West Virginia

[Dirt Roads]

Back in those days, US-40 from Keyser's Ridge should have been a breeze up to Uniontown.  From there I would take PA-51 to points further west (before then, I lived north of these and would take US-119 to New Stanton and beyond).
Am I also reminded that back then "Mother Goose" wouldn't let anyone drive faster than 55.5 MPH along I-68 (except in Cumberland, where you *could* go faster if you keep from rolling over in the curves).  Sometimes it was faster to take I-70 to Breezewood, just to pick up some time by getting out of Maryland in a hurry.

Before the National Freeway was completed in 1991, the last 21 miles, it was slow, to slow to be a decent alternative to I-70. It wasn't designated I-68 until it was completed.

Back then, I was using this route (both directions) three or four times a month and it never seemed too slow in comparison.  And also it depended upon which way you were going; there was a lengthy period where I-70 up its own attack on Sideling Hill was down to one lane [northbound] due to a landslide.  Truckers would cause 30-minute backups or more.  Due to those traffic delays, Breezewood was another 30 minute delay just waiting to make the turn onto US-30 to get to the Penna Turnpike.  IIRC, seems like this took PennDOT more than a year to fix.

[Beltway]

Before the National Freeway was completed in 1991, the last 21 miles, it was slow, to slow to be a decent alternative to I-70. It wasn't designated I-68 until it was completed.

Back then, I was using this route (both directions) three or four times a month and it never seemed too slow in comparison.  And also it depended upon which way you were going; there was a lengthy period where I-70 up its own attack on Sideling Hill was down to one lane [northbound] due to a landslide.  Truckers would cause 30-minute backups or more.  Due to those traffic delays, Breezewood was another 30 minute delay just waiting to make the turn onto US-30 to get to the Penna Turnpike.  IIRC, seems like this took PennDOT more than a year to fix.

The one‑lane restriction on I‑70 at Sideling Hill was a very isolated event, not something that happened regularly. That landslide repair took a long time, but outside of that specific project, I‑70 was almost always running at full capacity.

The US-48 Sideling Hill section opened in 1985. The 21 miles west of there 1991. US-40 nearly all 2 lanes and in mountainous terrain.

[ElishaGOtis]

Seems Maryland might be more effective with such messaging to draw traffic off the turnpike and onto I-68 would be "Save XXX in tolls, take I-68 west to I-79 north."

Ask and ye shall receive!
I know you didn't directly ask, but I wanted to make this sign anyway 

I didn't include the TO I-79 sign, but this is a pretty good replica of the existing sign, except there's a CMS for the toll amount. It's currently set to the amount of money saved if a motorist is driving a 2-axle vehicle, but it can be adjusted all the way to $99.99.

I'm retroactively asking   

(although this could have a legitimate use if PA Turnpike went to dynamic tolling)

[Rothman]

Back in those days, US-40 from Keyser's Ridge should have been a breeze up to Uniontown.  From there I would take PA-51 to points further west (before then, I lived north of these and would take US-119 to New Stanton and beyond).
Am I also reminded that back then "Mother Goose" wouldn't let anyone drive faster than 55.5 MPH along I-68 (except in Cumberland, where you *could* go faster if you keep from rolling over in the curves).  Sometimes it was faster to take I-70 to Breezewood, just to pick up some time by getting out of Maryland in a hurry.

Before the National Freeway was completed in 1991, the last 21 miles, it was slow, to slow to be a decent alternative to I-70. It wasn't designated I-68 until it was completed.

Meh.  The only issue was crossing Sideling Hill around the hairpin turn before the cut was open when my family traversed it many times in the 1980s.  My parents certainly found going I-81 to US 40/48 a more palatable alternative going from NE to SW than other routes...especially somehow utilizing the PA Turnpike.

[Beltway]

Before the National Freeway was completed in 1991, the last 21 miles, it was slow, to slow to be a decent alternative to I-70. It wasn't designated I-68 until it was completed.

Meh.  The only issue was crossing Sideling Hill around the hairpin turn before the cut was open when my family traversed it many times in the 1980s.

Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?

My parents certainly found going I-81 to US 40/48 a more palatable alternative going from NE to SW than other routes...especially somehow utilizing the PA Turnpike.

Truckers complain about the grades on I-68 post completion, moreso than the turnpike. It was a lot worse pre. Also complain about the geometry in Cumberland. And again it depends on the destination, I-70 and south is one thing, I-76 to I-80 another.

[Dirt Roads]

Truckers complain about the grades on I-68 post completion, moreso than the turnpike.

No doubt, since the Penna. Turnpike is mostly a railroad grade (that never got the rails). 

[Beltway]

Truckers complain about the grades on I-68 post completion, moreso than the turnpike.

No doubt, since the Penna. Turnpike is mostly a railroad grade (that never got the rails). 

And for better or for worse, built tunnels under mountains.

[Bitmapped]

Back in those days, US-40 from Keyser's Ridge should have been a breeze up to Uniontown.  From there I would take PA-51 to points further west (before then, I lived north of these and would take US-119 to New Stanton and beyond).

Now that I think about it, that is what I did.  US-40 seemed rather stacked up or something.  I was relieved when I was able to pay a modest toll on PA-51 and get back to I-70.

There is no toll on PA 51. You're probably thinking of PA Turnpike 43 (Mon-Fayette Expressway).

[elsmere241]

What can I say?  It was almost thirty years ago.

[GCrites]

I liked how the guardrails on I-68 in Maryland were never galvanized or painted. The rust made it look like you were in World 4-3 in Super Mario Bros. Those guardrails got replaced sometime in the late 2000s/early 2010s with galvanized ones.

[The Ghostbuster]

Super Mario Bros. 3 was my favorite of the Super Mario Bros. games on the original Nintendo.

[Dirt Roads]

I liked how the guardrails on I-68 in Maryland were never galvanized or painted. The rust made it look like you were in World 4-3 in Super Mario Bros. Those guardrails got replaced sometime in the late 2000s/early 2010s with galvanized ones.

You must have missed all of the discussions about "rusty steel" on the <<natty/Bridges>> board.  Those were made of Cor-Ten steel, which derives additional tensile strength from the normal corrosion process (ergo, rusting) that eventually provides a protective barrier of rust that essentially slows down the corrosion process enough to provide a much longer life-cycle than what was traditional steel back in those days.  U.S. Steel's patent on Cor-Ten has expired, so we now use the term generic "weathering steel".

I'm not sure how this happened, but many states decided to use Cor-Ten steel for guardrails in state parks and other scenic areas (guiderails for those states that are scared of lawyers).  From what I can tell, Maryland DOT decided that the entirety of the "new construction" on Corridor E (now I-68) was given this status.  Back on topic, IIRC the section of Corridor E through Coopers Rock State Forest also was built with Cor-Ten guardrails, as were all of the impacted roadways at its Exit 15. 

I do like the appearance of Cor-Ten guardrails alongside what a friend of ours affectionately calls "Every Brown Sign" as she takes her family across the country to see historic sites and national parks.

[Beltway]

Weathering steel is still very much in use, but the industry has gotten a lot smarter about where it actually works. The big shift over the last decade is that DOTs no longer treat it as a universal "low‑maintenance" solution. The recent FHWA and Canadian studies basically confirm what field engineers have known for years: weathering steel performs beautifully only when it can form a stable patina, and that depends entirely on environment and detailing. In dry or moderate‑moisture climates with good airflow and clean drainage, it's still a long‑life, low‑touch material.

Where it falls apart is in chloride exposure -- coastal zones, de‑icing spray, splash zones, and anywhere moisture gets trapped. In those conditions the patina never stabilizes, and corrosion rates look more like ordinary carbon steel. That's why so many states have backed away from using it for guardrails or low‑elevation components.

Newer high‑chromium weathering steels are better than the old Cor‑Ten formulations, but they still need the right exposure conditions. So the trend isn't abandonment -- it's selective use. DOTs are deploying weathering steel where the environment supports it and avoiding it where it doesn't.

[Rothman]

*citations needed*

[hbelkins]

I don't think I've ever seen any photos of US 48 signed as such in West Virginia or Maryland. I was on it twice -- the early 1980s on a family vacation to DC, the Eastern Shore and Virginia Beach; and December 1991 on a trip to Norfolk, Atlantic City, and DC; the latter when the final stages of its conversion to I-68 between Hancock and Cumberland was under construction. I don't remember if US 48 was signed all the way to I-70, or if it was truncated somewhere to the west. If anyone has photos, post them or link to them.


On a completely unrelated subject, I'm looking for potential routes from here to the city with which I share a name that don't include traversing that cluster foxtrot that is Charleston and all the bridge construction. The obvious route is WV 2 to either US 33 or US 50, but if there was a good way to bypass Charleston by leaving I-64 somewhere around Nitro and entering I-79 somewhere around Elkview, I'd consider that.

The other option is WV 97/Wv 10/WV 16/WV 54/WV 121 through the southern part of the state to Beckley, and then Corridor L north, but I'd probably be reversing that route back to Summersville after leaving Elkins, so that's not really a route I'd like to go with.

All you WV experts, put your heads together and give me suggestions. I'm looking at a Thursday departure.

[The_Ginger]

On a completely unrelated subject, I'm looking for potential routes from here to the city with which I share a name that don't include traversing that cluster foxtrot that is Charleston and all the bridge construction. The obvious route is WV 2 to either US 33 or US 50, but if there was a good way to bypass Charleston by leaving I-64 somewhere around Nitro and entering I-79 somewhere around Elkview, I'd consider that.

The other option is WV 97/Wv 10/WV 16/WV 54/WV 121 through the southern part of the state to Beckley, and then Corridor L north, but I'd probably be reversing that route back to Summersville after leaving Elkins, so that's not really a route I'd like to go with.

All you WV experts, put your heads together and give me suggestions. I'm looking at a Thursday departure.

It depends on how much you want to go out of the way. There's the Charleston bypass with some county roads like this, or you can go north to Parkersburg via CR 21 and I-77, and take WV 47 to US 119/33 or WV 14 to WV 5 to I-77 and US 48. If you 'd like any of those, or would like a different route, I'd be happy to plan one out for you.

[Rothman]

I don't think I've ever seen any photos of US 48 signed as such in West Virginia or Maryland. I was on it twice -- the early 1980s on a family vacation to DC, the Eastern Shore and Virginia Beach; and December 1991 on a trip to Norfolk, Atlantic City, and DC; the latter when the final stages of its conversion to I-68 between Hancock and Cumberland was under construction. I don't remember if US 48 was signed all the way to I-70, or if it was truncated somewhere to the west. If anyone has photos, post them or link to them.

Definitely was signed along with US 40 west of Sideling Hill (e.g., Cumberland area to I-79 with the Exit 0 that is no longer, sadly).  I went down through there quite often before the conversion (once a year at least starting around 1982).

But sorry, no photos.

[hbelkins]

On a completely unrelated subject, I'm looking for potential routes from here to the city with which I share a name that don't include traversing that cluster foxtrot that is Charleston and all the bridge construction. The obvious route is WV 2 to either US 33 or US 50, but if there was a good way to bypass Charleston by leaving I-64 somewhere around Nitro and entering I-79 somewhere around Elkview, I'd consider that.

The other option is WV 97/Wv 10/WV 16/WV 54/WV 121 through the southern part of the state to Beckley, and then Corridor L north, but I'd probably be reversing that route back to Summersville after leaving Elkins, so that's not really a route I'd like to go with.

All you WV experts, put your heads together and give me suggestions. I'm looking at a Thursday departure.

It depends on how much you want to go out of the way. There's the Charleston bypass with some county roads like this, or you can go north to Parkersburg via CR 21 and I-77, and take WV 47 to US 119/33 or WV 14 to WV 5 to I-77 and US 48. If you 'd like any of those, or would like a different route, I'd be happy to plan one out for you.

Not interested in going terribly far out of the way, and I know the quality of some of those county roads can be iffy, but how about this:

Exit I-64 at Montrose Drive, take US 60, cross the Patrick Street bridge, then CR 21 to CR 27 (Edens Fork), pass the I-77 exit, then continue on CR 27 until it reaches I-79 at WV 114.

Guess I'll take a virtual trip on Google Maps to check out the road.

[Dirt Roads]

Weathering steel is still very much in use, but the industry has gotten a lot smarter about where it actually works. The big shift over the last decade is that DOTs no longer treat it as a universal "low‑maintenance" solution. The recent FHWA and Canadian studies basically confirm what field engineers have known for years: weathering steel performs beautifully only when it can form a stable patina, and that depends entirely on environment and detailing. In dry or moderate‑moisture climates with good airflow and clean drainage, it's still a long‑life, low‑touch material.

Where it falls apart is in chloride exposure -- coastal zones, de‑icing spray, splash zones, and anywhere moisture gets trapped. In those conditions the patina never stabilizes, and corrosion rates look more like ordinary carbon steel. That's why so many states have backed away from using it for guardrails or low‑elevation components.

Newer high‑chromium weathering steels are better than the old Cor‑Ten formulations, but they still need the right exposure conditions. So the trend isn't abandonment -- it's selective use. DOTs are deploying weathering steel where the environment supports it and avoiding it where it doesn't.

Totally agree.  Plus, the industry is getting much better at making sure that all guardrail elements (stanchion posts, bolts, washers and nuts) are constructed from the same run of hy-chrome steel.  That virtually eliminates any acid corrosion and alkali corrosion is constrained to areas that have stray currents running through wet soil (ergo, areas with perennial high water tables).  And guess what, most of the places you guys install guardrails are hanging off what we railroaders call "thuh high-and-dry".  Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

[Mr_Northside]

They were posted as part of SHA's mid‑2010s wayfinding update

Dolphinshit. They were already there in 2008.

If the 2008 imagery really shows the same message that's up today, then I'm happy to stand corrected. I've only ever seen the mid‑2010s replacement panels in Street View, so if someone has a more detailed history of when the current wording was installed, I'd genuinely like to see it.

I think I remember seeing those signs on my first trip ever through that area, which would have been in the summer of 1999.

In addition to those signs, I remember the year (except I can't remember *what* year, exactly - mid/late 90's) we were heading home from Ocean City, and *at least* 50 miles out on I-70, there were signs every 10 miles for the Sideling Hill Exhibit Center (and rest area) - Except it didn't actually say that...... It was just some image/graphic that did not indicate to either me or my parents what it was (So roughly every 10 miles we kept asking ourselves "What the hell is that?!!??")
Obviously, we eventually got there and found out (and did stop and check it out)

[The_Ginger]

On a completely unrelated subject, I'm looking for potential routes from here to the city with which I share a name that don't include traversing that cluster foxtrot that is Charleston and all the bridge construction. The obvious route is WV 2 to either US 33 or US 50, but if there was a good way to bypass Charleston by leaving I-64 somewhere around Nitro and entering I-79 somewhere around Elkview, I'd consider that.

The other option is WV 97/Wv 10/WV 16/WV 54/WV 121 through the southern part of the state to Beckley, and then Corridor L north, but I'd probably be reversing that route back to Summersville after leaving Elkins, so that's not really a route I'd like to go with.

All you WV experts, put your heads together and give me suggestions. I'm looking at a Thursday departure.

It depends on how much you want to go out of the way. There's the Charleston bypass with some county roads like this, or you can go north to Parkersburg via CR 21 and I-77, and take WV 47 to US 119/33 or WV 14 to WV 5 to I-77 and US 48. If you 'd like any of those, or would like a different route, I'd be happy to plan one out for you.

Not interested in going terribly far out of the way, and I know the quality of some of those county roads can be iffy, but how about this:

Exit I-64 at Montrose Drive, take US 60, cross the Patrick Street bridge, then CR 21 to CR 27 (Edens Fork), pass the I-77 exit, then continue on CR 27 until it reaches I-79 at WV 114.

Guess I'll take a virtual trip on Google Maps to check out the road.

I was going to also suggest something like that, and that segment isn't too crowded. CR 27 does look like one-lane asphalt after the interchange, though.

All this talk of roads in the Charleston area makes me realize that there's really no good bypass from I-77 to I-79 there. A Super-2 (WV 96?) could do great.

[Dirt Roads]

I don't think I've ever seen any photos of US 48 signed as such in West Virginia or Maryland. I was on it twice -- the early 1980s on a family vacation to DC, the Eastern Shore and Virginia Beach; and December 1991 on a trip to Norfolk, Atlantic City, and DC; the latter when the final stages of its conversion to I-68 between Hancock and Cumberland was under construction. I don't remember if US 48 was signed all the way to I-70, or if it was truncated somewhere to the west. If anyone has photos, post them or link to them.


On a completely unrelated subject, I'm looking for potential routes from here to the city with which I share a name that don't include traversing that cluster foxtrot that is Charleston and all the bridge construction. The obvious route is WV 2 to either US 33 or US 50, but if there was a good way to bypass Charleston by leaving I-64 somewhere around Nitro and entering I-79 somewhere around Elkview, I'd consider that.

The other option is WV 97/Wv 10/WV 16/WV 54/WV 121 through the southern part of the state to Beckley, and then Corridor L north, but I'd probably be reversing that route back to Summersville after leaving Elkins, so that's not really a route I'd like to go with.

All you WV experts, put your heads together and give me suggestions. I'm looking at a Thursday departure.

Hate to route you into another state, but have you ever considered OH-7 up to US-50 Blennerhasset?  Given that WV-2 is now much faster on the West Virginia side between Huntington and Gallipolis Ferry, you might want to avoid the urban part of OH-7.  Just make sure that when you need gas or food, cross back over into West Virginia.

[Bitmapped]

On a completely unrelated subject, I'm looking for potential routes from here to the city with which I share a name that don't include traversing that cluster foxtrot that is Charleston and all the bridge construction. The obvious route is WV 2 to either US 33 or US 50, but if there was a good way to bypass Charleston by leaving I-64 somewhere around Nitro and entering I-79 somewhere around Elkview, I'd consider that.

The other option is WV 97/Wv 10/WV 16/WV 54/WV 121 through the southern part of the state to Beckley, and then Corridor L north, but I'd probably be reversing that route back to Summersville after leaving Elkins, so that's not really a route I'd like to go with.

All you WV experts, put your heads together and give me suggestions. I'm looking at a Thursday departure.

I drove I-79 to I-64 through Charleston last week. There's no reason to get off the Interstate.

If you want to do an alternative, don't do US 33. It is a slog, especially east of Spencer. You'd spend way more time going that way than what you would ever save from Charleston-related delays.

[GCrites]

Weathering steel is still very much in use, but the industry has gotten a lot smarter about where it actually works. The big shift over the last decade is that DOTs no longer treat it as a universal "low‑maintenance" solution. The recent FHWA and Canadian studies basically confirm what field engineers have known for years: weathering steel performs beautifully only when it can form a stable patina, and that depends entirely on environment and detailing. In dry or moderate‑moisture climates with good airflow and clean drainage, it's still a long‑life, low‑touch material.

Where it falls apart is in chloride exposure -- coastal zones, de‑icing spray, splash zones, and anywhere moisture gets trapped. In those conditions the patina never stabilizes, and corrosion rates look more like ordinary carbon steel. That's why so many states have backed away from using it for guardrails or low‑elevation components.

Newer high‑chromium weathering steels are better than the old Cor‑Ten formulations, but they still need the right exposure conditions. So the trend isn't abandonment -- it's selective use. DOTs are deploying weathering steel where the environment supports it and avoiding it where it doesn't.

And I-68 (somewhat in WV but moreso in Western MD due to the elevation) gets intense winter events that require heavy salting.

[hbelkins]

Yeah, I checked out CR 27 east of I-77. It would be faster to drop south on I-77 and then take I-79 north.

I've driven US 33 a couple of times, and I've done both WV 2 and OH 7 along the river multiple times.

My understanding was that the bridge crossing the Kanawha there where US 119 comes into I-64 was under construction and was a major bottleneck. My patience for sitting in traffic is less than zero. I'd rather drive 10 miles out of the way and keep moving vs. sitting still and not moving, or just creeping along.