Interstate 79

Interstate 79
Route information
Length:	343.24 mi[1] (552.39 km)
Major junctions
South end:	I‑77 in Charleston, WV
	I‑68 near Morgantown, WV I-70 in South Strabane Township, PA I-76 / Penna Turnpike in Warrendale, PA I-80 in Findley Township, PA I-90 in McKean, PA
North end:	Bayfront Parkway in Erie, PA
Location
States:	West Virginia, Pennsylvania
Counties:	WV: Kanawha, Roane, Clay, Braxton, Gilmer, Lewis, Harrison, Marion, Monongalia PA: Greene, Washington, Allegheny, Butler, Lawrence, Mercer, Crawford, Erie
Highway system
Interstate Highway System Main Auxiliary Suffixed Business ← WV 78 WV WV 80 → ← PA 78 PA PA 79 → ← PA 178 PA PA 179 →

Interstate 79 (abbreviated I-79) is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States, designated from Interstate 77 in Charleston, West Virginia to Pennsylvania Route 5 and Pennsylvania Route 290 in Erie, Pennsylvania. It is a primary thoroughfare through western Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and makes up part of an important corridor to Buffalo, New York, and the border with Canada.

In West Virginia, Interstate 79 is known as the Jennings Randolph Expressway. In the three most northern counties it is signed as part of the High Tech Corridor. For most of its Pennsylvania stretch, it is known as the Raymond P. Shafer Highway.

Route description

Neville Island Bridge in PA carrying I-79

Lengths

	mi[1]	km
WV	160.52	258.49
PA	182.72	294.24
Total	343.24	552.39

Except at its northern end, I-79 is located on the Allegheny Plateau. Despite the somewhat rugged terrain, the road is relatively flat. Most of the highway is at an elevation of about 1000 to 1200 feet (300 to 360 m) above sea level, with some lower areas near both ends and higher areas near Sutton, West Virginia. In the hillier areas, this flatness is achieved by curving around hills, along ridges, and in or partway up river valleys.^[2] From Sutton, West Virginia north, Interstate 79 generally parallels the path of U.S. Route 19.

West Virginia

I-79 terminates in Charleston, WV, shown in map.

I-79 begins at a three-way directional Y interchange with Interstate 77 along the northwest bank of the Elk River just northeast of Charleston. For its first 67 miles (108 km), to a point just south of Flatwoods, I-79 is located in the watershed of the Elk River, which drains into the Kanawha River. It crosses the Elk River twice — at Frametown and Sutton - and never strays more than about 15 to 20 miles (25 to 30 km) from it.^[2][3]

Pennsylvania

Exit signs for US 20, PA 5, PA 290 and the terminus for I-79 in Erie, PA.

I-79 enters Pennsylvania after leaving West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV. South of Washington, PA, I-79 traverses the mostly rural Greene County area.

Between mile markers 34 and 38, I-79 is multiplexed with I-70 in the Washington, PA area before heading north towards Pittsburgh.

The freeway into Pittsburgh requires drivers to use I-376 while I-79 completely bypasses the city. Beyond the Pittsburgh area, I-79 traverses more rural areas in Butler, Lawrence, Mercer, Crawford, and Erie counties before arriving at its termination point in Erie.

The ghost ramps around the 100 mile marker near Moraine State Park.

Around the 100 mile marker on the northbound side are two ghost ramps that were specifically built for the Boy Scouts of America in order to have access to Moraine State Park without having to get on U.S. Route 422 for the 1973 and 1977 National Scout Jamborees, which were held at Moraine. The ramps were permanently closed after the 1977 event, but remain in place as of 2013.^[4][5]

I-79 was completely re-built in the Pittsburgh area in the early 1990s.^[6]

History

The Pennsylvania State Legislature authorized the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to build two extensions in the 1950s. The Northwestern Extension, authorized in 1953, was to stretch from the main Pennsylvania Turnpike north to Erie, and would have included a lateral connection between Ohio and New York (later built as Interstate 90).^[7] The Southwestern Extension, authorized in 1955, was to run south from the main line near Pittsburgh to West Virginia, connecting there with an extension of the West Virginia Turnpike.^[8] Except for the section between Washington and the Pittsburgh area, which was included as part of Interstate 70,^[9] the first portion of I-79 to be added to the plans was north from Pittsburgh to Erie, along the U.S. Route 19 corridor.

In September 1955, two short urban portions were designated:^[10]

Interstate 179
Location:	Erie
Existed:	November 12, 1958–1968

Interstate 279
Location:	Pittsburgh
Length:	13.5 mi (21.7 km)
Existed:	September 16, 1989–

• I-179: A spur from I-90 north to Erie, currently absorbed into I-79^[11]
• I-279: A western bypass of Pittsburgh, connecting I-70 with I-80S (Currently I-76); it and I-79 later swapped designations

The number 79 was assigned in 1958,^[12] and an extension south along I-70 to Washington and beyond to Charleston was approved on October 18, 1961.^[13] This extension also paralleled US 19 to near Sutton, where it turned westerly to reach Charleston. (The part of US 19 from Sutton south to Interstate 77 at Beckley, WV has since been four-laned as Corridor L of the Appalachian Development Highway System.)

On December 21, 1967, the first section of I-79 in West Virginia, between Exits 125 (Saltwell Road) and 132 (South Fairmont), opened to traffic.^[14] This five-mile (8 km) section bypassed part of WV 73 between Bridgeport and Fairmont. Another five miles (8 km) opened in July 1968, extending the highway on a bypass of downtown Fairmont to Exit 137 (East Park Avenue).^[15] It was further extended 9.5 miles (15 km) towards Morgantown on October 15, 1970, bypassing more of WV 73 to Exit 146 (Goshen Road) south of that city.^[16][17][18]

On June 29, 1970 the swap of I-79 and I-279 was approved. At the same time, I-76 was extended west from downtown Pittsburgh over former I-79 to the new location of I-79 west of Pittsburgh, so I-279 only ran north from downtown Pittsburgh. On December 3, 1971, I-76 was rerouted to bypass Pittsburgh, and I-279 was extended to I-79 utilizing the former section of I-76.^[19]

On June 29, 1973, I-79 was extended from West Virginia Exit 146 to Exit 148 (I-68), where at one point, traffic was forced onto the newly opened west end of Corridor E (now I-68) to Exit 1.^[20] A further extension of six miles (10 km), including the Uffington Bridge over the Monongahela River southwest of Morgantown, was opened on August 30, 1973, leading north to Exit 155 (Star City).^[21][22] This completed I-79 from north of Bridgeport to north of Morgantown.

To the south of Bridgeport, the first two sections were both opened on December 22, 1971. One of these ran ten miles (16 km) from Exit 51 (Frametown) to Exit 62 (Sutton), and the other from Exit 105 (Jane Lew) to Exit 115 (Nutter Fort).^{[23][24][25][26]} On September 19, 1973, another 7.5-mile (12.1 km) stretch was opened, from Exit 105 (Jane Lew) south to Exit 99 (Weston).^[27]

In 1973, significant portions of the interstate were completed.^[18] Interstate 79 opened from Exit 62 to Exit 99. Another 23.9 miles (38.5 km), from Exit 67 (Flatwoods) north to Exit 91 (Roanoke), opened on November 28, 1973, along with the section from exit 115 north to exit 117 (Anmoore), completing the route between Frametown and Morgantown except in the Bridgeport area.^[28][29]

A 5.5-mile (8.9 km) extension from exit 51 south to exit 46 (Servia) opened on February 1, 1974,^[30] and County Route 11 to WV 4 near Duck was widened to handle the increased load.^[31] On the same day, two lanes opened from exit 155 (Osage) north to the state line.

On October 16, 1974, two pieces of I-79 were opened: the other two lanes of the 6.6 miles (10.6 km) from exit 155 to the state line, and 7.1 miles (11.4 km) between exits 117 (Anmoore) and 125 (north of Bridgeport). On the same day, the eastern end of Corridor D and the western end of Corridor E, both connecting to I-79 (at exits 119 and 148), were opened. This completed I-79 in West Virginia north of exit 46 (Servia);^[32][33][34] it was extended south to exit 25 (Amma) in late November^[35] and to U.S. Route 119 north of Clendenin (exit 19) on November 13, 1975.^[36] It was opened from exit 19 to exit 9 (Elkview) on November 18, 1977,^[37] and finally completed to Interstate 77 in 1979.^[18]

Interstate 79 merges with Interstate 70 through Washington, Pennsylvania.

On July 25, 1975 I-79 was opened between exits 1 and 14 in Pennsylvania.^[38] The last piece of I-79 between West Virginia and Erie — the Neville Island Bridge over the Ohio River - opened on September 3, 1976.^[39]

In late 2008 the "missing ramps" of the I-79/I-376 interchange (PA 60 was designated as the route for southbound traffic seeking to go to Pittsburgh International Airport & airport traffic seeking to go northbound on I-79) were completed.^[40]

In June 2009, I-376 was extended west and north of downtown Pittsburgh, and I-279 was truncated back to the section only running from downtown Pittsburgh north to I-79.

Exit list

County	Location	mi[41]	km	Old exit [42]	New exit [42]	Destinations	Notes
Kanawha	Charleston	0.000	0.000	—	—	I‑77 to I‑64 – Parkersburg, Charleston	Southern terminus of I-79; I-77 exit 104
		1.845	2.969	—	1	US 119 – Mink Shoals
		5.047	8.122	—	5	WV 114 – Big Chimney	Northern terminus of WV 114
	Pinch	9.469	15.239	1	9	CR 43 (Frame Road) – Elkview
	Clendenin	19.091	30.724	3	19	US 119 (CR 53) – Clendenin
Roane	Amma			6	25	CR 29 – Amma
				11	34	WV 36 – Wallback, Clay
Clay		39.899	64.211	14	40	WV 16 – Big Otter
Braxton				20	46	CR 11 (Servia Road)
	Frametown	51.569	82.992	25	51	WV 4 – Frametown
		57.607	92.709	31	57	US 19 south – Beckley, Summersville	Southern terminus of US 19 concurrency; access to New River Gorge
	Sutton	61.465	98.918	36	62	WV 4 – Sutton, Gassaway
	Flatwoods			41	67	US 19 north (WV 4) / WV 15 – Flatwoods	Northern terminus of US 19 concurrency; WV 15 ends at WV 4 south of the interchange; access to Sutton Lake
	Burnsville	78.909	126.992	43	79	WV 5 – Burnsville, Glenville	Access to Glenville State College and Burnsville Dam
Gilmer	No major junctions
Lewis		90.988	146.431	44	91	US 19 – Roanoke	Access to Stonewall Jackson Lake State Park
	Weston			45	96	CR 30 – Weston	Access to Stonewall Jackson Lake and Jackson's Mill
		98.608	158.694	46	99	US 33 / US 119 – Weston, Buckhannon	Access to West Virginia Wesleyan College and Davis and Elkins College; future western terminus of US 48
	Jane Lew			47	105	CR 7 – Jane Lew	Access to Jackson's Mill
Harrison	Lost Creek			48	110	WV 270 – Lost Creek	Eastern terminus of WV 270
	Stonewood	115.75	186.28	49	115	WV 20 – Stonewood, Nutter Fort	Access to Alderson-Broaddus College
	Clarksburg			50	117	WV 58 – Anmoore
				51	119	US 50 (Corridor D) – Clarksburg, Bridgeport	Access to Salem International University
				52	121	CR 24 (Meadowbrook Road)
				53	124	WV 279 to US 50 east	Access to Harrison/Marion Regional Airport, Tygart Lake State Park, and United Hospital Center
					125	WV 131 (Saltwell Road) – Shinnston
Marion	Whitehall	132.086	212.572	54	132	US 250 – Fairmont, Whitehall
	Fairmont			55	133	CR ^64⁄1 (Kingmont Road)
				56	135	CR 64 (Pleasant Valley Road)
				—	136	WV 273 – Downtown Fairmont	Southern terminus of WV 273; exit fully opened on December 22, 2010.[43]
		136.660	219.933		137	WV 310 (East Park Avenue)	Access to Valley Falls State Park
				58	139	CR 33 (Pricketts Creek Road) – East Fairmont	Access to Prickett's Fort State Park
Monongalia				60	146	CR 77 (Goshen Road)
	Morgantown	148.766	239.416	61	148	I‑68 east - Cumberland, MD	Western terminus of I-68; access to Mountaineer Field and Tygart Lake State Park
		152.502	245.428	62	152	US 19 – Westover, Morgantown	Access to Granville
		154.836	249.184	63	155	WV 7 – West Virginia University	Access to Star City, Osage, and Mountaineer Field
Mason–Dixon Line		0.0	0.0	West Virginia–Pennsylvania state line
Greene	Perry Township			1	1	Mount Morris
	Whiteley Township			2	7	Kirby, Garards Fort
		13.971	22.484	3	14	PA 21 – Masontown, Waynesburg	Access to Waynesburg University
	Washington Township	19.4	31.2	4	19	US 19 / PA 221 – Ruff Creek, Jefferson
Washington	West Bethlehem Township	23.4	37.7	5	23	Marianna, Prosperity
	Amwell Township	30.6	49.2	6	30	US 19 – Amity, Lone Pine
		32.9	52.9	7	33	US 40 – Laboratory
	South Strabane Township	34.4	55.4	—	34	I-70 east – New Stanton	Southern terminus of I-70 concurrency, east exit 18.
		35.4	57.0	8	20	PA 136 (Beau Street)	Access to Washington & Jefferson College
		36.4	58.6	7	19	US 19 – Murtland Avenue	Signed as exits 19A (south) and 19B (north)
		37.9	61.0	—	38	I-70 west – Wheeling, WV	Northern terminus of I-70 concurrency, west exit 21.
		40.3	64.9	8A	40	Meadow Lands
		41.1	66.1	8	41	Race Track Road – Meadow Lands
	North Strabane Township	43.4	69.8	9	43	PA 519 – Eighty Four, Houston
		45.5	73.2	10	45	To PA 980 – Canonsburg
	Cecil Township	48.2	77.6	10A	48	Southpointe, Hendersonville	Access to California University of Pennsylvania's Southpointe Campus and to the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies
		50.2	80.8	—	52	Toll PA 576 (Southern Beltway)	Under contract; westbound entrances & eastbound exits are expected to open by 2019.[44]
Allegheny	Bridgeville	54.6	87.9	11	54	PA 50 – Bridgeville
	South Fayette Township	55.2	88.8	12	55	Heidelberg, Collier	Formerly designated as "Heidelberg / Kirwan Heights"
	Scott Township	57.4	92.4	13	57	Carnegie
	Pennsbury Village	59.3	95.4	14	59	I-376 (US 22, US 30) – Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh International Airport	I-376 exit 64A; signed as exits 59A (east) & 59B (west).
	Robinson Township	60.4	97.2	16	60	PA 60 – Crafton, Moon Run, Pittsburgh International Airport	Signed as exit 60A northbound and exits 60A (south) and 60B (north) southbound
	Coraopolis	64.1	103.2	17	64	PA 51 – Coraopolis, McKees Rocks	No southbound exit
	Ohio River			Neville Island Bridge
	Neville Township	64.8	104.3	18	65	Yellow Belt to PA 51 – Neville Island	Southern terminus of Yellow Belt concurrency
	Ohio River			Neville Island Bridge
	Glenfield	66.5	107.0	19	66	PA 65 – Emsworth, Sewickley
	Sewickley Hills	68.0	109.4	20	68	Yellow Belt (Mount Nebo Road)	Northern terminus of Yellow Belt concurrency
	Franklin Park	72.1	116.0	21	72	I-279 south – Pittsburgh	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
		73.3	118.0	22	73	PA 910 east / Orange Belt – Wexford	Western terminus of PA 910
	Marshall Township	75.7	121.8	23	75	Red Belt to US 19 south – Warrendale	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
		75.9	122.1	25	76	US 19 north – Cranberry	Northbound left exit and southbound entrance
Butler	Cranberry Township	77.2	124.2	—	77	I-76 / Penna Turnpike – Harrisburg, Youngstown OH	I-76 / Penna Turnpike exit 28 (Cranberry)
		78.7	126.7	25	78	PA 228 – Seven Fields, Mars, Cranberry
	Jackson Township	83.1	133.7	26	83	PA 528 – Evans City	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
		85.5	137.6	26	85	To PA 528 (US 19)	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
		87.3	140.5	27	87	PA 68 – Zelienople	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
		88.7	142.7	27	88	To US 19 to PA 68 – Zelienople	Signed as Little Creek Rd. northbound; promoted as access to Seneca Valley School District.
	Muddy Creek Township	95.8	154.2	28	96	PA 488 – Portersville, Prospect
	Muddy Creek Township	99.6	160.3	29	99	US 422 – New Castle, Butler	Access to Moraine State Park, McConnells Mill State Park, and Cooper's Lake Campground for the annual Pennsic War.
	Worth Township	105.4	169.6	30	105	PA 108 – Slippery Rock	Access to Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Lawrence	No major junctions
Mercer	Springfield Township	113.7	183.0	31	113	PA 208 / PA 258 – Grove City	Access to Grove City College and Westminster College
	Findley Township	116.5	187.5	—	116	I-80 – Clarion, Sharon	Signed as exits 116A (east) and 116B (west); I-80 exits 19A-B
	Jackson Township	121.1	194.9	33	121	US 62 – Mercer, Franklin
	New Vernon Township	130.6	210.2	34	130	PA 358 – Greenville, Sandy Lake	Access to Thiel College
Crawford	Greenwood Township	141.5	227.7	35	141	PA 285 – Geneva, Cochranton
	Crawford Township	147.4	237.2	36	147	US 6 / US 19 / US 322 – Meadville, Conneaut Lake	Signed as exits 147A (north/east) and 147B (south/west); access to Conneaut Lake Park and Allegheny College, to PA 102
	Hayfield Township	153.9	247.7	37	154	PA 198 – Conneautville, Saegertown
Erie	Washington Township	166.5	268.0	38	166	US 6N – Albion, Edinboro	Access to Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
	McKean Township	174.7	281.2	39	174	McKean
		178.6	287.4	—	178	I-90 – Buffalo, Cleveland	Signed as exits 178A (east) and 178B (west); I-90 exits 22A-B; Former Southern Terminus of I-179
	Millcreek Township	180.5	290.5	41	180	To US 19 – Kearsarge	Access to Millcreek Mall and PA 99
	Erie	182.7	294.0	43	182	US 20 (26th Street)	Access to Erie International Airport
		183.6	295.5	44	183	PA 5 / PA 290 east (12th Street)	Northbound exit and southbound entrance; signed as exits 183A (east) and 183B (west); access to Presque Isle State Park, Waldameer Park, and Gannon University; western terminus of PA 290
				—	—	Bayfront Parkway Lincoln Avenue	Northern terminus of I-79; roadway continues beyond Lincoln Avenue as Bayfront Parkway; Former northern terminus of I-179
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus             Incomplete access

Auxiliary routes

• Interstate 279 heads southeast from Interstate 79 in Pittsburgh's northern suburbs to Interstate 376 in downtown Pittsburgh.
• Interstate 579 heads south from Interstate 279 in Pittsburgh's North Side to the Liberty Bridge and the Boulevard of the Allies just east of downtown Pittsburgh.

See also

• U.S. Roads portal
• Pennsylvania portal
• West Virginia portal
• Erie portal

References

1. "Route Log and Finder List - Interstate System - table 1". Federal Highway Administration. 2002-10-31. Retrieved 2007-07-09.
2. United States Geological Survey topographic maps and aerial photos, accessed via Terraserver-USA
3. National Atlas of the United States, Hydrologic Units (Watersheds) GIS data
4. Ghost Ramps. Gribblenation.com (2005-06-05). Retrieved on 2013-07-24.
5. 40.972705,-80.132024 - Google Maps. Maps.google.com (1970-01-01). Retrieved on 2013-07-24.
6. "The Pittsburgh Press - Google News Archive Search". google.com.
7. Pennsylvania Turnpike Northwestern Extension Act, P.L. 706, No. 229, passed July 28, 1953
8. Pennsylvania Turnpike Southwestern Extension Act, P.L. 174, No. 52, passed June 14, 1955
9. Official Route Numbering for the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, as adopted by the American Association of State Highway Officials, August 14, 1957
10. Bureau of Public Roads, General Location of National System of Interstate Highways, 1955: maps of Erie and Pittsburgh
11. "3-digit Interstates from I-79". kurumi.com.
12. Official Route Numbering for the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, as adopted by the American Association of State Highway Officials, June 27, 1958
13. Charleston Daily Mail, Third Route Alters Interstate Picture, SRC Tells Mayors, October 20, 1961
14. Charleston Daily Mail, 5-Mile I-79 Link Will Open December 21, December 7, 1967
15. Charleston Daily Mail, 5 Miles of I-79 Opens in Marion, July 20, 1968
16. Charleston Gazette, Gov. Moore Will Open I-79 Segment, October 10, 1970
17. Charleston Gazette, Moore Opens I-79 Portion, Restates Vow, October 16, 1970
18. Release Date Report. West Virginia Department of Transportation. August 2003.
19. Federal Highway Administration, Ask the Rambler: Was I-76 Numbered to Honor Philadelphia for Independence Day, 1776?
20. Charleston Daily Mail, 5 More Miles of I-79 Being Opened Today, June 29, 1973
21. Charleston Gazette, 6-Mile Stretch of I-79 Open, August 31, 1973
22. Charleston Gazette, September 5, 1973
23. Dominion News, Two I-79 Sections Opened, December 23, 1971
24. Charleston Daily Mail, 40 Miles More of I-79 Open, December 23, 1971
25. Charleston Gazette, I-79 Mileage Increased to 40, December 23, 1971
26. Dominion News, January 23, 1972
27. Charleston Daily Mail, I-79 Segment Opened by Governor Moore, September 20, 1973
28. Charleston Daily Mail, More of I-79 to Be Opened Tomorrow, November 27, 1973
29. Charleston Gazette, Open I-79 Increasing by 25.17 Miles, November 28, 1973
30. Charleston Gazette, Additional Interstates to Open, January 30, 1974
31. Charleston Gazette, Highway Project Bids to Be Opened, March 8, 1972
32. Charleston Gazette, Moore Will Open 22 New Miles, October 8, 1974
33. Charleston Gazette, 22 Miles of Roads Opened, October 17, 1974
34. Daily Courier, W. Va. to Open Over 22 Miles of Highways, October 10, 1974
35. Charleston Gazette, Holiday Travelers to Find I-79 Nonstop From Amma, November 28, 1974
36. Charleston Gazette, New I-79 Stretch Will Open Today, November 13, 1975
37. Charleston Daily Mail, November 18, 1977
38. Daily Courier, I-79 Opening Today in Greene County, July 25, 1975
39. Valley Independent, Interstate 79 opened to Erie, September 4, 1976
40. "'Missing links' take shape at I-79/Parkway West". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
41. Federal Highway Administration, National Highway Planning Network GIS data version 2005.08
42. "Pennsylvania Exit Numbering" (PDF). Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
43. Panuska, Mallory (December 22, 2010). "Gateway Connector opens today". Times West Virginian. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
44. Construction on Southern Beltway set for spring Beaver County Times (01/14/2013)

External links

• 1971 Pittsburgh Press article detailing I-79 progress

Route map: Bing / Google

• Media related to Interstate 79 at Wikimedia Commons
• Geographic data related to Interstate 79 at OpenStreetMap