West Virginia

[hbelkins]

That route is tame compared to some of the other routes in West Virginia. That hill on the south side of Webster Springs is a doozy.

[cpzilliacus]

That route is tame compared to some of the other routes in West Virginia. That hill on the south side of Webster Springs is a doozy.

I have driven a fair amount in West Virginia (but have not been to all of her counties -  yet - but have not been on a primary system road with as many curves.  U.S. 50 between I-79 and the border between Preston County, W.Va. and Garrett County, Md. has a lot of steep grades and curves, but not like that part of WV-20.

The grades on WV-20 are indeed something not seen that often in the East in road that is considered a primary system highway - the one approaching town from the north is rather sneaky (the hairpin turn is not until arriving in town) and not as obvious, but the ones south of town, with the two 180° hairpin turns and then a less-sharp curve near the top of the grade are quite impressive.

[cpzilliacus]

My recollection is that the mountain and curve in question are very adequately posted with warning/advisory signs. Anyone who ignores all that signage isn't going to pay attention to speed limit signage.

Is the signage similar to I-64 eastbound east of Beckley, with that long (and steep for an Interstate) descent from Sandstone Mountain down to the New River?  That grade (with the mandatory truck brake check near the top) is quite impressive by Appalachian standards.

[Rothman]

HB is right, though.   Lots of squiggly roads in WV.

Heck, I just got stuck behind a lumber truck coming down US 33 in a reduced grade area today.  Thank goodness the other lane was clear when a passing zone came up.

[tolbs17]

HB is right, though.   Lots of squiggly roads in WV.

Heck, I just got stuck behind a lumber truck coming down US 33 in a reduced grade area today.  Thank goodness the other lane was clear when a passing zone came up.

It's because they are in the mountains!

[Roadgeekteen]

HB is right, though.   Lots of squiggly roads in WV.

Heck, I just got stuck behind a lumber truck coming down US 33 in a reduced grade area today.  Thank goodness the other lane was clear when a passing zone came up.

It's because they are in the mountains!

Is this a problem in other mountainous states?

[tolbs17]

HB is right, though.   Lots of squiggly roads in WV.

Heck, I just got stuck behind a lumber truck coming down US 33 in a reduced grade area today.  Thank goodness the other lane was clear when a passing zone came up.

It's because they are in the mountains!

Is this a problem in other mountainous states?

Western North Carolina.

[cpzilliacus]

HB is right, though.   Lots of squiggly roads in WV.

The nature of the terrain in most West Virginia counties explains a lot of it.  But that segment of WV-20 goes well beyond squiggly.

Heck, I just got stuck behind a lumber truck coming down US 33 in a reduced grade area today.  Thank goodness the other lane was clear when a passing zone came up.

Which part of U.S. 33?  I have not driven any of it west of Weston, but all of it between I-81 in Virginia and Weston, and the crossing of North Mountain (the Va./W.Va. state line is near the ridgecrest) is quite steep, and there are quite a few steep grades between Seneca Rocks and the "racetrack" section east of Elkins.

[Dirt Roads]

Which part of U.S. 33?  I have not driven any of it west of Weston, but all of it between I-81 in Virginia and Weston, and the crossing of North Mountain (the Va./W.Va. state line is near the ridgecrest) is quite steep, and there are quite a few steep grades between Seneca Rocks and the "racetrack" section east of Elkins.

I don't think that there's any passing lanes on US-33 between Ripley and Weston.  Back in my day, that section did have some very short passing lanes and was much more curvy.

[cpzilliacus]

Which part of U.S. 33?  I have not driven any of it west of Weston, but all of it between I-81 in Virginia and Weston, and the crossing of North Mountain (the Va./W.Va. state line is near the ridgecrest) is quite steep, and there are quite a few steep grades between Seneca Rocks and the "racetrack" section east of Elkins.

I don't think that there's any passing lanes on US-33 between Ripley and Weston.  Back in my day, that section did have some very short passing lanes and was much more curvy.

U.S. 33 has some of those joke-like passing lanes between Seneca Rocks and the "racetrack" section approaching Elkins.  They are really little more than pull-offs if a driver notices  a long line of vehicles behind him while climbing those mountain grades.

[seicer]

Those are turnouts and can be really beneficial for trucks that are practically crawling up hills, and where turning lanes just can't be fit in without extensive work. US 33 doesn't really have -that- much truck traffic to justify more climbing lanes and will probably have less once US 48 is fully complete in the state.

Did you notice the extensive concrete work east of Buchhannon? They are doing major base repairs and diamond grinding sections; closer to Elkins, they are asphalting over previously asphalted-then-removed sections.

[cpzilliacus]

Those are turnouts and can be really beneficial for trucks that are practically crawling up hills, and where turning lanes just can't be fit in without extensive work. US 33 doesn't really have -that- much truck traffic to justify more climbing lanes and will probably have less once US 48 is fully complete in the state.

Agree on all points.  And probably even less truck traffic on U.S. 33 if ADHS Corridor H is completed all the way from I-79 to I-81.

Did you notice the extensive concrete work east of Buchhannon? They are doing major base repairs and diamond grinding sections; closer to Elkins, they are asphalting over previously asphalted-then-removed sections.

Yes, I saw all of that around the signalized intersection where U.S. 250 and WV-92 tie in to Corridor H near Norton.  Wish that WVDOT would get rid of the signals here and on the northwest side of Elkins at the other connection with WV-92.

[Bitmapped]

Those are turnouts and can be really beneficial for trucks that are practically crawling up hills, and where turning lanes just can't be fit in without extensive work. US 33 doesn't really have -that- much truck traffic to justify more climbing lanes and will probably have less once US 48 is fully complete in the state.

Agree on all points.  And probably even less truck traffic on U.S. 33 if ADHS Corridor H is completed all the way from I-79 to I-81.

Those truck turnouts (how they're signed) do get a decent amount of use on US 33. They're not intended for normal passing, but for situations with log trucks and other large vehicles that are crawling.

My experience has been that US 33 generally flows OK east of Elkins. Some passing lanes on the straight-ish parts around Evenwood (https://goo.gl/maps/xusbM7b8H8AdLMtUA) and Laurel Fork/Rich Mountain western approach (https://goo.gl/maps/U1S7WYnzneXVAfsn7) would be nice but there's generally enough of a gap in traffic you can pass, and the grades coming down to Laurel Fork help with providing momentum.

Did you notice the extensive concrete work east of Buchhannon? They are doing major base repairs and diamond grinding sections; closer to Elkins, they are asphalting over previously asphalted-then-removed sections.

Yes, I saw all of that around the signalized intersection where U.S. 250 and WV-92 tie in to Corridor H near Norton.  Wish that WVDOT would get rid of the signals here and on the northwest side of Elkins at the other connection with WV-92.

The concrete around the western US 33/US 250 intersection was rubblized. WVDOT posted a video on their social media earlier this year.

At one point, WVDOH had an interchange for the western US 33/US 250 intersection on their unfunded project wishlist. The signal at the eastern WV 92 intersection by Aggregates is more recent; at least with when I traveled, I experienced less delay when there was a stop sign pulling out here than now with the signal.

[Rothman]

HB is right, though.   Lots of squiggly roads in WV.

The nature of the terrain in most West Virginia counties explains a lot of it.  But that segment of WV-20 goes well beyond squiggly.

Heck, I just got stuck behind a lumber truck coming down US 33 in a reduced grade area today.  Thank goodness the other lane was clear when a passing zone came up.

Which part of U.S. 33?  I have not driven any of it west of Weston, but all of it between I-81 in Virginia and Weston, and the crossing of North Mountain (the Va./W.Va. state line is near the ridgecrest) is quite steep, and there are quite a few steep grades between Seneca Rocks and the "racetrack" section east of Elkins.

This trip, just between WV 32 and Spruce Knob.

Also wonder about WV 72 in terms of squigglyness.

[Bitmapped]

HB is right, though.   Lots of squiggly roads in WV.

The nature of the terrain in most West Virginia counties explains a lot of it.  But that segment of WV-20 goes well beyond squiggly.

Heck, I just got stuck behind a lumber truck coming down US 33 in a reduced grade area today.  Thank goodness the other lane was clear when a passing zone came up.

Which part of U.S. 33?  I have not driven any of it west of Weston, but all of it between I-81 in Virginia and Weston, and the crossing of North Mountain (the Va./W.Va. state line is near the ridgecrest) is quite steep, and there are quite a few steep grades between Seneca Rocks and the "racetrack" section east of Elkins.

Also wonder about WV 72 in terms of squigglyness.

WV 72 south (east) of Hendricks is a bit twisty once you get away from Dry Fork, but the main reason it's signed for no trucks is that it's only 1-car wide for a significant stretch so if a semi went down it, there wouldn't be any room for a vehicle to pass.

I'm not a fan of ending state routes at points other than other state routes, but I'd make an exception for WV 72. The part between Hendricks and WV 32 has no business being signed as a primary route.

[cpzilliacus]

WV 72 south (east) of Hendricks is a bit twisty once you get away from Dry Fork, but the main reason it's signed for no trucks is that it's only 1-car wide for a significant stretch so if a semi went down it, there wouldn't be any room for a vehicle to pass.

I agree.  And I think it is sufficiently remote that there are not too many trucks trying to use it.

I'm not a fan of ending state routes at points other than other state routes, but I'd make an exception for WV 72. The part between Hendricks and WV 72 has no business being signed as a primary route.

I agree.  I am baffled why this was ever a primary system route to begin with.  Maybe WVDOH will demote it to a "county" route once Corridor H is complete between Parsons and Davis?

[hbelkins]

WV 72 south (east) of Hendricks is a bit twisty once you get away from Dry Fork, but the main reason it's signed for no trucks is that it's only 1-car wide for a significant stretch so if a semi went down it, there wouldn't be any room for a vehicle to pass.

I agree.  And I think it is sufficiently remote that there are not too many trucks trying to use it.

I'm not a fan of ending state routes at points other than other state routes, but I'd make an exception for WV 72. The part between Hendricks and WV 72 has no business being signed as a primary route.

I agree.  I am baffled why this was ever a primary system route to begin with.  Maybe WVDOH will demote it to a "county" route once Corridor H is complete between Parsons and Davis?

West Virginia: 1.) Doesn't like to have incorporated towns/cities not on the primary route system; and 2.) Doesn't "dead end" state primary routes and have them continue as state secondary ("county') routes the way Virginia does.

So, to get a primary route to Hendricks, WV 72 had to continue on to end at another state route in keeping with that precedent.

The only other really comparable WV primary route is WV 71 north of Montcalm to its terminus at WV 10.

[Mapmikey]

WV 72 has an odd history.

WV 72's south end was Hendricks from 1928 to the late 1940s.  It's north end was the town of Rowlesburg from 1930 to the mid 1940s.

After being extended to the length it has now, it was decommissioned between US 219 and US 50 by 1949, then in stages was brought back into the primary system throughout the 1950s.

[SP Cook]

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve signed.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1421166825014976514

[Rothman]

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve signed.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1421166825014976514

Saw the new welcome sign at the Canyon Rim Visitor Center this past Tuesday.

Really don't know what the site is preserving.  It still operates like a National Recreation Area.

[Bitmapped]

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve signed.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1421166825014976514

Saw the new welcome sign at the Canyon Rim Visitor Center this past Tuesday.

Really don't know what the site is preserving.  It still operates like a National Recreation Area.

New River Gorge was a National River before. Gauley River is the one that is a National Recreation Area.

The National Park and Preserve designation comes from different uses for different parts of the NPS land. A handful of areas (mostly around the New River Gorge Bridge, Thurmond, and a couple other spots) are treated as National Park with all of the associated restrictions. The preserve designation applies to most of the gorge and allows things like hunting, which is banning in the park area.

[ARMOURERERIC]

So I was coming back from Pittsburgh  to hickory yesterday, saw the US 52 work.  Where will the new endpoint be.  Will 52 be rerouted as to connect North of Bluefield.  Are their even the earliest inkling of the current work being extended.  I saw that the old graded ramps at 460 have asphalt paving and new lighting fixtures  are installed.

[hbelkins]

So, WVDOT fabricates and installs their own panel signs? Kentucky uses contractors. (And probably would have set new posts instead of reusing the old ones.)

And it looks like West Virginia didn't go back to Clearview like Kentucky did when the IA got reinstated.

So I was coming back from Pittsburgh  to hickory yesterday, saw the US 52 work.  Where will the new endpoint be.  Will 52 be rerouted as to connect North of Bluefield.  Are their even the earliest inkling of the current work being extended.  I saw that the old graded ramps at 460 have asphalt paving and new lighting fixtures  are installed.

The work extends to WV 123 over on the other side of two ridgelines. I was up there a few weeks ago and it looks like some of the grade will extend beyond the bridge crossing WV 123, but I saw no signs (yet) of an access road being built between US 52 and US 123.

I have some photos on my Flickr page.

I'm not sure if US 52 will remain on its current alignment (short concurrency with US 460, then along Cumberland Road, and then turning down into downtown Bluefield, then a short wrong-way concurrency with US 19) with the new alignment getting some temporary state or county designation, or if US 52 will be routed over the new alignment and then concurrent with WV 123 to the existing US 52 intersection northwest of Bluefield.

[Bitmapped]

So, WVDOT fabricates and installs their own panel signs? Kentucky uses contractors. (And probably would have set new posts instead of reusing the old ones.)

And it looks like West Virginia didn't go back to Clearview like Kentucky did when the IA got reinstated.

WVDOH handles one-off replacements in-house. Large-scale projects, like the miles-long signage replacements on the Interstates and ARC corridors, are contracted out.

WV only went to Clearview on contractor-done signage. In-house production was always FHWA alphabet. WV has stayed with FHWA, even with contractor-installed signage, following reinstatement of Clearview.

So I was coming back from Pittsburgh  to hickory yesterday, saw the US 52 work.  Where will the new endpoint be.  Will 52 be rerouted as to connect North of Bluefield.  Are their even the earliest inkling of the current work being extended.  I saw that the old graded ramps at 460 have asphalt paving and new lighting fixtures  are installed.

The work extends to WV 123 over on the other side of two ridgelines. I was up there a few weeks ago and it looks like some of the grade will extend beyond the bridge crossing WV 123, but I saw no signs (yet) of an access road being built between US 52 and US 123.

I have some photos on my Flickr page.

I'm not sure if US 52 will remain on its current alignment (short concurrency with US 460, then along Cumberland Road, and then turning down into downtown Bluefield, then a short wrong-way concurrency with US 19) with the new alignment getting some temporary state or county designation, or if US 52 will be routed over the new alignment and then concurrent with WV 123 to the existing US 52 intersection northwest of Bluefield.

I think the plan is to re-route US 52 along WV 123 once this is complete.

[cpzilliacus]

Herald-Mail: Concerns grow over how to fund road improvements in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle

It's the age-old problem with roads in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle.

Not enough money for them coupled with increasing traffic makes for some worrisome times.

Case in point: W.Va. 9 west from Martinsburg to Hedgesville.

Berkeley County Council member Eddie Gochenour told state highway officials at a meeting Wednesday about how a crash on the two-lane road can back up traffic for miles.

The gathering was part of open meetings state highway officials are holding across West Virginia to update communities about road projects. State lawmakers, members of the media and others were invited to meet with highway officials at a highways office on Old Leetown Pike north of Charles Town for the local session.