Interstate 79 South - Morgantown to Fairmont

Interstate 79 southbound distance sign posted after the U.S. 19 (Exit 152) interchange at Wendover. The freeway carries six lanes west of Morgantown to the Interstate 68 western terminus (Exit 148).

08/07/04

Two miles north of the western terminus interchange of Interstate 68 (Exit 148) on Interstate 79 southbound. The junction occurs just southwest of the University of West Virginia home of Morgantown. Interstate 79 sees two interchanges for the city (Exit 155 & 152) while Interstate 68 sees three (Exits 1, 4, and 7). River Road travels over Interstate 79 via a high-level arch bridge in the background.

08/07/04

A closer look at the River Road over crossing at milepost 151. River Road stems southwest from U.S. 19 (Holland Avenue) in Wendover to Harmony Grove and Price Hill at Interstate 79.

08/07/04

Traffic interests to Morgantown are served by the first three interchanges of Interstate 68 eastbound. U.S. 119 (University Avenue) ties into the freeway at Exit 1, WV 7 at Exit 4, and Pierpont Road at Exit 10.

08/07/04

Depicted here is the one mile diagrammatic overhead for Exit 148. An Airport placard is affixed to the sign bridge for the Morgantown Municipal Airport, accessible from Interstate 68 Exit 7. Interstate 68 otherwise continues east 33 miles from Interstate 79 to Garrett County, Maryland and 73 miles to Cumberland.

08/07/04

Interstate 79 crosses the Monongahela River within the vicinity of the tri-level stack interchange of Interstate 68. A two lane off-ramp leaves southbound ahead for the eastbound beginning of Interstate 68. Interstate 68 overall is a useful through route for east-west through traffic between the Baltimore and Washington metropolitan area and points west such as Columbus and Chicago.

08/07/04

Exit 148 leaves I-79 south for the eastbound beginning of Interstate 68. The freeway in West Virginia was originally a part of U.S. 48, and redesignated as I-68 in 1989 upon completion of the freeway through Cumberland, Maryland. A planned extension may continue I-68 northwestward to Wheeling and Interstate 70 by way of Moundville. The 73 mile corridor was included in the National Highway System by the Federal Highway Administration as of September 9, 2003.

08/07/04

The southbound ramp onto Interstate 68 eastbound forms the lowest level of the Exit 148 tri-level stack interchange. A one mile guide sign lies ahead of the flyover ramps for the folded diamond interchange (Exit 1) with U.S. 119 (University Avenue). U.S. 119 travels south from downtown Morgantown 3.6 miles to meet Interstate 68 at Exit 1.

08/07/04

Passing underneath the Interstate 79 mainline and the westbound Interstate 68 flyover onto Interstate 79 southbound on Interstate 68 eastbound. The eastern terminus of Interstate 68 at Hancock, Maryland is also a tri-level stack interchange.

08/07/04

Leaving the confluence with Interstate 68 on Interstate 79 southbound. The freeway reduces to four lanes overall as it leaves the Morgantown metropolitan area for Marion County and Fairmont.

08/07/04

CR 77 (Goshen Road) intersects Interstate 79 at the next southbound interchange (Exit 146).

08/07/04

Interstate 79 southbound distance sign listing the distances to Goshen Road (Exit 148), Fairmont, and Clarksburg. The freeway ends at Interstate 77 147 miles to the south at Charleston.

08/07/04

One mile north of the diamond interchange (Exit 146) with County Route 77 (Goshen Road) on Interstate 77 south. Goshen Road spurs 3.7 miles east from County Route 73 to U.S. 119 (Grafton Road) near the settlement of Ridgedale.

08/07/04

Standard procedure along West Virginia Interstates is to sign the approach to an interchange with signs at two miles, one mile, and one-quarter mile out from the actual off-ramp. Interstate 79 southbound at Goshen Road is no exception with the 0.25 mile guide sign for Exit 146.

08/07/04

Exit 146 leaves Interstate 79 southbound for CR 77 (Goshen Road). Goshen Road ties into CR 73 nearby. CR 73 parallels Interstate 79 from U.S. 119 (University Avenue) and Uffington southwest to Meadowdale and Fairmont.

08/07/04