Skip to main content

A trip to Pennsylvania...featuring ARC Highway Corridor L

Image
By
Kristy and I headed up to Pennsylvania this weekend, and this time we did stop and take photos.

The trip up was the usual. I-40, US 52, I-77, US 19, I-79 bit the only difference was I took I-79 to I-70 in Washington and over vs. I-68 and PA 43. The reason, it was 10 pm and I didn't want to be traveling two lane WV/PA 857 and parts of PA 51 at night.

For the photo set (including the trip home), here's the flickr link:

On the way, we did a few stops in West Virginia. The first stop was at the WV Vietnam Veterans Memorial off of I-77 Exit 9 on US 460.

The memorial is well stated with a fountain, benches, and the list of those that died from the area enclosed in a circular wall.


Most of the photos from the trip up were along US 19 and specifically ARC Corridor L. The hope is to incorporate the photos into a history page on the highway.

From the South, Corridor L begins at the West Virginia Turnpike at Exit 48. The guide signs read 'TO' US 19 as US 19 actually joins/leaves Corridor L about 3/4 of a mile to the north. Oddly, official WV state maps note the small segment of Corridor L between US 19 and the WV Turnpike as 'Alternate' US 19. (I am not sure if this designation is officially recognized.)


Below is the diamond interchange where US 19 joins Corridor L.

Corridor L is considered an Expressway or greater for its entire 69 mile length. The only true segment that is considered a freeway controlled access is the Oak Hill Bypass. Ironically, the Oak Hill Bypass was originally built for US 21 and prior to the establishment of Corridor L. In fact, a few of the county secondary roads are based off numbering from US 21 (See third photo).



The next town that US 19/Corridor L meets is Fayetteville. Fayetteville sits north of Oak Hill and south of the New River Gorge Bridge. Fayetteville has a 50 mph speed limit, and although it is not as notorious as Summersville to the north, the town does set speed traps. And on this day, we saw two Fayetteville police cars running speed traps - one northbound; the other southbound.

Here's Corridor L approaching Fayetteville.

Of course, just beyond Fayetteville is the famous New River Gorge Bridge. These photos were taken in July of 2007.


From there Corridor L takes a leisurely and enjoyable ride to Summersville, where you are greeted by this sign.

Yes, and because of that strict enforcement, an enjoyable and fast moving ride becomes slow (especially when going into or out of the ravine to the south of town), full of traffic lights, and always most amusing the restart of 65 mph and higher traffic once exiting the commercial strip of town.

For those of you that haven't been on US 19 through Summersville, here's what it looks like.

Once out of Summersville, US 19 continues as an enjoyable drive for nearly 30 miles before ending at Interstate 79. There are a few more mountainous hill climbs, but overall it is very relaxing.

At mile marker 55.5 (more on that in a moment), there is a Scenic View on the Northbound lanes that is worth stopping at.


Finally, along all ARC Corridors in West Virginia, the DOH has installed special milemarkers that look like this:
That concludes the trip up. My next post takes a look at the Sideling Hill Cut on I-68 in Maryland
Labels:

Comments

Georgia Road Geek said…
Nice photos, Adam.

Thanks for sharing.
7:42 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2018 Mojave Road Trip Part 2; The deadly desert highway (California State Route 127 and Nevada State Route 373)

By
After leaving Barstow via Old Highway 58 my next destination was in Death Valley.  To access Death Valley from rural San Bernardino County required a trek on north on Interstate 15 to California State Route 127 which becomes Nevada State Route 373 at the state line. Along I-15 I encountered the road sign oddity that is Zzyzx Road about eight miles south of Baker.   Zzyzx Road is a four mile road that used to go to the Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Spa.   The spa was founded in the 1940s and the owner made up the name "Zzyzx" to claim it was the last word in the English Language.  The spa has been shut down since the 1970s and is now part of a Desert Studies Center for California State University. The southern terminus of CA 127 in Baker is located at I-15 exit 246.  CA 127 is a 91 mile north/south highway which runs to the Nevada State Line in Inyo County.  CA 127 is called Death Valley Road from I-15 northward.  South of CA 127 ...
4 comments
Read more

Finding the Pre-Emption Road of New York State

By
  The Pre-Emption Road (or rather a series of roads named Pre-Emption Road) follows a survey line called the Pre-Emption Line, drawn in the early days of the United States. The story begins with Massachusetts and New York having competing land claims to modern day Western New York State that have their roots in colonial charters granted by the British. After the Revolutionary War ended, this land became the frontier of the nation and its settlement became a priority for the new American government. During this era, there were a lot of competing land claims that needed to be settled. It was no different with the land claims between New York State and Massachusetts. On November 30, 1786, Massachusetts and New York sent representatives to Hartford, Connecticut to resolve their competing land claims. In less than three weeks, the representatives had reached a compromise. Massachusetts would receive pre-emption rights, meaning the right to sell the land after the Indian title ...
Post a Comment
Read more

What's In a Name?: When the Roads Really Do Tell a Story

By
  Our tagline on the Gribblenation blog is "because every road tells a story". Some roads tell different stories than others. Along our travels, we may see historic markers that tell us a little story about the roads we travel or the places we pass by. Some historic markers are more general, as to telling us who lived where or what old trail traversed between two towns. During my travels across New York State and other states or provinces, I pass by many historic markers, some with interesting or amusing references to roads. I wanted to highlight a few of the markers I've seen along my travels around the Empire State and help tell their stories. Those stories may be as specific as explaining the tales of a tree that was used to help measure a distance of eight miles from Bath to Avoca in Steuben County, as referenced on the Eight Mile Tree historical marker above. They may also help point the way along historical roads first used centuries ago, or may help tell a local l...
Post a Comment
Read more