Interstate 81 in West Virginia

Interstate 81 marker
Interstate 81
Map
I-81 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by WVDOH
Length26.00 mi[1] (41.84 km)
Existed1963[2]–present
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
South end I-81 at Virginia state line
Major intersections
North end I-81 at Maryland state line
Location
CountryUnited States
StateWest Virginia
CountiesBerkeley
Highway system
WV 80 WV 82

Interstate 81 (I-81) in the US state of West Virginia crosses the Eastern Panhandle region, linking Virginia to Maryland. The Interstate Highway, completed in 1966, spans 26 miles (42 km) through Berkeley County, paralleling U.S. Route 11 (US 11) for its entire length. I-81 enters the state near Ridgeway, travels northeast, bypassing the city of Martinsburg, and leaves the state at the Potomac River, which serves as the state line. The first solicitations for the construction of I-81 were published in 1959, with the first six miles (9.7 km) of freeway being opened in 1963, and the full length was completed by 1966. On average, between 45,000 and 60,000 vehicles use the freeway through the panhandle per day.

  1. ^ "Table 1: Main Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System Of Interstate and Defense Highways". FHWA Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. December 31, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Doherty1972 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).