Interstate 77 North - Charleston to Ripley

Still in the confines of the I-64/I-77 interchange north of downtown Charleston, Interstate 77 north comes to within one half mile of U.S. 119 and Exit 102 (Westmoreland Road).

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Westmoreland Road serves as a connector to nearby U.S. 119, which parallels Interstate 77 northeast from Charleston. The U.S. highway will continue alongside Interstate 79 until Exit 19, then take off north toward Gandeeville and Spencer.

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Exit 102 leaves for Westmoreland Road and U.S. 119. The southern terminus for Interstate 79 occurs one mile ahead.

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Interstate 79 begins at I-77 (Exit 104) and ventures northeast through the mountains of central West Virginia toward Sutton, Weston, and Clarksburg. The 343 mile freeway ends west of downtown Erie, Pennsylvania at PA 5 (West 12th Street).

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Interstate 77 prepares to depart left toward Parkersburg and beyond. Parkersburg is situated between the freeway and Ohio River along the U.S. 50 corridor.

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Reaching the split with Interstate 79 (Exit 104), motorists continue on toward Clarksburg and beyond. The control city lies 122 miles ahead and like Parkersburg lies along U.S. 50.

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Interstate 77 north turns northwesterly after the split with Interstate 79 (Exit 104). The interstate resumes a more northerly trek after Exit 111 (County Route 29).

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A Clearview style guide sign indicates the mileage for the next interchange (Edens Fork Road), Ripley (38 miles), and Parkersburg (73 miles). Signage along this stretch of Interstate 77 has been replaced using the newer Clearview font.

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The freeway begins its approach to Edens Fork Road (County Route 27) in 1.75 miles.

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Edens Fork Road stems west from the diamond interchange to connect with Sissonville Drive (former U.S. 21). East of Exit 106 Edens Fork Road winds eastward, transitioning into Mile Fork Road before connecting with Interstate 79 and WV 114.

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A small park-and-ride lot is located on the northeast quadrant of the diamond interchange with County Route 27.

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Motorists depart for Exit 106 and Edens Fork Road. County Route 21 (former U.S. 21) lies 2.2 miles west of the interchange.

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Interstate 77 continues northwest from Edens Fork Road (Exit 106) toward Parkersburg and beyond. The Tuppers Creek Road exchange occurs in 3 miles. Ripley, county seat of Jackson County, is still 35 miles ahead. Parkersburg is now within 70 miles of the freeway.

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Two miles out from the four-ramp parclo interchange with Tuppers Creek Road (Exit 111).

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County Route 29 (Tuppers Creek Road) extends west 1.2 miles to the community of Wallace along County Route 21. Tuppers Creek Road turns north immediately east of the I-77 crossover serving residences before ending two miles from the interchange.

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East of the exchange between Interstate 77 and CR 29 (Tuppers Creek Road) Walker Drive continues eastward into the area mountains, winding its way toward WV 114 and Interstate 79.

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Interstate 77 north reaches the Tuppers Creek Road exchange (Exit 111).

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I-77 north continues onward toward Ripley (31 miles) and Parkersburg (66 miles). The town of Pocatalico can be reached via WV 622 (Exit 114) in three miles.

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Two mile guide sign indicates the next interchange along Interstate 77 north at WV 622. Though not signed along the interstate, County Route 21 (former U.S. 21) is multiplexed with the state route at Exit 114.

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WV 622 is a 15.2 mile route existing between Interstate 77 near Sissonville and Interstate 64 near Cross Lanes. The state route overtakes Sissonville Drive (CR 21) 3.4 miles southwest of the interchange, where the two follow tandem to the interstate.

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While WV 622 ends at Exit 114, County Route 21 (Sissonville Drive) continues northeast into Sissonville.

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Interstate 77 north reaches the eastern terminus of WV 622 (Exit 114). The unincorporated area of Pocatalico is accessed via WV 622 and CR 21 south.

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The freeway prepares to meet County Route 21 at a diamond interchange in two miles. This is the final interchange Interstate 77 serves in Charleston County.

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The unincorporated community of Goldtown lies seven miles ahead along Secondary 21 (former U.S. 21) corridor. Parkersburg (58 miles) is now within an hours drive.

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Haines Branch Road serves as the connection between I-77 and CR 21, which turns north to parallel the freeway for the next three miles.

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Another park-and-ride lot is situated in the southwest quadrant of the diamond interchange with Haines Branch Road. West of Exit 116 Haines Branch Road continues for a little over a mile before coming to an end.

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Exit 116 departs for Haines Branch Road and CR 21 (former U.S. 21). The U.S. highway once stretched from South Carolina to Ohio but when Interstate 77 was completed the route was truncated to its current northern terminus of Wytheville, Virginia at Interstate 81 & U.S. 52. The remaining portions of U.S. 21 were turned over to state and county control. County Route 21 follows the former U.S. highway from Charleston to Mineral Wells located south of Parkersburg.

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Ripley and Parkersburg are now 21 miles and 56 miles away respectively. The community of Goldtown is reached via CR 21 north.

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Now in Jackson County, Interstate 77 north approaches the upcoming exchange with County Route 21 in two miles.

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County Route 21 will parallel the interstate to the west until Exit 132 located south of Ripley.

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The community of Goldtown is situated about 15 miles to the south of Ripley. Secondary 21 lies immediately to the east of the interstate on its approach to Exit 119.

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Interstate 77 arrives at the Exit 119 exchange. The freeway will travel over Secondary 21 as it continues northward toward Ripley and beyond.

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A reassurance shield placed after the diamond interchange with County Route 21. Ripley and Parkersburg draw ever closer. Kenna can be accessed via WV 34 (Exit 124).

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WV 34 west leaves Interstate 77 north to reach the small community of Kenna located 0.9 miles from the upcoming interchange.

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Exit 124 serves as the eastern terminus of WV 34 while WV 3 serves as the western terminus of the 51 mile state route.

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Interstate 77 north comes to within one half mile of the diamond interchange with WV 34 (Exit 124). On its trek southward toward WV 3 and Hamlin, WV 34 crosses Interstate 64 at Teays Valley, a suburb of Charleston.

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The northbound interstate reaches the turn off for WV 3 (Exit 124). The state highway merges with County Route 21 in Kenna for a 1.3 mile stint before continuing southward toward Winfield and Teays Valley. East of the exit Kentuck Road meanders southeastward into the rural countryside toward the community of Kentuck.

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Fairplain and Ripley are now only a ten minute drive away. Interstate 77 will near Parkersburg in 46 miles.

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Interstate 77 north prepares to cross County Route 21 again in two miles for the first of two exits for Ripley. The county highway has been following the freeway to the west since Exit 119 (Goldtown).

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Fairplain stretches along County Route 21 for over a mile south of the Interstate 77 exchange.

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CR 21 continues north 4.4 miles from the upcoming interchange into the county seat of Ripley and U.S. 33.

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A departure ramp leaves for County Route 21 and Exit 132. Fairplain is immediately south of the interchange with Ripley lying to the north.

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Interstate 77 leaves County Route 21 (Exit 124) for Ripley and beyond. Ravenswood makes its debut, located 16 miles ahead. The town is located west of I-77 along the U.S. 33 corridor and the Ohio River. The interstate will pass Parkersburg to the east in 41 miles.

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The second and final interchange for Ripley occurs in two miles at U.S. 33 East and WV 62 South (Exit 138).

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WV 62 is primarily a north-south state route closely following the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers as it travels from Charleston northwestward. WV 62 leaves the Ohio River basin heading southeast toward Interstate 77 and Ripley after a stint with WV 2. The portion of the route between Mason and Ripley was once part of U.S. 33 before the U.S. highway was relocated to its current location. U.S. 33 now shares an alignment with I-77 north from Ripley to Ravenswood before continuing west toward Ohio.

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Guide sign indicating that Interstate 77 is within 0.25 miles of the exchange with U.S. 33 and WV 62 (Exit 138). WV 62 measures just over 100 miles as it parallels the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers between its southern terminus at WV 25 in South Charleston and Interstate 77 & U.S. 33 in Ripley. The Kanawha River joins the Ohio River at Point Pleasant. Point Pleasant is also where the state route turns north to follow the Ohio River in an arc, eventually ending back at Ripley.

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Reaching the diamond interchange with U.S. 33 East and WV 62 South, Interstate 77 prepares to gain U.S. 33 West for an eight mile overlap. The U.S. highway currently runs from Fort Wayne, Indiana to Richmond, Virginia. Within West Virginia, U.S. 33 travels for a total of 248 miles. The town of Ripley lies to the east of the interchange.

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