When, exactly, did US 21 disappear from West Virginia?

[Andrew T.]

US Ends says that the north terminus of US 21 was truncated from Ohio to Bluefield, WV in 1968, and Wytheville, VA in 1979...and corroborates this with copies of AASHO/AASHTO correspondence.  Definitive, right?

But the 1972 and 1974 West Virginia state road maps show US 21 intact from Bluefield to Pocatalico.

Mapmikey's site says that the 1968 AASHO truncation wasn't to come unto effect until I-77 was finished, and gives 1976 as the year US 21 was truncated to Bluefield.

The 1976 state road map shows 21 completely gone:  Gone from WV, gone from the Bluefield inset, and gone from Virginia at least as far south as Bland!  This despite the fact that the road still supposedly existed south of Bluefield at the time.

The final wrinkle:  I found a vintage photograph on Facebook of US 21 signs in Bluefield, taken in October 1977.  And these were posted on its concurrency with US 19 and 460 on Princeton Avenue, north of where it should have been truncated at the time!  Maybe they were stragglers waiting to be taken down, but still...

I did a quick local newspaper search, and references to "Route 21" in print plunge after 1977 and disappear entirely around 1980.

So, when did US 21 really disappear from WV:  1968?  1976?  1977?  1979?  De facto, and de jure?

I am so confused.

[Mapmikey]

WV submitted a 1979 application to truncate US 21 out of Bluefield.  The Mercer County map they sent didn't label US 21 anywhere either.

But WV still considered it in Bluefield until 1979 regardless of whether their maps showed it or whether they removed postings.

There are MANY examples over the years practically everywhere of this kind of thing.  It is not uncommon for maps/posting status/official documentation to all be disconnected from one another.

WV 59 existed in WVDOT files at least 30 years after they stopped posting it.

They rerouted US 119 to go via WV 4 but never changed postings.  After 10 years AASHO inquired and West Virginia said forget about the reroute...

[Dirt Roads]

Even though the East River Mountain Tunnel was completed on December 20, 1974 (which was before I-64/I-77 was completed behind the State Capitol in 1976), US-21 and US-52 continued to be posted from Bluefield -to- Bland on its original routing across East River Mountain until 1980 (afterwhich, US-21 was truncated back to Wytheville and East River Mountain Road was renumbered as WV/VA-598). 

Note that widening of the West Virginia Turnpike to Interstate Standards was not completed until 1987.

[Andrew T.]

Thanks for the responses.  I guess this is the chronology that played out:

1968-76:  Truncated to Pocatalico de facto, Bluefield de jure.
1976-79:  Truncated to Bluefield de facto and de jure (except on maps), with signage lingering north of the terminus until the US 460 Bluefield bypass was complete.
1979-80:  Truncated to Wytheville de facto and de jure, with signage lingering south of the former terminus until the US 52 relocation was complete.

The answers are as clear as mud.  But sometimes, that's just what happens in this hobby!

There are MANY examples over the years practically everywhere of this kind of thing.  It is not uncommon for maps/posting status/official documentation to all be disconnected from one another.

Are there any repercussions for a state choosing to keep a US route posted and mapped for years after being "abandoned?"  Other than a bit of grumbling at AASHTO meetings?

Even though the East River Mountain Tunnel was completed on December 20, 1974 (which was before I-64/I-77 was completed behind the State Capitol in 1976), US-21 and US-52 continued to be posted from Bluefield -to- Bland on its original routing across East River Mountain until 1980 (afterwhich, US-21 was truncated back to Wytheville and East River Mountain Road was renumbered as WV/VA-598).

It does make sense for signage to stay up until an overarching reroute is complete.

[Mapmikey]

Are there any repercussions for a state choosing to keep a US route posted and mapped for years after being "abandoned?"  Other than a bit of grumbling at AASHTO meetings?

AASHTO has no enforcement mechanism if a state does something that AASHTO disapproves with regard to US routes.  It has been a voluntary compliance schema since the beginning a century ago.

AASHO in its first 5 decades or so was way more proactive in verifying changes or noticing unapproved changes had occurred.  It did fuss at states for rogue actions, but really had no choice but to eventually accept what a recalcitrant state did (looking at you Tennessee and North Carolina).  It doesn't appear like they actively do this anymore.  So, US 74 is never posted west of Cleveland TN, for example.

Oklahoma didn't need to get Congress to extend US 377 after a dozen or so attempts denied by AASHTO.  They could have just posted it anyway.

[thenetwork]

I don't think West Virginia couldn't officially decommission US-21 from the north until Ohio did their decommission, which didn't happen until the last stretch of I-77 near Cleveland was completed in the mid 70s.

[The Ghostbuster]

Could any of old US 21 in West Virginia have been renumbered as WV 21? Certainly not the segments that were co-designated with US 19 and US 52, but the rest of it could've possibly became a state highway.

[Mapmikey]

Could any of old US 21 in West Virginia have been renumbered as WV 21? Certainly not the segments that were co-designated with US 19 and US 52, but the rest of it could've possibly became a state highway.

Charleston to nearby Parkersburg is a very well signed CR 21.

[Dirt Roads]

Could any of old US 21 in West Virginia have been renumbered as WV 21? Certainly not the segments that were co-designated with US 19 and US 52, but the rest of it could've possibly became a state highway.

Charleston to nearby Parkersburg is a very well signed CR 21.

It was my understanding (perhaps incorrectly) that the DOH didn't want to be held to maintaining a state route parallel to I-77 in continuity.  Historically, the section of the old original WV-2 between Silverton -and- Rockport was subject to frequent mudslides.  If I recall correctly, soon after US-21 was posted there it had to be relocated onto WV-14 between Mineralwells -and- Spencer (the folks in Roane County wanted US-21 rerouted all the way to Clendenin, but it cut back to Ripley on US-33).  The rebuild was quite difficult, as was the construction of I-77 through the same area.  It's been 20 years since I travelled off of I-77 in that area, but back then LSR-21 seemed to be maintained as well as many of the state routes in the district.

[The_Ginger]

It was my understanding (perhaps incorrectly) that the DOH didn't want to be held to maintaining a state route parallel to I-77 in continuity.  Historically, the section of the old original WV-2 between Silverton -and- Rockport was subject to frequent mudslides.  If I recall correctly, soon after US-21 was posted there it had to be relocated onto WV-14 between Mineralwells -and- Spencer (the folks in Roane County wanted US-21 rerouted all the way to Clendenin, but it cut back to Ripley on US-33).  The rebuild was quite difficult, as was the construction of I-77 through the same area.  It's been 20 years since I travelled off of I-77 in that area, but back then LSR-21 seemed to be maintained as well as many of the state routes in the district.

I take the drive from CR 56 to Ripley often, and it's as well maintained as WV 68. It does have a slight lack of reassurance markers (none after the CR 56 "Y" in either direction), but  great route nonetheless.

[Andrew T.]

Thanks again, folks...

I don't think West Virginia couldn't officially decommission US-21 from the north until Ohio did their decommission, which didn't happen until the last stretch of I-77 near Cleveland was completed in the mid 70s.

Leave it to the Buckeye State to make things even more complicated!  I always assumed that US 21 vanished from Ohio earlier than it did from West Virginia, and the appearance of OH SR 21 and 821 in 1971 would seem to corroborate that...but I honestly don't know what happened.  Did US 21 linger into the mid-1970s as a concurrency with finished segments of I-77?  Does anyone have an early 1970s Ohio map to verify?

[The_Ginger]

Thanks again, folks...

I don't think West Virginia couldn't officially decommission US-21 from the north until Ohio did their decommission, which didn't happen until the last stretch of I-77 near Cleveland was completed in the mid 70s.

Leave it to the Buckeye State to make things even more complicated!  I always assumed that US 21 vanished from Ohio earlier than it did from West Virginia, and the appearance of OH SR 21 and 821 in 1971 would seem to corroborate that...but I honestly don't know what happened.  Did US 21 linger into the mid-1970s as a concurrency with finished segments of I-77?  Does anyone have an early 1970s Ohio map to verify?

Most Ohio maps are here: https://www.dot.state.oh.us/maps/Pages/OfficialTransportationMaps.aspx

The 1971 one, https://www.dot.state.oh.us/maps/archivedmaps/1971.pdf, shows no sign of it.

[Andrew T.]

Most Ohio maps are here: https://www.dot.state.oh.us/maps/Pages/OfficialTransportationMaps.aspx

The 1971 one, https://www.dot.state.oh.us/maps/archivedmaps/1971.pdf, shows no sign of it.

I had no idea this resource existed.  Thanks!!

Unfortunately, many of the scans there have problems...the larger-size files give corruption or "insufficient data" errors on all the PDF-capable software I have, though the smallest files are fine.  Maybe it's incompatible compression.  Weird.

[The_Ginger]

Most Ohio maps are here: https://www.dot.state.oh.us/maps/Pages/OfficialTransportationMaps.aspx

The 1971 one, https://www.dot.state.oh.us/maps/archivedmaps/1971.pdf, shows no sign of it.

I had no idea this resource existed.  Thanks!!

Unfortunately, many of the scans there have problems...the larger-size files give corruption or "insufficient data" errors on all the PDF-capable software I have, though the smallest files are fine.  Maybe it's incompatible compression.  Weird.

You are welcome! I don't seem to be having the file opening issue that you are experiencing on Opera, even when opening the 2001 map, one of the largest ones.

[Mapmikey]

The Ohio maps are also accessible on Flicker:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ohiodot/albums/72177720328338338/with/54719368283

[Andrew T.]

Ah, that helps!  With aid from the Ohio maps, this is starting to make sense:

* The 1967 Ohio map was the last in which US 21 was completely continuous.  A couple segments were concurrencies with I-77, but I-77 existed only in bits and pieces.

* The AASHO approved the "abandonment" of US 21 from Cleveland to Marietta in late 1967 and from Marietta to Bluefield in 1968.

* In 1969 (less than a year later), US 21 was still posted in Ohio from downtown Cleveland to Cambridge, with some bits on I-77 concurrencies as before.  Cambridge to Marietta was a void in the route:  I-77 was now complete, but there was no US 21 concurrency, and there was also no OH 821.  The US route picked up again south of Marietta, in agreement with the 1967-68 AASHO endpoint.

* By 1971, US 21 was gone north of Pocatalico (in agreement with the 1972 WV map).  WV 14 was extended to replace it around Parkersburg, and OH 21 and 821 were now in place.

The US 21 abandonment requests were premature, but Ohio, West Virginia, and the AASHO may have all been assuming in 1966-68 that I-77 would be complete within a year.  Their optimism got the better of them.

[Mapmikey]

If I recall correctly, soon after US-21 was posted there it had to be relocated onto WV-14 between Mineralwells -and- Spencer (the folks in Roane County wanted US-21 rerouted all the way to Clendenin, but it cut back to Ripley on US-33).

The temporary US 21 did go to Clendenin until 1930.

See https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015021028264&seq=21 routing it that way and https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015021028298&seq=287&q1=Parkersburg+to+Charleston which shows WV 2 rebuilt over most of the Charleston to Mineral Wells stretch.  References after this in the reports had US 21 in the permanent location.

They alerted AASHO of the temporary routing in Dec 1925.

Maps also showed this...here is the Dec 1926 Official map:

[Bitmapped]

* In 1969 (less than a year later), US 21 was still posted in Ohio from downtown Cleveland to Cambridge, with some bits on I-77 concurrencies as before.  Cambridge to Marietta was a void in the route:  I-77 was now complete, but there was no US 21 concurrency, and there was also no OH 821.  The US route picked up again south of Marietta, in agreement with the 1967-68 AASHO endpoint.

* By 1971, US 21 was gone north of Pocatalico (in agreement with the 1972 WV map).  WV 14 was extended to replace it around Parkersburg, and OH 21 and 821 were now in place.

The 1971 ODOT map shows that the downgrade to SR 21 happened before all of I-77 was complete. There was still a missing segment of I-77 between Fairlawn and Akron.

Ohio did not originally plan for SR 821 to exist. If you look at the 1969 Ohio Department of Highways map, you can see they extended State Routes 672, 339, and 145 over parts of the old US 21 alignment to avoid dangling ends. Those extensions were all rolled back by 1971 when SR 821 came along.

US 21 had independent utility north of Strasburg, where it followed a very different alignment through Massillon rather than I-77's through Canton and Akron. It was also a major-enough road in Cuyahoga County to merit keeping a state route designation there.

It's only been in the last ~20 years that ODOT has signed the SR 21 overlap with I-77 between Brecksville and Fairlawn, and roughly the same timeframe that US 40's overlap with I-70 east of Cambridge has been signed along the route. (BGS signage varies between Districts 5 and 11.) I don't think ODH/ODOT over the late 1960s would have had any problem with US 21 ending at Marietta and then resuming north of Cambridge like appears to be happening with the 1969 map.

[Dirt Roads]

If I recall correctly, soon after US-21 was posted there it had to be relocated onto WV-14 between Mineralwells -and- Spencer (the folks in Roane County wanted US-21 rerouted all the way to Clendenin, but it cut back to Ripley on US-33).

The temporary US 21 did go to Clendenin until 1930.

See https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015021028264&seq=21 routing it that way and https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015021028298&seq=287&q1=Parkersburg+to+Charleston which shows WV 2 rebuilt over most of the Charleston to Mineral Wells stretch.  References after this in the reports had US 21 in the permanent location.

They alerted AASHO of the temporary routing in Dec 1925.

Maps also showed this...here is the Dec 1926 Official map:

Since my copy of the 1926 Rand McNally West Virginia Map still did not show the U.S. Routes, I was under the assumption that your 1926 official maps were premature (both statewide and Charleston insets).  I also have a Shell Map from 1927 that has US-21 along the original routing of WV-2, still with some gravel segments north of Ripley. 

Once-upon-a-time, I was doing some genealogy research in Roane County when I stumbled across the West Virginia map showing US-21 along WV-14 between Spencer -and- Parkersburg, but along former WV-2 between Charleston -and- Ripley (thus zig-zagged over former WV-5 between Ripley -and- Spencer.  Seems to me that this was from a major mapmaker in either 1928 or 1930.  (I might have been from a library collection, but I don't have a copy).

But the fact that your 1926 West Virginia "official" map shows former WV-5 as mostly dirt road between Ripley -and- Spencer has got me wondering if you weren't correct all along.  It doesn't make sense to multiplex US-21 over a dirt road when an all-paved shorter route was already signed contiguously as WV-14.

[Mapmikey]

But the fact that your 1926 West Virginia "official" map shows former WV-5 as mostly dirt road between Ripley -and- Spencer has got me wondering if you weren't correct all along.  It doesn't make sense to multiplex US-21 over a dirt road when an all-paved shorter route was already signed contiguously as WV-14.

Official maps through 1929 show it with WV 14.  The 1931 Official shows it with WV 2.  I do not have a 1930 issue.

[Dirt Roads]

Official maps through 1929 show it with WV 14.  The 1931 Official shows it with WV 2.  I do not have a 1930 issue.

I've got a 1930 Shell map that shows it on the former WV-2.

[hbelkins]

I have an official WV highway map from back when Corridor L was under construction that shows US 19 still on the route that is now WV 41 between Beckley and Summersville, and it shows US 21 running on Corridor L as far north as Oak Hill/Fayetteville and then following WV 16 to Chimney Corners, US 60 into Charleston and then by itself to I-77 near Pocatalico. I don't know what year that map was published and don't have ready access to it, but it was from before the New River Gorge bridge was completed and US 19 was routed on Corridor L through Oak Hill and Fayetteville to Summersville.

[Mapmikey]

I have an official WV highway map from back when Corridor L was under construction that shows US 19 still on the route that is now WV 41 between Beckley and Summersville, and it shows US 21 running on Corridor L as far north as Oak Hill/Fayetteville and then following WV 16 to Chimney Corners, US 60 into Charleston and then by itself to I-77 near Pocatalico. I don't know what year that map was published and don't have ready access to it, but it was from before the New River Gorge bridge was completed and US 19 was routed on Corridor L through Oak Hill and Fayetteville to Summersville.

It was not 1973, and the 1974 issue shows US 19 on Corr L throughout.

My US 21 page does have that since bridges in the Oak Hill to Summerville area were dated 1972, it was possible US 21 was moved to it.  I cannot locate a 1972 Official map to see if it showed it.

[Beltway]

I have an official WV highway map from back when Corridor L was under construction that shows US 19 still on the route that is now WV 41 between Beckley and Summersville, and it shows US 21 running on Corridor L as far north as Oak Hill/Fayetteville and then following WV 16 to Chimney Corners, US 60 into Charleston and then by itself to I-77 near Pocatalico. I don't know what year that map was published and don't have ready access to it, but it was from before the New River Gorge bridge was completed and US 19 was routed on Corridor L through Oak Hill and Fayetteville to Summersville.

I have a series of maps that cover the building of the corridors.

AAA from 1968 -- no corridor work visible, not even D and E.

Two lane US-21 connects Beckley, Oak Hill, and junctions US-60 just west of Ansted. Then overlaps US-60 to Charleston.

I don't know why they don't let routes like US-21 be.

[Bitmapped]

I have an official WV highway map from back when Corridor L was under construction that shows US 19 still on the route that is now WV 41 between Beckley and Summersville, and it shows US 21 running on Corridor L as far north as Oak Hill/Fayetteville and then following WV 16 to Chimney Corners, US 60 into Charleston and then by itself to I-77 near Pocatalico. I don't know what year that map was published and don't have ready access to it, but it was from before the New River Gorge bridge was completed and US 19 was routed on Corridor L through Oak Hill and Fayetteville to Summersville.

It was not 1973, and the 1974 issue shows US 19 on Corr L throughout.

My US 21 page does have that since bridges in the Oak Hill to Summerville area were dated 1972, it was possible US 21 was moved to it.  I cannot locate a 1972 Official map to see if it showed it.

1972 WVDOH traffic flow map still shows US 19 on/multiplexed with WV 41 from Summersville to Beckley, and US 21 following WV 16 from Beckley to Gauley Bridge and then US 60 into Charleston.

1973 WVDOH functional classification map shows US 19 still multiplexed with WV 41 from Summersville into Beckley. There's not a US 21 shield on the WV 16 or US 60 multiplexes, but it the continued multiplex with those routes is implied as US 21 is marked north of Charleston and south of Beckley.