enters a deep valley. The highway climbs over Two-Mile Hill, and intersects Cabela Drive (County Route 65), which provides access to The Highlands
, a large shopping destination. Past The Highlands, I-70 continues northeast though woodlands to an interchange with the Dallas Pike (County Route 41) before crossing the state line into Washington County
southwest of West Alexander, Pennsylvania
.
Out of the ten states I-70 passes through, the 14.45 miles (23.3 km) long segment in West Virginia is the shortest. By comparison, the longest stretch of I-70 through a single state is the 451.04 miles (725.9 km) long segment in Colorado
. Every year, the West Virginia Department of Transportation
(WVDOT) conducts a series of surveys on its highways in the state to measure traffic volume. This is expressed in terms of average annual daily traffic (AADT), which is a measure of traffic volume for any average day of the year. In 2009, WVDOT calculated that as few as 32,500 vehicles traveled along the highway at the Pennsylvania state line, and as many as 60,070 vehicles used the Fort Henry Bridge over the Ohio River. As part of the Interstate Highway System
, the entire route is listed on the National Highway System
, a system of roads that are important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility.
linking Wheeling southeast to Morgantown
. The post road was completed in 1794. The National Road
was the first interstate road that served Wheeling, linking the town to Cumberland
, Maryland
in the east. The National Road was completed to Wheeling in 1818. In 1926 the United States Numbered Highways
system was established, and the National Road through the Northern Panhandle was designated
US 40. US 40 linked Vallejo
, California
in the west to Atlantic City
, New Jersey
in the east. Passage of the Federal-aid Highway Act and the Highway Revenue Act of 1956 brought the Interstate Highway System to West Virginia, and the I-70 designator was first designated to a then unconstructed highway across the panhandle.
Portions of I-70 across the Northern Panhandle had been completed by 1963; however, at that time, the link to Pennsylvania had not been completed. At the western end of I-70, the bridge that carries the freeway from the Ohio state line to Wheeling Island was constructed in 1968, while the Fort Henry Bridge
across the main channel was built in 1955. The two tunnels that form the Wheeling Tunnel were estimated to cost a total of $7 million, and were completed in 1967. Construction on the freeway across the panhandle was completed in 1971.
The Wheeling Tunnel was closed for reconstruction work in 2007, 2008, and 2010, causing travelers who wished to travel through on I-70 to detour. The two detour routes included using city streets through downtown Wheeling or by using the I-470 loop. After traffic issues during the reconstruction work on the Wheeling Tunnel in 2008, local politicians suggested closing the twin tunnels altogether and building the freeway over Wheeling Hill instead. After opposition from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
, which was representing residents who live on Wheeling Hill and other groups, the suggestions were dropped. Estimates put the cost of the project between $60 and $80 million to complete. The total cost of the tunnel reconstruction project was over double the original bid, totaling $13.7 million, due to the numerous delays.
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
crosses the Northern Panhandle
Northern Panhandle of West Virginia
The Northern Panhandle is a culturally and geographically distinct region in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is the state's northernmost extension, bounded by the Ohio River on the north and west, along with the state of Pennsylvania on the east...
region, through Ohio County
Ohio County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 47,427 people, 19,733 households, and 12,155 families residing in the county. The population density was 447 people per square mile . There were 22,166 housing units at an average density of 209 per square mile...
and the city of Wheeling
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. The shortest segment of I-70 in any state it crosses is the segment in West Virginia, spanning 14.45 miles (23.3 km) across the panhandle. The portion of the route in West Virginia begins on a bridge between the eastern border of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, over the western channel of the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
, crossing onto Wheeling Island
Wheeling Island
Wheeling Island is the most densely populated island in the Ohio River. It lies within the city of Wheeling in Ohio County, West Virginia, in the United States. The 2000 census showed a resident population of 3,142 persons on the island, which has a land area of 1.514 km²...
. The Fort Henry Bridge
Fort Henry Bridge
The Fort Henry Bridge is a crossing of the Ohio River main channel in Wheeling, West Virginia. The tied-arch bridge carries two lanes in each direction of Interstate 70 , U.S. Route 40 , and US 250. The bridge opened after four years of construction work on September 8, 1955, costing $6.8...
carries I-70 across the main channel of the Ohio River and onto mainland West Virginia.
The city of Wheeling sits on the eastern banks of the Ohio River, and I-70 passes over the town on an elevated structure before entering the Wheeling Tunnel
Wheeling Tunnel
Twin tunnels form the Wheeling Tunnel in Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virginia. The tunnels are long, cutting though Wheeling Hill, and each carries two lanes of Interstate 70 and U.S. Route 250. The tunnels originally took three years to construct, costing $6.9 million...
. On the other side of the tunnel, the highway meets the eastern terminus of I-470, a bypass
Bypass (road)
A bypass is a road or highway that avoids or "bypasses" a built-up area, town, or village, to let through traffic flow without interference from local traffic, to reduce congestion in the built-up area, and to improve road safety....
of Wheeling. Before the highway crosses into Pennsylvania, I-70 passes The Highlands
The Highlands (Wheeling, West Virginia)
The Highlands is a massive open-air shopping, dining and entertainment complex along Interstate 70 in Triadelphia, West Virginia, 7 miles east of the city of Wheeling. It opened in August 2004 with the only Cabela's within a 5-hour distance. It would explode in growth soon after and feature a J.C....
, a major shopping center in the panhandle. The first portions of the freeway were opened in 1963, and construction was completed in 1971. On average, between 32,000 and 60,000 vehicles use the freeway every day.
Route description
I-70 enters West Virginia from Ohio by crossing the western channel of the Ohio River onto Wheeling Island. The freeway passes above a light commercial zone as U.S. Route 40U.S. Route 40 in West Virginia
In the U.S. state of West Virginia, U.S. Route 40 runs for through the Northern Panhandle region. The highway enters the state on the Military Order of the Purple Heart bridge concurrent with US 250, crossing Wheeling Island, before joining Interstate 70 over the Fort Henry Bridge before...
(US 40) and US 250 become concurrent
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with I-70 as it travels east towards the Fort Henry Bridge. The bridge crosses the main channel of the river and the main branch of the Greater Wheeling Trail
Greater Wheeling Trail
The Greater Wheeling Trail is a long mixed use rail trail located in Wheeling, West Virginia....
, a rail trail
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
that parallels the eastern banks of the river. Elevated above the city, a complex interchange provides access to downtown Wheeling and Benwood
Benwood, West Virginia
Benwood is a city in Marshall County, West Virginia, along the Ohio River. It is part of the Wheeling, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,585 at the 2000 census.Benwood was chartered in 1853 and incorporated in 1895...
. Traveling eastbound US 40 departs the freeway at this interchange and becomes concurrent with West Virginia Route 2 (WV 2) northbound. The intersected highways travel through downtown Wheeling on a one-way pair
One-way pair
A one-way pair, one-way couple, or just couplet is a pair of parallel, usually one-way streets that carry opposite directions of a signed route or major traffic flow, or sometimes opposite directions of a bus or streetcar route....
, with the southbound lanes passing under the freeway and the northbound lanes passing over the freeway. After the interchange, I-70 enters the approximately 1/4 mi long Wheeling Tunnel which passes through Wheeling Hill. Immediately east of the tunnel, a trumpet interchange provides access to US 250 and WV 2 southbound near some homes north of the highway. Traveling east, US 250 leaves I-70 at this interchange, which is the first non-elevated portion of the freeway.
As I-70 curves to the south, it intersects US 40 and WV 88. The ramps from the eastbound lanes crossing underneath I-70, parallel to Wheeling Creek
Wheeling Creek (West Virginia)
Wheeling Creek is a tributary of the Ohio River, 25 miles long, in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia in the United States, with a watershed extending into southwestern Pennsylvania. Via the Ohio River, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of...
. The interchange just west of the Wheeling Tunnel and this interchange are complicated due to the fact that both are abutted by hills. Wheeling Jesuit University's
Wheeling Jesuit University
Wheeling Jesuit University is a private, co-educational Roman Catholic university in the United States. Located in Wheeling, West Virginia, it was founded as Wheeling College in 1954 by the Society of Jesus . Today, Wheeling Jesuit University is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of...
southeastern border is formed by the freeway as I-70 approaches the neighborhood of Elm Grove
Elm Grove, West Virginia
Elm Grove is within Wheeling city limits in Ohio County, West Virginia, United States. It lies at an elevation of 774 feet ....
. Washington Avenue provides access to the college as the highway continues south before meeting the eastern terminus of I-470, which is a bypass of Wheeling. Between the trumpet interchange and I-470, I-70 is paralleled by the eastern branch of the Greater Wheeling Trail. A final interchange with in Wheeling city limits
City limits
The terms city limits and city boundary refer to the defined boundary or border of a city. The area within the city limits is sometimes called the city proper. The terms town limits/boundary and village limits/boundary mean the same as city limits/boundary, but apply to towns and villages...
provides access to US 40 and WV 88. Leaving the city, the highway turns further east and enters a deep valley. The highway climbs over Two-Mile Hill, and intersects Cabela Drive (County Route 65), which provides access to The Highlands
The Highlands (Wheeling, West Virginia)
The Highlands is a massive open-air shopping, dining and entertainment complex along Interstate 70 in Triadelphia, West Virginia, 7 miles east of the city of Wheeling. It opened in August 2004 with the only Cabela's within a 5-hour distance. It would explode in growth soon after and feature a J.C....
, a large shopping destination. Past The Highlands, I-70 continues northeast though woodlands to an interchange with the Dallas Pike (County Route 41) before crossing the state line into Washington County
Washington County, Pennsylvania
-Government and politics:As of November 2008, there are 152,534 registered voters in Washington County .* Democratic: 89,027 * Republican: 49,025 * Other Parties: 14,482...
southwest of West Alexander, Pennsylvania
West Alexander, Pennsylvania
West Alexander is an unincorporated community in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 320 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a borough...
.
Out of the ten states I-70 passes through, the 14.45 miles (23.3 km) long segment in West Virginia is the shortest. By comparison, the longest stretch of I-70 through a single state is the 451.04 miles (725.9 km) long segment in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. Every year, the West Virginia Department of Transportation
West Virginia Department of Transportation
The West Virginia Department of Transportation is the state agency responsible for transportation in West Virginia. The Department of Transportation serves an umbrella organization for seven subsidiary agencies which are directly responsible for different areas of the state's...
(WVDOT) conducts a series of surveys on its highways in the state to measure traffic volume. This is expressed in terms of average annual daily traffic (AADT), which is a measure of traffic volume for any average day of the year. In 2009, WVDOT calculated that as few as 32,500 vehicles traveled along the highway at the Pennsylvania state line, and as many as 60,070 vehicles used the Fort Henry Bridge over the Ohio River. As part of the Interstate Highway System
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
, the entire route is listed on the National Highway System
National Highway System (United States)
The National Highway System is a network of strategic highways within the United States, including the Interstate Highway System and other roads serving major airports, ports, rail or truck terminals, railway stations, pipeline terminals and other strategic transport facilities.Individual states...
, a system of roads that are important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility.
History
The first recorded road that reached then Wheeling, Virginia was a post roadPost road
For other uses, see Post Road .A post road is a road designated for the transportation of postal mail. In past centuries only major towns had a post house, and the roads used by post riders or mail coaches to carry mail among them were particularly important ones or, due to the special attention...
linking Wheeling southeast to Morgantown
Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area...
. The post road was completed in 1794. The National Road
National Road
The National Road or Cumberland Road was the first major improved highway in the United States to be built by the federal government. Construction began heading west in 1811 at Cumberland, Maryland, on the Potomac River. It crossed the Allegheny Mountains and southwestern Pennsylvania, reaching...
was the first interstate road that served Wheeling, linking the town to Cumberland
Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland is a city in the far western, Appalachian portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 20,859, and the metropolitan area had a...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
in the east. The National Road was completed to Wheeling in 1818. In 1926 the United States Numbered Highways
United States Numbered Highways
The system of United States Numbered Highways is an integrated system of roads and highways in the United States numbered within a nationwide grid...
system was established, and the National Road through the Northern Panhandle was designated
Road number
A road number is often assigned to a stretch of public roadway. The number chosen is often dependent on the type of road, with numbers differentiating between interstates, motorways, arterial thoroughfares, two-lane roads, and so forth.-United Kingdom:...
US 40. US 40 linked Vallejo
Vallejo, California
Vallejo is the largest city in Solano County, California, United States. The population was 115,942 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area on the northeastern shore of San Pablo Bay...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in the west to Atlantic City
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
in the east. Passage of the Federal-aid Highway Act and the Highway Revenue Act of 1956 brought the Interstate Highway System to West Virginia, and the I-70 designator was first designated to a then unconstructed highway across the panhandle.
Portions of I-70 across the Northern Panhandle had been completed by 1963; however, at that time, the link to Pennsylvania had not been completed. At the western end of I-70, the bridge that carries the freeway from the Ohio state line to Wheeling Island was constructed in 1968, while the Fort Henry Bridge
Fort Henry Bridge
The Fort Henry Bridge is a crossing of the Ohio River main channel in Wheeling, West Virginia. The tied-arch bridge carries two lanes in each direction of Interstate 70 , U.S. Route 40 , and US 250. The bridge opened after four years of construction work on September 8, 1955, costing $6.8...
across the main channel was built in 1955. The two tunnels that form the Wheeling Tunnel were estimated to cost a total of $7 million, and were completed in 1967. Construction on the freeway across the panhandle was completed in 1971.
The Wheeling Tunnel was closed for reconstruction work in 2007, 2008, and 2010, causing travelers who wished to travel through on I-70 to detour. The two detour routes included using city streets through downtown Wheeling or by using the I-470 loop. After traffic issues during the reconstruction work on the Wheeling Tunnel in 2008, local politicians suggested closing the twin tunnels altogether and building the freeway over Wheeling Hill instead. After opposition from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, usually abbreviated as NAACP, is an African-American civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909. Its mission is "to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to...
, which was representing residents who live on Wheeling Hill and other groups, the suggestions were dropped. Estimates put the cost of the project between $60 and $80 million to complete. The total cost of the tunnel reconstruction project was over double the original bid, totaling $13.7 million, due to the numerous delays.
Exit list
External links
- Interstate 70 in West Virginia on AA Roads