| One mile south of the Exit 32 trumpet interchange with
Interstate 81. Interstate 77 northbound merges onto Interstate 81 southbound for a nine-mile overlap to
Wytheville (pop. 7,804). U.S. 11 overlaps with Interstate 81 between Exits 73 (Wytheville) and 89
(Pulaski). The overlap between Interstate 77 & 81 creates an interesting dilemma where Interstate 77 northbound
overlaps with Interstate 81 southbound and vice versa. This is due to the east-west orientation of
Interstate 81 through Wythe County, Virginia. Photo taken 10/05/01.
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| The scenery continues on Interstate 77 northbound at the Exit
32 merge onto Interstate 81 & U.S. 11 southbound. Traffic departing to the right will reach the city of
Roanoke (pop. 94,911) in 62 miles. U.S. 11 departs Interstate 81 for the town of Pulaski (pop. 9,473) in
eight miles. The Interstate 77 control point from Statesville, North Carolina northward is that of Fort Chiswell
(pop. 911). The small town resides just west of the Exit 32 interchange and relates to the Interstate 77 *
81 junction. Photo taken 10/05/01.
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| The first three Interstate 77 & 81 interchanges is that of Exit
80 with U.S. 52 south & Virginia 121 north. U.S. 52 (Fort Chiswell Road) merges onto the freeway at Fort Chiswell
for a ten mile overlap with Interstate 81. Virginia 121 continues northward on the U.S. 52 alignment to
Max Meadows (pop. 512). The four-way overlap of Interstate 77 & 81 and U.S. 11 & 52 now involves
two north and southbound components traveling in the same direction (U.S. 11 south & U.S. 52 north).
Photo taken 10/05/01.
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| U.S. 11 southbound departs Interstate 77 & U.S. 52 north
and Interstate 81 southbound at Exit 73. U.S. 11 follows Main Street through downtown Wytheville
south of Interstate 77 & 81. In the city limits U.S. 11 shares a four block overlap with U.S. 21.
Photo taken 10/05/01.
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| Interstate 77 & U.S. 52 northbound and Interstate 81 southbound
widen to four lanes in anticipation of the Exit 72 split of the two Interstates. The western end of the overlap
is handled by a trumpet interchange. U.S. 52 however continues another two miles on Interstate 81 to Exit 70.
There the federal highway departs for 4th Street on its original alignment. Photo taken 10/05/01.
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| Interstate 77 northbound departs Interstate 81 south & U.S.
52 northbound for Bluefield and Charleston, West Virginia. The city of Bluefield sees a West
Virginian component and a Virginia component (pop. 5,078). The community lies on the state border west of
Interstate 77 along the U.S. 19 & 460 corridors 26 miles to the north. Photo taken 10/05/01.
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| The first of two Interstate 77 tunnels within the state of
Virginia is that of the Big Walker Mountain Tunnel. The tube is situated just north of the Exit 47 interchange
with Virginia State Secondary 717 in Jefferson National Forest. Photo taken 10/05/01.
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| Entering the northbound portal of the Big Walker Mountain
Tunnel. Photo taken 10/05/01.
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| U.S. 52 again interacts with Interstate 77 at the village of
Bland. The U.S. highway overlaps with Virginia 42 from near Sharon Springs eastward to Interstate 77 and Bland.
Virginia 42 departs U.S. 52 nearby en route to Mechanicsburg. Photo taken 10/05/01.
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| Interstate 77 northbound at the Exit 52 diamond interchange.
The numbering convention sees the exit number and route intersected sharing the same number. The concept
happens every so often on the Interstate system. U.S. 52 crosses over Interstate 77 one mile to the north
en route to Bastian. Photo taken 10/05/01.
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| A diamond interchange facilitates the movements onto
Virginia State Secondary 666 (Paul Bartell Road) between Interstate 77 and nearby U.S. 52. The exit serves
the nearby community of Bastian 2.3 miles to the southwest. Photo taken 10/05/01.
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| Interstate 77 northbound at the Exit 62 diamond interchange
with Virginia State Secondary 606 at South Gap. U.S. 52 continues to shadow Interstate 77 to the west,
traveling alongside the southbound lanes of the freeway for the next two miles. Virginia SSR 606 begins at
U.S. 52 adjacent to Exit 62. The state highway travels east to Pumpkin Center and Virginia 42. Photo taken 10/05/01.
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| U.S. 52 merges with Virginia 61 at the community of Rocky
Gap. The two highways overlap through the Exit 64 diamond interchange of Interstate 77. Virginia 61
straddles the mountains of the Jefferson National Forest between Tazewell (pop. 4,206) and Narrows
(pop. 2,111). Photo taken 10/05/01.
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| U.S. 52 travels northward into the state of West Virginia
through the Interstate 77 East River Mountain Tunnel between Exit 66 and West Virginia Exit 1. A two-mile
guide sign indicates to motorists destined for U.S. 52 and the city of Bluefield to continue northward
on Interstate 77. Photo taken 10/05/01.
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| U.S. 52 northbound merges onto Interstate 77 at the Exit 66
partial cloverleaf interchange. Virginia 598 stems from the highway westward to U.S. 460 and Bluefield,
West Virginia. Photo taken 10/05/01.
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| Interstate 77 & U.S. 52 northbound at the Exit 66
undercrossing of Virginia 598. The East River Mountain Tunnel lies ahead. Photo taken 10/05/01.
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| The second of two Interstate 77 tunnels, the East River Mountain
Tunnel lies along the Virginia and West Virginia state border. Photo taken 10/05/01.
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| Entering the northbound bore of the East River Mountain Tunnel
of Interstate 77 & U.S. 52. U.S. 52 departs the freeway via Cumberland Road (Exit 1) at the north end of
the tunnel. Photo taken 10/05/01.
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| Interstate 77 South
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| No Photos at this time
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| Scenes Pertaining to Interstate 77
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| Peppers Ferry Road eastbound at the Exit 41 folded cloverleaf
interchange of Interstate 77. The junction lies just north of the Interstate 77 southbound merge onto Interstate
81 northbound (Exit 40). Photo taken 10/05/01.
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| Interstate 77 & 81 Virginia shield and guide sign assembly
at the southbound on-ramp from Peppers Ferry Road. The control city of Interstate 77 is that of Charlotte.
Unlike the state of North Carolina which profiles the city at which an Interstate junctions with another
Interstate (such as Fort Chiswell and Statesville), the state of Virginia profiles the major city of
interest. Photo taken 10/05/01.
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| A state-named shield for Interstate 81 also exists on Peppers
Ferry Road westbound through the Exit 41 interchange of Interstate 77. Peppers Ferry Road itself crosses
over Interstate 81 into downtown Wytheville. Photo taken 10/05/01.
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Page Updated February 6, 2004.
