|
|
|
|
Interstate 79
|
| |
|
| |
Interstate 79 (abbreviated I-79) is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States, designated from Interstate 77 in Charleston, West Virginia to Pennsylvania Route 5 and Pennsylvania Route 290 in Erie, Pennsylvania. It is a primary thoroughfare through western Pennsylvania and West Virginia, as well as an important corridor to Buffalo, New York, and the Canadian border.
In West Virginia, Interstate 79 is known as the Jennings Randolph Expressway. In the three most northern counties it is signed as part of the "High Tech Corridor". Through most of Pennsylvania, it is known as the Raymond P. Shafer Highway.
WV
|160.52
|258.49
|-
|PA
|182.72
|294.24
|-
|Total
|343.24
|552.39
|}
at its northern end, I-79 is located on the Allegheny Plateau.

Discussion
Ask a question about 'Interstate 79'
Start a new discussion about 'Interstate 79'
Answer questions from other users
|
Encyclopedia
Interstate 79 (abbreviated I-79) is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States, designated from Interstate 77 in Charleston, West Virginia to Pennsylvania Route 5 and Pennsylvania Route 290 in Erie, Pennsylvania. It is a primary thoroughfare through western Pennsylvania and West Virginia, as well as an important corridor to Buffalo, New York, and the Canadian border.
In West Virginia, Interstate 79 is known as the Jennings Randolph Expressway. In the three most northern counties it is signed as part of the "High Tech Corridor". Through most of Pennsylvania, it is known as the Raymond P. Shafer Highway.
Route description
|-
|WV
|160.52
|258.49
|-
|PA
|182.72
|294.24
|-
|Total
|343.24
|552.39
|}
Major cities Bolded cities are officially-designated control cities for signs |
|---|
|
|
Except at its northern end, I-79 is located on the Allegheny Plateau. Despite the somewhat rugged terrain, the road is relatively flat. Most of the highway is at an elevation of about 1000 to 1200 feet (300 to 360 m) above sea level, with some lower areas near both ends and higher areas near Sutton, West Virginia. In the hillier areas, this flatness is achieved by curving around hills, along ridges, and in or partway up river valleys.
I-79 begins at a three-way directional Y interchange with Interstate 77 along the northwest bank of the Elk River just northeast of Charleston. For its first 67 miles (108 km), to a point just south of Flatwoods, I-79 is located in the watershed of the Elk River, which drains into the Kanawha River. It crosses the Elk River twice - at Frametown and Sutton - and never strays more than about 15 to 20 miles (25 to 30 km) from it.
From Sutton north, Interstate 79 generally parallels the path of U.S. Route 19. With the exception of the area between Washington and Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, I-79 functionally replaces its predecessor route. It is only in this segment, in the vicinity of Pittsburgh, that US 19 serves a significant amount of traffic on its own.
History
West Virginia
The first piece of I-79 in West Virginia, between exits 125 and 132, opened on December 21, 1967. This five-mile (8 km) section bypassed part of WV 73 between Bridgeport and Fairmont. Another five miles (8 km) opened in July 1968, extending the highway on a bypass of downtown Fairmont to exit 137. It was further extended 9.5 miles (15 km) towards Morgantown on October 15, 1970, bypassing more of WV 73 to exit 146 south of that city.
Five miles of road were opened on June 29, 1973, extending I-79 from exit 146 to exit 148, at which traffic was forced onto the newly-opened west end of Corridor E (now I-68) to exit 1. A further extension of six miles (10 km), including the Uffington Bridge over the Monongahela River southwest of Morgantown, was opened on August 30, 1973, leading north to exit 155 (Osage). This completed I-79 from north of Bridgeport to north of Morgantown.
To the south of Bridgeport, the first two sections were both opened on December 22, 1971. One of these ran ten miles (16 km) from exit 51 (Frametown) to exit 62 (Sutton), and the other from exit 105 (Jane Lew) to exit 115 (south of Clarksburg). On September 19, 1973, another stretch was opened, from exit 105 south to exit 99 (Weston).
In 1973, significant portions of the interstate were completed. Interstate 79 opened from Exit 62 to exit 99 in Lewis County.
Another , from exit 67 (Flatwoods) north to exit 91 (south of Weston), opened on November 28, 1973, along with the section from exit 115 north to exit 117 (Anmoore), completing the route between Frametown and Morgantown except in the Bridgeport area.
A extension from exit 51 south to exit 46 (Servia) opened on February 1, 1974, and County Route 11 to WV 4 near Duck was widened to handle the increased load. On the same day, two lanes opened from exit 155 (Osage) north to the state line.
On October 16, 1974, two pieces of I-79 were opened: the other two lanes of the from exit 155 to the state line, and between exits 117 (Anmoore) and 125 (north of Bridgeport). On the same day, the eastern end of Corridor D and the western end of Corridor E, both connecting to I-79 (at exits 119 and 148), were opened. This completed I-79 in West Virginia north of exit 46 (Servia); it was extended south to exit 25 (Amma) in late November and to U.S. Route 119 north of Clendenin (exit 19) on November 13, 1975. It was opened from exit 19 to exit 9 (Elkview) on November 18, 1977, and finally completed to Interstate 77 in 1979.
Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania State Legislature authorized the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to build two extensions in the 1950s. The Northwestern Extension, authorized in 1953, was to stretch from the main Pennsylvania Turnpike north to Erie, and would have included a lateral connection between Ohio and New York (later built as Interstate 90). The Southwestern Extension, authorized in 1955, was to run south from the main line near Pittsburgh to West Virginia, connecting there with an extension of the West Virginia Turnpike. Except for the section between Washington and the Pittsburgh area, which was included as part of Interstate 70, the first portion of I-79 to be added to the plans was north from Pittsburgh to Erie, along the U.S. Route 19 corridor. This addition in 1957 was made possible by eliminating mileage on other routes by making them more direct. The number 79 was assigned in 1958, and an extension south along I-70 to Washington and beyond to Charleston was approved on October 18, 1961. This extension also paralleled US 19 to near Sutton, where it turned westerly to reach Charleston. (The part of US 19 from Sutton south to Interstate 77 at Beckley has since been four-laned as Corridor L of the Appalachian Development Highway System.)
Even before any of I-79 was approved, two short urban portions were designated in September 1955: a spur from I-90 north to Erie, and a western bypass of Pittsburgh, connecting I-70 with I-80S. These routes were initially numbered 179 and 279, with I-79 passing through Pittsburgh and ending at I-90 south of Erie. I-179 was soon absorbed into I-79, but it was not until June 29, 1970 that the swap of I-79 and I-279 was approved. At the same time, I-76 was extended west from downtown Pittsburgh over former I-79 to the new location of I-79 west of Pittsburgh, so I-279 only ran north from downtown Pittsburgh. Only 1.5 years later, on December 3, 1971, I-76 was rerouted to bypass Pittsburgh, and I-279 was extended to its present length. On July 25, 1975 I-79 was opened between exits 1 and 14. The last piece of I-79 between West Virginia and Erie - the Neville Island Bridge over the Ohio River - opened on September 3, 1976.
Exit list
West Virginia
| County | Location | Mile | # | Destinations | Notes |
|---|
| Kanawha | Charleston | 0.000 | | I-77 to I-64 - Parkersburg, Charleston | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | | 1.845 | 1 | US 119 - Mink Shoals | | | 5.047 | 5 | WV 114 - Big Chimney | | | Pinch | 9.469 | 9 | CR 43 (Frame Road) - Elkview | | | Clendenin | 19.091 | 19 | US 119 - Clendenin (CR 53) | | | Roane | Amma | | 25 | CR 29 - Amma | | | | | 34 | WV 36 - Wallback, Clay | | | Clay | | 39.899 | 40 | WV 16 - Big Otter | | | Braxton | | | 46 | CR 11 (Servia Road) | | | Frametown | 51.569 | 51 | WV 4 - Frametown | | | | 57.607 | 57 | US 19 south - Beckley (Corridor L) | South end of US 19 overlap; access to New River Gorge | | Sutton | 61.465 | 62 | WV 4 - Sutton, Gassaway | | | Flatwoods | | 67 | US 19 north, WV 15 - Flatwoods (WV 4) | WV 15 ends at WV 4 south of the interchange; access to Sutton Lake | | Burnsville | 78.909 | 79 | WV 5 - Burnsville, Glenville | Access to Glenville State College and Burnsville Dam. | | Gilmer | No exits in Gilmer County |
|---|
| Lewis | | 90.988 | 91 | US 19 - Roanoke | Access to Stonewall Jackson Lake State Park | | Weston | | 96 | CR 30 - South Weston | Access to Stonewall Jackson Lake and Jackson's Mill | | 98.608 | 99 | US 33, US 119 - Weston, Buckhannon (Corridor H/future US 48 east) | Access to West Virginia Wesleyan College and Davis and Elkins College | | Jane Lew | | 105 | CR 7 - Jane Lew | Access to Jackson's Mill | | Harrison | Lost Creek | | 110 | WV 270 - Lost Creek | | | Stonewood | 115.75 | 115 | WV 20 - Stonewood, Nutter Fort | Access to Alderson-Broaddus College | | Clarksburg | | 117 | WV 58 - Anmoore | | | | 119 | US 50 - Clarksburg, Bridgeport (Corridor D) | Access to Salem International University | | | 121 | CR 24 (Meadowbrook Road) | | | | | 124 |
WV 279 (Jerry Dove Drive) to US 50 east | Access to Harrison/Marion Regional Airport and Tygart Lake State Park | | | | 125 | WV 131 (Saltwell Road) - Shinnston | | | Marion | Whitehall | 132.086 | 132 | US 250 - South Fairmont | | | Fairmont | | 133 | | | | | 135 | CR 64 (Pleasant Valley Road) | | | | 136 | WV 273 - Downtown Fairmont | Interchange grading completed as of April, 2008. | | 136.660 | 137 | WV 310 (East Park Avenue) | Access to Fairmont State University and Valley Falls State Park | | | 139 | CR 33 (Prickett's Creek Road) - East Fairmont | Access to Prickett's Fort State Park | | Monongalia | | | 146 | CR 77 (Goshen Road) | | | Morgantown | 148.766 | 148 | I-68 east - Cumberland, MD | Access to Mountaineer Field and Tygart Lake State Park | | Westover | 152.502 | 152 | US 19 - Westover, Morgantown | Access to Granville. | | 154.836 | 155 | WV 7 - West Virginia University | Access to Star City, Osage, and Mountaineer Field via connector road. |
Pennsylvania
| County | Location | Mile
| # | Destinations | Notes |
|---|
| Old | |
|---|
| Greene | Perry Township | | 1 | 1 | Mount Morris | | | Whiteley Township | | 2 | 7 | Kirby, Garards Fort | | | Franklin Township | 13.971 | 3 | 14 | PA 21 - Masontown, Waynesburg | Access to Waynesburg College | | Washington Township | 19.4 | 4 | 19 | US 19, PA 221 - Ruff Creek, Jefferson | | | Washington | West Bethlehem Township | 23.4 | 5 | 23 | Marianna, Prosperity | | | Amwell Township | 30.6 | 6 | 30 | US 19 - Amity, Lone Pine | | | 32.9 | 7 | 33 | US 40 - Laboratory | | | South Strabane Township | 34.4 | | 34 | I-70 east - New Stanton | | | South end of I-70 overlap |
|---|
| Washington | 35.4 | 8 | 20 | PA 136 (Beau Street) | Access to Washington & Jefferson College | | 36.4 | 7 | 19 | US 19 (Murtland Avenue) | Signed as exits 19A (south) and 19B (north) | | North end of I-70 overlap |
|---|
| 37.9 | | 38 | I-70 west - Wheeling, WV | | | South Strabane Township | 40.3 | 8A | 40 | Meadow Lands | | | 41.1 | 8 | 41 | Race Track Road - Meadow Lands | | | Canonsburg | 43.4 | 9 | 43 | PA 519 - Eighty Four, Houston | | | 45.5 | 10 | 45 | To PA 980 - Canonsburg | | | North Strabane Township | 48.2 | 10A | 48 | Southpointe, Hendersonville | Access to California University of Pennsylvania | | 50.2 | | | PA 576 (Southern Beltway) | Proposed | | Allegheny | Bridgeville | 54.6 | 11 | 54 | PA 50 - Bridgeville | | | South Fayette Township | 55.2 | 12 | 55 | Heidelberg, Kirwan Heights | | | Scott Township | 57.4 | 13 | 57 | Carnegie | | | Pennsbury Village | 59.3 | 14 | 59A | I-279 north - Pittsburgh (US 22 east, US 30 east) | | | 59.4 | 15 | 59B | US 22 west, US 30 west - Airport | | | Robinson Township | 60.4 | 16 | 60 | PA 60 - Crafton, Moon Run, Airport | Signed as exit 60A northbound and exits 60A (south) and 60B (north) southbound | | Coraopolis | 64.1 | 17 | 64 | PA 51 - Coraopolis, McKees Rocks | No southbound exit | | Neville Township | 64.8 | 18 | 65 | To PA 51 - Neville Island | | | Glenfield | 66.5 | 19 | 66 | PA 65 - Emsworth, Sewickley | | | Sewickley Hills | 68.0 | 20 | 68 | Mount Nebo Road | | | Franklin Park | 72.1 | 21 | 72 | I-279 south - Pittsburgh | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | | 73.3 | 22 | 73 | PA 910 east - Wexford | | | Marshall Township | 75.7 | 23 | 75 |
To US 19 south - Warrendale | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | | 75.9 | 25 | 76 | US 19 north - Cranberry | Northbound left exit and southbound entrance | | Butler | Cranberry Township | 77.2 | | 77 | I-76 (Pennsylvania Turnpike) - Harrisburg, Youngstown, OH | | | 78.7 | 25 | 78 | PA 228 to US 19 - Cranberry, Seven Fields, Mars | | | Jackson Township | 83.1 | 26 | 83 | PA 528 - Evans City | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | | 85.5 | 26 | 85 | To PA 528 - Evans City (US 19) | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | | 87.3 | 27 | 87 | PA 68 - Zelienople | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | | 88.7 | 27 | 88 | To US 19, PA 68 - Zelienople | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | | Muddy Creek Township | 95.8 | 28 | 96 | PA 488 - Portersville, Prospect | | | Worth Township | 99.6 | 29 | 99 | US 422 - New Castle, Butler | | | 105.4 | 30 | 105 | PA 108 - Slippery Rock | Access to Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | | Lawrence | No exits in Lawrence County |
|---|
| Mercer | Springfield Township | 113.7 | 31 | 113 | PA 208, PA 258 - Grove City | Access to Grove City College and Westminster College | | Findley Township | 116.5 | | 116 | I-80 - Clarion, Sharon | Signed as exits 116A (east) and 116B (west) | | Jackson Township | 121.1 | 33 | 121 | US 62 - Mercer, Franklin | | | New Vernon Township | 130.6 | 34 | 130 | PA 358 - Greenville, Sandy Lake | Access to Thiel College | | Crawford | Greenwood Township | 141.5 | 35 | 141 | PA 285 - Geneva, Cochranton | | | Meadville | 147.4 | 36 | 147 | US 6, US 322 - Meadville, Conneaut Lake (US 19) | Signed as exits 147A (east) and 147B (west); access to Conneaut Lake Park and Allegheny College | | Hayfield Township | 153.9 | 37 | 154 | PA 198 - Conneautville, Saegertown | | | Erie | Washington Township | 166.5 | 38 | 166 | US 6N - Albion, Edinboro | Access to Edinboro University of Pennsylvania | | McKean Township | 174.7 | 39 | 174 | McKean | | | 178.6 | | 178 | I-90 - Buffalo, NY, Cleveland, OH | Signed as exits 178A (east) and 178B (west) | | Mill Creek Township | 180.5 | 41 | 180 | To US 19 - Kearsarge | Access to Millcreek Mall | | Erie | 182.7 | 43 | 182 | US 20 (26th Street) | Access to Erie International Airport | | 183.6 | 44 | 183 | PA 5 (12th Street) (PA 290 east) | Northbound exit and southbound entrance; signed as exits 183A (east) and 183B (west); access to Presque Isle, Waldameer Park, and Gannon University |
Auxiliary routes
|
| |
|
|