Highest county route "denominator" in WV

[Andrew T.]

I'm sure most of us are familiar with West Virginia's branch-and-trunk system of "fractional" numbers for minor roads.  In Mercer County, the 20/nn "denominators" inch as high as 20/93.  I've also seen 60/99 and 61/99 in Fayette County.  But is there any county in which they reach three digits?

The highest "denominator" is likely to be in a geographically-large county bisected by a prominent state or US highway that passes through a sizable built-up, yet unincorporated area.  But where and what could it be?

[Mapmikey]

I'm sure most of us are familiar with West Virginia's branch-and-trunk system of "fractional" numbers for minor roads.  In Mercer County, the 20/nn "denominators" inch as high as 20/93.  I've also seen 60/99 and 61/99 in Fayette County.  But is there any county in which they reach three digits?

The highest "denominator" is likely to be in a geographically-large county bisected by a prominent state or US highway that passes through a sizable built-up, yet unincorporated area.  But where and what could it be?

Doubtful...

When they reach 99 they go back to 1 with a numerator with 3 digits. So I bet there are 160/xx and 161/xx routes.

[Andrew T.]

Doubtful...

When they reach 99 they go back to 1 with a numerator with 3 digits. So I bet there are 160/xx and 161/xx routes.

Well, that's an odd way of doing it...but it looks to be true.  Combing through the Fayette County map, there is a 160/1 through 160/18, and a 161/1.  I suppose WVDOT keeps all its route numbers in a database that only allows for two digits in the "denominator" position, and this is as good a solution as any.

Now the question is, how many times has this happened?  And what would happen if the overflowing "numerator" were already a three-digit number, or if it conflicted with another highway?  Would 219/99 get followed by 319/1?  Would 60/99 get followed by 260/1 if there was already a Route 160 with its own batch of numbered spurs?

[Bitmapped]

99 is the highest possible value because WVDOH's internal route designation scheme only allots 2 digits for the denominator.

County route numbers overflowing is a rare situation. Excluding HARP roads, it only happens in these places:
- Cabell County: US 60 (which uses 60/xx, 160/xx, and also seems to use 64/xx and 164/xx)
- Fayette County: US 60, WV 61
- Harrison County: US 19, County Route 25 (overflows even though there's a big block of unused 25/xx numbers, although they may have been used in the past)
- Kanawha County: US 60, US 119
- Logan County: WV 10 (overflows twice, to 110/xx and 210/xx), US 119, County Route 16 (Buffalo Creek Road)
- McDowell County: US 52
- Mingo County: US 52
- Raleigh County: WV 16, US 19
- Wayne County: US 52
- Wyoming County: WV 10

You'll notice that most of these are coal mining counties where the streets in coal camps burn up a lot of numbers.

There aren't any cases where there is a numerator whose children have overflowed that conflict with another route numbered 100 higher. How WVDOH would handle that is speculation.

[vdeane]

99 is the highest possible value because WVDOH's internal route designation scheme only allots 2 digits for the denominator.

County route numbers overflowing is a rare situation. Excluding HARP roads, it only happens in these places:
- Cabell County: US 60 (which uses 60/xx, 160/xx, and also seems to use 64/xx and 164/xx)
- Fayette County: US 60, WV 61
- Harrison County: US 19, CO 25 (overflows even though there's a big block of unused 25/xx numbers, although they may have been used in the past)
- Kanawha County: US 60, US 119
- Logan County: WV 10 (overflows twice, to 110/xx and 210/xx), US 119, CO 16 (Buffalo Creek Road)
- McDowell County: US 52
- Mingo County: US 52
- Raleigh County: WV 16, US 19
- Wayne County: US 52
- Wyoming County: WV 10

You'll notice that most of these are coal mining counties where the streets in coal camps burn up a lot of numbers.

There aren't any cases where there is a numerator whose children have overflowed that conflict with another route numbered 100 higher. How WVDOH would handle that is speculation.

Wait... there are Colorado state routes in West Virginia?

[Andrew T.]

County route numbers overflowing is a rare situation. Excluding HARP roads, it only happens in these places:
- Cabell County: US 60 (which uses 60/xx, 160/xx, and also seems to use 64/xx and 164/xx)
- Fayette County: US 60, WV 61
- Harrison County: US 19, CO 25 (overflows even though there's a big block of unused 25/xx numbers, although they may have been used in the past)
- Kanawha County: US 60, US 119
- Logan County: WV 10 (overflows twice, to 110/xx and 210/xx), US 119, CO 16 (Buffalo Creek Road)
- McDowell County: US 52
- Mingo County: US 52
- Raleigh County: WV 16, US 19
- Wayne County: US 52
- Wyoming County: WV 10

You'll notice that most of these are coal mining counties where the streets in coal camps burn up a lot of numbers.

There aren't any cases where there is a numerator whose children have overflowed that conflict with another route numbered 100 higher. How WVDOH would handle that is speculation.

This is helpful information. Thanks! 

[Bitmapped]

99 is the highest possible value because WVDOH's internal route designation scheme only allots 2 digits for the denominator.

County route numbers overflowing is a rare situation. Excluding HARP roads, it only happens in these places:
- Cabell County: US 60 (which uses 60/xx, 160/xx, and also seems to use 64/xx and 164/xx)
- Fayette County: US 60, WV 61
- Harrison County: US 19, CO 25 (overflows even though there's a big block of unused 25/xx numbers, although they may have been used in the past)
- Kanawha County: US 60, US 119
- Logan County: WV 10 (overflows twice, to 110/xx and 210/xx), US 119, CO 16 (Buffalo Creek Road)
- McDowell County: US 52
- Mingo County: US 52
- Raleigh County: WV 16, US 19
- Wayne County: US 52
- Wyoming County: WV 10

You'll notice that most of these are coal mining counties where the streets in coal camps burn up a lot of numbers.

There aren't any cases where there is a numerator whose children have overflowed that conflict with another route numbered 100 higher. How WVDOH would handle that is speculation.

Wait... there are Colorado state routes in West Virginia?

WVDOH uses CO as the abbreviation for County Route.