Interstate 77 in West Virginia

This article is about the section of Interstate 77 in West Virginia. For the entire route, see Interstate 77.

Interstate 77 marker
Interstate 77
Map
I-77 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by WVDOH and WVPA
Length187.21 mi[1] (301.29 km)
Existed1958–present
HistoryCompleted in 1974
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
South end I-77 / US 52 at Virginia state line
Major intersections
North end I-77 at Ohio state line at the Marietta-Williamstown Interstate Bridge
Location
CountryUnited States
StateWest Virginia
CountiesMercer, Raleigh, Fayette, Kanawha, Jackson, Wood
Highway system
← WV 76→ WV 78

Interstate 77 (I-77) in the US state of West Virginia is a major north–south Interstate Highway. It extends for 187.21 miles (301.29 km) between Bluefield at the Virginia state line and Williamstown at the Ohio state line.

The highway serves Charleston, the capital and largest city in West Virginia; it also serves the cities of Princeton, Beckley, and Parkersburg. I-77 follows the entire length of the West Virginia Turnpike, a toll road that runs between Princeton and Charleston, and it runs concurrently with I-64 between Beckley and Charleston.

Historically, the West Virginia Turnpike was a two-lane road with treacherous curves and a tunnel (which has since been decommissioned). Construction began in 1952, several years before the Interstate Highway System was funded. It was only in 1987 that the entire length of the turnpike was upgraded to Interstate standards. Due to the difficulty and lives lost in construction, it has been called "88 miles of miracle".[2]

  1. ^ Adderly, Kevin (February 5, 2019). "Table 1: Main Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways as of December 31, 2018". Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. Archived from the original on July 3, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference monday was invoked but never defined (see the help page).