US 48 - Corridor H in Virginia

(Seth Dunn)

In April of 2003, new signs were erected on VA 55 west of Interstate 81 and Strasburg. The new signs are for US 48, the approved designation for Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Corridor 'H'. Corridor H is one of three ARC routes that run through Virginia. The others are the nearly completed Corridors 'B' and 'Q' which run in Southwestern Virginia. Most ARC highways are not full fledged Interstate Highways; typically they are multi-laned partially controlled access roadways. There are interchanges and grade separation for most routes, though some do include full freeways which Corridors B and Q in Virginia do have. Further, some have been converted to Interstates, Corridor B (I-26) in North Carolina, is an example. As of September 2015, nearly 88 percent of the ARC highway system is complete.

Corridor H is legislatively routed from Interstate 79 near Weston, West Virginia to Interstate 81 near Strasburg, Virginia. Construction began on the I-79 to Elkins, WV segment in the 1970s and was finished by the mid-1990s. Corridor H from Weston to Elkins carries US 33 in its entirety and parts of US 119 and 250.

1994-96 WV State Map showing Corridor 'H' and US 33
entering into Virginia and terminating at Interstate 81

After completion of the highway to Elkins, West Virginia began a push to complete the entire route into and through Virginia. Then Governor Cecil Underwood made it a point of his administration to "...move aggressively toward construction of every segment of Corridor H as we have been financially and legally permitted to do so." (1) Underwood's aggressiveness was clearly demonstrated in the 1994-96 Official West Virginia Transportation Map. The map showed the entire proposed routing of Corridor H, including showing the highway's possible route in Virginia. (See Map on Left) West Virginia also gave the new route the designation of US 33.

However, Virginia did not share Underwood's aggressive approach towards building the highway and in 1995 announced that the Commonwealth was not interested in completing their portion of Corridor H. West Virginia, in turn, lowered the priority of completing the highway west of Wardensville. As of 2017, WV intends to begin construction from Wardensville to the Virginia state line in 2027.

Since the mid-1990s, West Virginia has begun to build portions of Corridor H from Elkins to Wardensville. There have been various amounts of opposition and other obstacles, but since the late 1990s small pieces of the highway have begun to fall into place. During that same time period, West Virginia had begun talking about designating all of Corridor H as US 48. Finally, on October 11, 2002, AASHTO approved the designation for both states. Although Virginia has signed US 48, it has not changed its position to not build their section of Corridor H. Though prior to the 2012 MAP-21 transportation funding authorization by Congress, Virginia had told the federal government that they would complete their section of Corridor H by 2030. However, since that point there has been no movement within Virginia towards completion of this route.

US 48/VA 55 BGS (Exit 296) on I-81 North (Oscar Voss)

US 48 West and VA 55 Shields (Oscar Voss)

US 48/VA 55 BGS (Exit 296) on I-81 South (Oscar Voss)

US 48/VA 55 Shields (Seth Dunn)

Navigation, Sources & Links:

Continue West on US 48/Corridor H into West Virginia
US 48 @ Virginia Highway Project - Adam Froehlig & Mike Roberson
Seth Dunn
Oscar Voss
(1) Murdock, T. Micheal. "Gov. Underwood Dedicates New Section Of Corridor H." Huntingtonnews.net. Jan. 6, 2001

Former California State Route 198 at the bottom of Lake Kaweah

East of Lemon Cove of Tulare County one can find several old alignments of California State Route 198 at the bottom of the Lake Kaweah Reservoir. In particularly dry years these early alignments of California State Route 198 can be accessed as hiking trails. Part 1; a brief history of California State Route 198 in the Lake Kaweah Reservoir The current corridor of California State Route 198 ("CA 198") in Lake Kaweah has a lengthy history. The present corridor around Lake Kaweah first became a popular route of travel for European settlers during the mining boom of Mineral King Valley. Through the 1860s prospectors arrived in Mineral King Valley by way of the Kaweah River and East Fork Kaweah River. In 1870 John Lovelace and his family built a stock trail up to what was known as Milk Ranch on the East Fork Kaweah River. The Lovelace extended their trail all the way up to Mineral King Valley and the prospector camp sites. In 1871 the stock trail was greatly improved

Legend of the Ridge Route; a history of crossing the mountains between the Los Angeles Basin and San Joaquin Valley from wagon trails to Interstates

Over the past two decades I've crossed the Interstate 5 corridor from Los Angeles north over the Sierra Pelona Mountains and Tehachapi Range to San Joaquin Valley what seems to be an immeasurable number of times. While Interstate 5 from Castaic Junction to Grapevine via Tejon Pass today is known to most as "The Grapevine" it occupies a corridor which has been traversed by numerous historic highways. The most notable of these highways is known as the "Ridge Route." This article is dedicated to the Ridge Route and the various highways that preceded it. The Ridge Route is a 44 mile section of highway which was completed in 1915. The Ridge Route originally stretched from Castaic Junction north over Liebre Summit and Tejon Pass to the tiny community of Grapevine. In spite of a roadway that once utilized nearly 700 curves the Ridge Route is generally considered far ahead of it's time and one of the first modern highways in California constructed for auto

I-73/I-74 and NC Future Interstates Year in Review 2020

I'm back with my annual review of what happened the past year with North Carolina's Favorite(?) Interstates, I-73 and I-74, and with other interstate routes proposed and/or under construction. Needless to say, 2020 was a difficult year. The Covid-19 pandemic had its effects on road construction too. NCDOT seeing a decline in its gas tax revenues put a hold on all future projects in the spring. In the fall the 2020-2029 State TIP was revised, restoring funding for some future projects, but also delaying or postponing many more. In my summary by route I'll discuss what was planned at the beginning of 2020 and where things stand at the end of the year. Was a very quiet year for I-73. No additions to the route, but a couple construction projects for future routings. In Richmond County work on the I-73/I-74 Richmond Bypass continued. Substantial clearing for the future interchange with the US 74 Rockingham Bypass was seen, as here in May, photo by Tracy Hamm: As of November 30,

Gribblenation

Search This Blog