Skip to main content

A detailed look at the Coalfields Expressway

Image
By
Returning to the WVDOH maps I received on various projects. This time, a look at the Coalfields Expressway.

Recently, a small segment of the highway opened around Sophia earlier this year.

There are eight segments for the Coalfields Expressway (currently signed as WV 121), running from the Virginia State Line to the I-64/77 interchange south of Beckley.

Here's a look at them running South to North.

Segment 1 - Virginia State Line to Bradshaw (WV 80). Length - 7 miles:

The Coalfields Expressway will roughly follow existing WV 83 from the VA line to WV 80 in Bradshaw.

Segment 2 - Bradshaw (WV 80) to Welch (US 52) - Length - 14 miles:

This segment will parallel WV 83 to near the town of English. From that point, it will run parallel and to the west of WV 16 to US 52 a few miles west of Welch.

Segment 3 - Welch (US 52) to King Coal/Coalfields Interchange (Future I-73/74) - Length - 6 miles:

The Coalfields will run to Welch's west, and cross County Route 7 South and East of Capels. It will meet the King Coal at an already completed interchange that now sits empty.

Segment 4 - King Coal/Coalfields Interchange (Future I-73/74) to Pineville (WV 10/16) - Length - 8 miles:

Coalfields will intersect WV 16 near Wolf Pen. It meets WV 10/16 east of Pineville.

Segment 5 - Pineville (WV 10/16) to Mullens (WV 54) - Length: 7.5 Miles:

This section roughly parallels WV 16 to the north; ending at WV 54 north of Mullens.

Segment 6 - Mullens (WV 54) to Surveyor Road - Length - 10 miles:

This section is shown under construction in the 2006/07 West Virginia Highway Map. (See Below)


Segment 7 - Surveyor Road to Sophia (WV 16/54) - Length - 3 miles:

Parts if not all of this segment have opened for use. This segment is forked as near Sophia a part of the Coalfields branches to the existing five lane (four and center turn lane) WV 16.

Segment 8 - Sophia to I-64/77 Interchange - Length - 3.6 miles:

This segment will run to the current I-64/77 Interchange. This interchange is currently a 'Directional-Y' interchange. I have yet to see the design of what a Coalfields/I-77/I-64 Interchange will look like.
Labels:

Comments

Anonymous said…
WILL WE SEE THIS COMPLETED IN OUR LIFETIME....I'M 60
5:26 PM
Anonymous said…
Hope they buy me out for sure location groundhog in between Bradshaw and Jolo
8:40 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Grand Loop Road of Yellowstone National Park

By
  Grand Loop Road is a 140 mile loop highway which traverses the interior of Yellowstone National Park.  Grand Loop Road connects all of the major attractions and geological features of Yellowstone National Park along with the entrance roads.  Grand Loop Road is a seasonal highway and despite some conjecture never has been part of the US Route System.   Part 1; the history of Grand Loop Road The majority of history pertaining to Grand Loop Road was taken from the below National Park Service article: Historic Roads - Yellowstone National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov) Yellowstone was declared the first National Park of the United States on March 1st, 1872.  The first real highway to access Yellowstone National Park came in 1873 when a tolled facility was constructed from Bozeman, Montana via Yankee Jim Canyon to Mammoth Hot Springs.  Numerous attempts were made to fund construction of roadway infrastructure during the early years of Yellows...
Post a Comment
Read more

The last 1956-63 era California Sign State Route Spade?

By
Along southbound California State Route 170 (the Hollywood Freeway Extension) approaching the Hollywood Freeway/Ventura Freeway interchange a white California State Route 134 Sign State Route Spade can be observed on guide sign.  These white spades were specifically used during the 1956-63 era and have become increasingly rare.  This blog is intended to serve as a brief history of the Sign State Route Spade.  We also ask you as the reader, is this last 1956-63 era Sign State Route Spade or do you know of others?  Part 1; the history of the California Sign State Route Spade Prior to the Sign State Route System, the US Route System and the Auto Trails were the only highways in California signed with reassurance markers.  The creation of the US Route System by the American Association of State Highway Officials during November 1926 brought a system of standardized reassurance shields to major highways in California.  Early efforts to create a Sign State Route ...
Post a Comment
Read more

California State Route 70; the Feather River Highway

By
From 2017 through to early 2019 I drove the majority of the California State Route 70; the Feather River Highway from CA 89 southwest to CA 99. CA 70 is an approximately 178.5 mile state highway which starts at US 395 near the Nevada State Line and travels west through the Feather River Canyon to CA 99.  CA 70 is often referred to as the Feather River Highway" given it's close association with the river.  Historically CA 70 was previously signed as US 40A and CA 24.  The Legislative Routes prior to the 1964 California Highway Renumbering that made up the current route of CA 70 are as follows: -  Legislative Route Number 21 from US 395 westward to Oroville. -  LRN 87 from Oroville south to Marysville. -  LRN 232 from Marysville to the current junction with CA 99.  CA 70 was even dual signed with CA 99 into Sacramento on what was LRN 232 for a time. The change from US 40A/LRN 21/LRN 87/LRN 232 can be seen by comparing the 1963 State Highway Ma...
Post a Comment
Read more