Nearing the first of three interchanges of Interstate 68 for the city of Morgantown. Intersecting the freeway ahead U.S. 119 (Grafton Road & University Avenue). The federal route travels 20 miles north from Grafton to meet Interstate 68 south of Morgantown. Photo taken 08/07/04.
The right-hand lane becomes exit-only for the Exit 1 folded-diamond interchange with U.S. 119 (University Avenue). University Avenue carries U.S. 119 north 3.6 miles into downtown Morgantown where the highway intersects U.S. 19 (Pleasant Street). Photo taken 08/07/04.
Traffic to U.S. 119 (University Avenue & Grafton Road) leaves Interstate 68 eastbound at Exit 1. U.S. 119 follows University Avenue north to Pleasant Street (U.S. 19). In downtown Morgantown, U.S. 119 turns northeast toward Morgantown Municipal Airport and Easton before departing the state for Point Marion, Pennsylvania. Photo taken 08/07/04.
Descending from U.S. 119 eastward toward the Kingwood Pike over crossing south of Morgantown. The first eastbound reassurance shield lies east of Exit 1 and to the south is the parallel Cobun Creek Road. Cobun Creek Road ends at Kingwood Pike just south of Interstate 68. Photo taken 08/07/04.
Continuing eastward along Interstate 68 toward the Kingwood Pike over crossing. A Morgantown exits guide sign indicates the distances to the next two interchanges along the freeway. These types of upcoming exit signs are common within West Virginia urban areas. Photo taken 08/07/04.
West Virginia 7 (Rogers Avenue) intersects Interstate 68 at the Exit 4 folded-diamond interchange in southeast Morgantown. The state highway meets the freeway 2.4 miles west of Pioneer Rocks. Photo taken 08/07/04.
A look at the high-level overpass that carries Kingwood Pike over Interstate 68. Kingwood Pike stems 1.5 miles south from the intersection of Dorsey Avenue & Greenbag Avenue to Cobun Creek Road near the freeway. Photo taken 08/07/04.
Eastbound at the one-mile guide sign for junction West Virginia 7 (Rogers Avenue) on Interstate 68 eastbound. West Virginia 7 follows Rogers Avenue northwest from Exit 4 one mile to the Sabratan community of east Morgantown. Photo taken 08/07/04.
Interstate 68 curves northeasterly toward the Exit 4 interchange with West Virginia 7 (Rogers Avenue). West Virginia 7 crosses the northern reaches of the Mountain State between New Martinsville along the Ohio River to Hopemont at the Maryland state line. Photo taken 08/07/04.
Exit 4 loops onto West Virginia 7 (Rogers Avenue) from Interstate 68 east. West Virginia 7 leaves Morgantown for a 21-mile drive to the Preston County seat of Kingwood at junction West Virginia 26. The state highway continues east from there 11 miles to Maryland 39 near Oakland, Maryland. Photo taken 08/07/04.
The next interchange for Interstate 68 eastbound travelers exists at West Virginia 705 (Pierpont Road). Pierpont Road comprises a four-lane divided highway between Exit 10 and U.S. 119 (Ice's Ferry Road) northeast of Morgantown. Photo taken 08/07/04.
Interstate 68 eastbound at the one-mile guide sign for the Exit 7 diamond interchange with Pierpont Road. West Virginia 705 provides the main route to Morgantown Municipal Airport from Interstate 68 at the community of Easton. Photo taken 08/07/04.
Drawing closer to West Virginia 705 (Pierpont Road) on Interstate 68 east. Pierpont Road travels 1.4 miles between U.S. 119 (Ice's Ferry Road) and West Virginia State Secondary 857. State Secondary 857 continues Ice's Ferry Road east from Pierpont to the Ice's Ferry Bridge at Cheat Lake. Photo taken 08/07/04.
Eastbound at the Exit 7 ramp departure for West Virginia 705 (Pierpont Road). Use Pierpont Road west to U.S. 119 north (Point Marion Road) for Point Marion, Pennsylvania eight miles to the north. Photo taken 08/07/04.
Interstate 68 leaves the greater Morgantown area for Cheat Lake and Preston County. A mileage sign posted after Exit 7 highlights the distance to the final points of interest within the Mountain State (Cheat Lake and Bruceton Mills). Photo taken 08/07/04.
1.50 miles west of the Exit 10 diamond interchange for West Virginia State Secondary 857 (Cheat Road) and Fairchance Road. West Virginia State 857 carries the numbering convention of Pennsylvania 857 southward from Fayette County, Pennsylvania to Cheat Lake. The highway crosses the state line four miles to the north. Photo taken 08/07/04.
Interstate 68 eastbound at the one-mile guide sign for Exit 10 (West Virginia State Secondary 857). West Virginia State Secondary 69 stems south from State Secondary 857 to meet Interstate 69. Cheat Road carries State Secondary 857 west from Fairchance Road to Ice's Ferry Bridge over Cheat Lake. Photo taken 08/07/04.
Interstate 68 crosses over Cheat Lake via a four-lane span ahead of junction Virginia State Secondary 69. Cheat Lake is fed by the Cheat River to the south. The lake ties into the Monongahela River in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Photo taken 08/07/04.
Virginia State Secondary 857 (Ice's Ferry Road) and Lakeview Drive pass over Interstate 68 near the community of Sunset Beach east of Cheat Lake. State Secondary 857 crosses the Ice's Ferry Bridge just south of the freeway and turns northeast along Cheat Road from the lakeside. Photo taken 08/07/04.
Exit 10 leaves Interstate 68 east for West Virginia State Secondary 69. Use West Virginia State Secondary 857 (Cheat Road) north for Pennsylvania Turnpike 43 (Mon-Fayette Expressway). The Mon-Fayette Expressway is under construction from the state line to Interstate 68 at present. Upon completion, the future West Virginia 43 will stem north four miles from Exit 10 to the toll road in Pennsylvania. Photo taken 08/07/04.
Interstate 68 enters Coopers Rock State Forest east of Cheat Lake. The state parkland encompasses the fives miles of freeway between mileposts 12 and 17. Photo taken 08/07/04.
Two miles west of the Exit 15 diamond interchange with West Virginia State Secondary 73/12. Interstate 68 crosses the Preston County line ahead of the next exit. Photo taken 08/07/04.
Eastbound Interstate 68 approaching Exit 15. This is fractional route 73/12. H.B. Elkins, webmaster of West Virginia Roads, writes:
"These (Fractional Routes) are county routes, although they are maintained by the state. West Virginia signs its state routes in a square or rectangular marker. The county routes either have whole numbers or "fractional" numbers. The whole numbers are the main county routes. The "fractional" routes serve as minor branch routes off the major routes, either the state or U.S. routes or whole county routes. The numerator is the main route the highway branches from; the denominator tells what branch. For instance, you may be driving along U.S. 119 and you'll see a succession of markers for 119/1, 119/2, 119/3, etc. If you were driving along County Route 1, you might see signs for routes 1/4, 1/7, etc. For the most part, West Virginia signs its county routes on green guide signs with the route name. Very few county routes are signed in stand-alone format, and the only ones of those I have seen are whole number routes (like County Route 21 north of Charleston, which is the old routing of U.S. 21). I have never seen a fractional route signed with a standalone marker; only on a sign also containing the road name." Michael A. Miller, a correspondent from the Mountaineer State, indicates that fractional routes indeed exist on standalone signs: "I have actually seen a fractional Co. Route signed individually. In 1992, I was driving the back roads of Jackson County (county between Parkersburg and Charleston). On several 'fractional' routes, I saw small individual signs approximately 6"x6" with the county route shields on them. As H.B.E. stated, the fractional routes are typically signed on a green sign with the name of the road at it intersection only, so these individual signs are indeed rare, but they do exist." Photos taken 08/07/04.
Interstate 68 eastbound at the ramp departure to West Virginia State Secondary 73/12 (Exit 15). State Secondary 73 parallels Interstate 68 east from Coopers Rock State Forest east to Laurel Run and Bruceton Mills. Photo taken 08/07/04.
Pisgah Road stems south from West Virginia State Secondary 73 to the settlement of Pisgah and Laurel Run-Pisgah Road over Interstate 68 east of Exit 15. A mileage sign posted near the over crossing lists the distance to the next exit (Bruceton Mills), Cumberland, Maryland, and Hancock (Junction Interstate 70). Photo taken 08/07/04.
Descending from Coopers Rock State Forest toward Bruceton Mills and Brandonville. The grade of Interstate 68 is steep enough that a runaway truck ramp lies along the eastbound lanes midway between Exits 15 and 23. Photos taken 08/07/04.
West Virginia 26 crosses paths with Interstate 68 at the Exit 23 diamond interchange at Bruceton Mills. The state highway becomes Morgantown Street eastward into the nearby village of Brandonville. Photo taken 08/07/04.
Interstate 68 eastbound at the Exit 23 diamond interchange with West Virginia 26. West Virginia 26 becomes Pennsylvania 281 (Bruceton Road) northeast of Bruceton Mills and Brandonville. The state highway leads south from Exit 23 to Kingwood and its southern terminus at Fellowsville (junction U.S. 50). Photos taken 08/07/04.
A closer look at an Interstate 68 West Virginia reassurance shield posted after the West Virginia 26 on-ramp from Bruceton Mills. Nine miles separate the freeway from the Maryland state line. Photo taken 08/07/04.
Eastbound mileage sign situated ahead of the Brandonville Pike (West Virginia State Secondary 3) over crossing at Brandonville. The final Mountain State exit lies five miles ahead. Photo taken 08/07/04.
Exit 29 joins Interstate 68 with West Virginia State Secondary 5 (Hazelton Road) in northeastern Preston County. Hazelton Road derives its name from the nearby community of Hazelton. Photo taken 08/07/04.
Interstate 68 gradually sinks toward the Hazelton Road interchange at Exit 29. West Virginia Secondary 5 travels 3.6 miles south from West Virginia 26 at Glade Farms to junction Interstate 68. Photos taken 08/07/04.
Eastbound at the Exit 29 diamond interchange with West Virginia State Secondary 5 (Hazleton Road). Hazelton Road intersects Alaskan Boulevard south of Interstate 68 in Hazelton. State Secondary 5 splits into two branches from there. The southwest branch serves the village of Cuzzart. The east branch (Alaskan Boulevard) travels to Cranesville and Terra Alta. Photos taken 08/07/04.
The last state named shield of Interstate 68 eastbound. All reassurance markers from this point east to Hancock, Maryland are neutered. Photo taken 08/07/04.
Interstate 68 crosses into Garrett County, Maryland three miles east of Hazelton. Exit 4 with Maryland 42 lies six miles to the east at Friendsville. Photo taken 08/07/04.
Interstate 68 travels the National Freeway into the high country of Western Maryland. The freeway crosses the state line near Sand Spring, Maryland. Photos taken 08/07/04.
