US 48 in West Virginia

US 40, 460 and 48 in West Virginia

US 40 in West Virginia

US 40
Get started wheeling
End Triadelphia
Length 16 mi
Length 26 km
Route
Ohiowheeling

Pennsylvania

US 40 is a US Highway in the US state of West Virginia. The route runs for 16 miles through the north of the state around the town of Wheeling.

Travel directions

US 40 at Wheeling.

US 40 runs through the West Virginia panhandle, mostly through the town of Wheeling. US 40 in Ohio comes from Columbus and runs parallel to I-70. US 40 crosses the Ohio River via two bridges, as Wheeling Island is in the middle of the river. First, US 40 and US 250 run over the Military Order of the Purple Heart Bridge, a standard concrete bridge. On Wheeling Island, US 40 joins Interstate 40and crosses the main Ohio River via the Fort Henry Bridge. Immediately thereafter, US 40 rejoins from I-70 and where I-70 goes through a tunnel, US 40 winds over a ridge in the town of Wheeling. US 40 then forms the main street of Wheeling’s eastern neighborhoods and runs parallel to I-70. East of Wheeling, US 40 runs through a wooded valley with ribbon development. This is followed by the Pennsylvania border, after which US 40 continues in Pennsylvania to Washington.

  • See BABYINGER for a list of West Virginia public libraries by county.

History

US 40 was created in 1926 as a transcontinental route. The Ohio River crossing at Wheeling was originally through the Wheeling Suspension Bridge. On September 8, 1955, the Fort Henry Bridge over the Ohio River opened to traffic, over which I-70 would later run. In addition, there was the Bridgeport Bridge, a truss bridge spanning the Ohio River side channel between Wheeling Island and Bridgeport, Ohio. In 1998 a new bridge was built next to it, the Military Order of the Purple Heart Bridge. The Bridgeport Bridge then sat next to it unused for 13 years until it was demolished in 2011.

US 460 in West Virginia

US 460
Get started bluefield
End Glen Lyn
Length 27 mi
Length 43 km
Route
Virginiabluefield

Princeton

Virginia

US 460 is a US Highway in the US state of West Virginia. The route runs through the far south of the state, via Bluefield and Princeton, and begins and ends at the Virginia state border. US 460 is 43 kilometers long.

Travel directions

The Bluefield Bypass.

US 460 begins on the Virginia border at Bluefield. US 460 in Virginia comes from Pikeville. The US 460 then forms the bypass of Bluefield, which is a 2×2 divided highway. The bypass runs along a high ridge that forms the border with Virginia. On the east side of Bluefield is an interchange with US 52 and also connects US 19. Between Bluefield and Princeton, US 19 and US 460 are double-numbered, this section is also a 2×2 divided highway. Just before Princeton, US 19 turns off and US 460 forms the southern bypass of the town of Princeton. East of Princeton is a connection to Interstate 77, then US 460 continues east through rural areas. This part also has 2×2 lanes. At Glen Lyn, the border with Virginia follows, after which the US 460 in Virginia continues to Blacksburg.

History

US 460 was added to the network in 1933 but did not run through West Virginia at the time, its western starting point was Roanoke. In 1947, the route was extended far west to St. Louis, Missouri, creating the current route through West Virginia and other states.

US 460 is an important link in southern West Virginia due to the two nearby towns of Bluefield and Princeton. US 460 coincides with Corridor Q of the 1965 Appalachian Development Highway System. As early as 1967, the first 2×2 lane section opened between Bluefield and Princeton. Between 1972 and 1973, the 2×2 section opened between Princeton and the Virginia border. Bluefield’s southern bypass opened to traffic in 1977. Princeton’s southern bypass followed in 1978. With this, the entire US 460 was upgraded to 2×2 lanes.

US 48 in West Virginia

US 48
Get started Scherr
End Wardensville
Length 86 mi
Length 138 km
Route
Weston

Buckhannon

Elkins

Scherr

Moorefield

Baker

Wardensville

Virginia

US 48 is a US Highway in the US state of West Virginia. The road forms an east-west route from Weston to the Virginia border at Wardensville and is 138 kilometers long.

Travel directions

The U.S. 48.

US 48 begins at West at a junction with Interstate 79. From this point on, US 48 is also double -numbered with US 33 and US 119. The US 48 is a 2×2 divided highway with a limited degree of grade separation. The road leads through mountainous areas with sometimes wide views, but also densely wooded terrain. US 119 splits north at Buckhannon, and US 33 and US 48 continue east together to Elkins, where US 33 also splits.

From Elkins, US 48 coincides with US 219 as far as Thomas. This part runs more north-south. The mountains get higher here, the US 48 runs at about 1000 meters above sea level around Mount Storm Lake. Then the US 48 has a spectacular route to Moorefield, this part has several large valley viaducts and significant height differences. East of Wardensville, the Virginia border follows, then US 48 in Virginia continues to Strasburg, where there are connections to I-66 and I-81.

History

US 48 at Moorefield, opened in 2009.

In 1965, the Appalachian Development Highway System was created, which was to improve connections in the isolated and underdeveloped Appalachian Mountains. One of these connections was Corridor H, which forms US 48. However, US 48 was not introduced for this route until 2002, when sections had been open for a long time.

The western portion from I-79 at Weston to Elkins is the oldest, and is also numbered US 33. In 1972 the first section, only 1 kilometer long, opened at the height of the I-79 at Weston. Between 1975 and 1979 the road was built further east to Lorentz as a divided highway, after which construction was halted for some time. In 1991-1994 the rest as far as Elkins opened to traffic.

The construction of Corridor H in eastern West Virginia has met much environmental resistance, so except for a small section at Bowden, the section east of Elkins has not been constructed. A more northerly route via Scherr was then chosen. In 2002, the first 14 kilometers north of Elkins opened to traffic. After that, a good deal is still missing until Scherr.

East of Scherr, US 48 to Wardensville was constructed between 2006 and 2012. On November 22, 2013, 8 kilometers opened from Bismarck to Scherr. On May 28, 2015, a five-mile section opened at Bismarck, along Mount Storm Lake, and on November 12, 2015, a three-mile extension opened westward to the Tucker County border. On October 20, 2016, a 12-kilometer section opened between Davis and Bismarck.

Future

There is still a part missing between Kerens and Davis and from Wardensburg to the Virginia border. On September 28, 2017, the 13-kilometer section between Kerens and Parsons was started, which is to be opened at the end of 2024. A $49 million contract was awarded in June 2022 for the earthworks on a 3 mile section from Parsons to Mackeyville. Construction is progressing very slowly due to lack of finances.

Traffic intensities

Every day, 23,000 vehicles drive directly east of I-79 at Weston and 14,000 vehicles run halfway through Buckhannon. There were 9,200 vehicles west of Elkins and 3,300 vehicles north of Elkins. Between Moorefield and Wardensville, there were 4,000 to 5,200 vehicles.

US 48 in West Virginia