U.S. Route 50 in West Virginia

Last updated

US 50.svg

U.S. Route 50

U.S. Route 50 in West Virginia
U.S. Route 50 in West Virginia, in red
Route information
Maintained by WVDOH
Length196.20 mi [1]  (315.75 km)
Existed1926–present
Western section
West endUS 50.svgOH-32.svg US 50  / SR 32 in Belpre, OH
Major intersections
East endUS 50.svg US 50 near Brookside
Eastern section
West endUS 50.svg US 50 in Gormania
Major intersectionsUS 220.svg US 220 in New Creek
East endUS 50.svg US 50 towards Winchester, VA
Location
Country United States
State West Virginia
Counties Wood, Ritchie, Doddridge, Harrison, Taylor, Preston; Grant, Mineral, Hampshire
Highway system
WV-49.svg WV 49 WV-51.svg WV 51

U.S. Route 50 (US 50) in West Virginia runs from the border with Ohio to Virginia, passing briefly through Garrett County, Maryland, and following the Northwestern Turnpike. Prior to the U.S. Highway System it was West Virginia Route 1 and in the 1930s, the road was not finished in Maryland. Today the section of US 50 from Clarksburg to Parkersburg on the Ohio River is part of Corridor D of the Appalachian Development Highway System.

Contents

For much of its length, Route 50 roughly parallels the North Bend Rail Trail and crosses the trail at three places. [2]

Route description

Western segment

US 50 crosses the Ohio River on a bridge, with Blennerhassett Island in the middle of the river. It continues as a freeway with two interchanges at Route 892, and runs concurrently with Route 68 starting at the second interchange up to where it exits and heads into downtown Parkersburg. US 50 stays on the southern shore of the Little Kanawha River, intersecting Route 14 and then after crossing the river, Route 47 and Route 618 before becoming a divided expressway at the I-77 interchange. US 50 then briefly turns south before heading east through the forest. South of Deerwalk, the route runs concurrently with Route 31 for a few miles. In Ellenboro, US 50 has an interchange with Route 16, providing access into the town; an intersection with Route 74 does the same for Pennsboro, and several miles later, Route 18 for West Union. Route 23 intersects the highway west of East Salem and Bristol. [3]

Upon entering Clarksburg, there is a diamond interchange with US 19 and Route 20 before US 50 passes through the town as a freeway, with several interchanges, including another with Route 20. After an interchange with I-79, US 50 becomes Main Street, passing through the city of Bridgeport and intersecting Route 131 and passing south of the North Central West Virginia Airport. The route intersects Route 279 and then runs concurrently with US 250 until just before US 50 enters Fetterman and then Grafton. US 50 intersects US 119 in the eastern part of the city before continuing east through Thornton and curving through the mountains to Evansville. Route 92 briefly runs concurrently with the highway, and Route 26 intersects the route near Fellowsville. After several miles through the forest, Route 72 briefly runs concurrently with the highway before US 50 continues east into Aurora and intersects Route 24. Then, US 50 crosses into Maryland. [3]

Eastern segment

View east along US 50 east of WV 93 in Claysville, Mineral County 2016-06-18 10 41 47 View east along U.S. Route 50 (George Washington Highway) just east of West Virginia State Route 93 (Laurel Dale Road) in Claysville, Mineral County, West Virginia.jpg
View east along US 50 east of WV 93 in Claysville, Mineral County
View west along US 50 and north along US 220 (Northwestern Pike) near Paterson Creek in Burlington, Mineral County 2016-06-18 11 10 48 View west along U.S. Route 50 and north along U.S. Route 220 (Northwestern Pike) near Paterson Creek in Burlington, Mineral County, West Virginia.jpg
View west along US 50 and north along US 220 (Northwestern Pike) near Paterson Creek in Burlington, Mineral County

US 50 crosses back into West Virginia over the north bank of the Potomac River. After passing through Gormania, the highway continues through the forest, and runs concurrently with Route 42 from near Mount Storm to near Hartmansville. Near Claysville, the route intersects Route 93, and Route 972 intersect US 50 near New Creek. US 220 runs concurrently with US 50 through Ridgeville, Markwood, and Burlington. At Junction, US 220 splits off to the south, and Route 28 continues east with US 50 through Mechanicsburg and through the river plain. In the town of Romney, US 50 goes through downtown, while Route 28 continues north. The highway goes through Shanks and Frenchburg, as well as Augusta; Route 29 runs concurrently through Pleasantdale. US 50 continues east through Hanging Rock and Loom, crossing the Cacapon River in Capon Bridge. US 50 then continues into Virginia. [4]

US 50 eastbound at WV 29 near Pleasantdale 2020-05-26 18 46 26 View east along U.S. Route 50 (Northwestern Turnpike) at the exit for West Virginia State Route 29 NORTH (Paw Paw) in Pleasantdale, Hampshire County, West Virginia.jpg
US 50 eastbound at WV 29 near Pleasantdale

Water crossings

Historic sites

Saddle Mountain at sunrise, as viewed from Skyline atop the Allegheny Front along U.S. 50 in West Virginia Saddle-mtn.jpg
Saddle Mountain at sunrise, as viewed from Skyline atop the Allegheny Front along U.S. 50 in West Virginia

Mineral County

Hampshire County

Major intersections

CountyLocationmikmDestinationsNotes
Wood West plate.svg
US 50.svg
To plate.svg
OH-7.svg
To plate.svg
OH-32.svg
US 50 west to SR 7  / SR 32  Athens, Belpre
Ohio state line (Blennerhassett Island Bridge over Ohio River)
WV-892.svg WV 892 (Dupont Road) Washington interchange
Circle sign 34/4.svg CR 34/4 (River Hill Road)interchange
South plate.svg
WV-68.svg
WV 68 south Ravenswood
interchange; west end of WV 68 overlap
Marrtown Circle sign 9.svg CR 9 (Marrtown Road)interchange
North plate.svg
WV-68.svg
WV 68 north (Juliana Street) Downtown Parkersburg
interchange; eastbound exit and westbound entrance; east end of WV 68 overlap
Parkersburg WV-14.svg WV 14 (Division Street) Downtown Parkersburg interchange
WV-47.svg WV 47 (Staunton Avenue)interchange
WV-618.svg WV 618 (7th Street)interchange
I-77.svgWV-2.svg I-77  / WV 2  Marietta, OH, Charleston I-77 exit 176
Deerwalk North plate.svg
WV-31.svg
Circle sign 50/16.svg WV 31 north / CR 50/16 (Riser Ridge Road) Deerwalk
west end of WV 31 overlap
Ritchie South plate.svg
WV-31.svg
WV 31 south Cairo
east end of WV 31 overlap
Ellenboro WV-16.svg WV 16  Ellenboro, Harrisville interchange
Pennsboro WV-74.svg WV 74  Pennsboro, Pullman
Doddridge WV-18.svg WV 18  West Union, Glenville
Harrison WV-23.svg WV 23  Alma, Salem, Fort New Salem, Salem International University
East Salem Downtown Salem (CR 50/73)interchange; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
Clarksburg US 19.svgWV-20.svg US 19  / WV 20 (West Pike Street)interchange
West Virginia Avenue / Sycamore Streetinterchange
Chestnut Streetinterchange
3rd Street / 2nd Street - Downtown Clarksburg interchange
WV-20.svg WV 20 (Joyce Street)interchange
I-79.svg I-79  Fairmont, Charleston I-79 exit 119
Bridgeport West plate.svg
WV-58.svg
To plate blue.svg
I-79.svg
WV 58 west (Virginia Avenue) to I-79
North plate.svg
WV-131.svg
Airport Sign.svg WV 131 north (Benedum Drive) Airport
East plate.svg
WV-76.svg
WV 76 east Flemington
West plate.svg
WV-279.svg
To plate blue.svg
I-79.svg
WV 279 west to I-79
Taylor North plate.svg
US 250.svg
US 250 north Fairmont
west end of US 250 overlap
Pruntytown South plate.svg
US 250.svg
US 250 south Elkins
east end of US 250 overlap
Grafton North plate.svg
WV-310.svg
WV 310 north Valley Falls State Park
US 119.svg US 119
Preston North plate.svg
WV-92.svg
WV 92 north Arthurdale, Reedsville
west end of WV 92 overlap
South plate.svg
WV-92.svg
WV 92 south Nestorville, Belington
east end of WV 92 overlap
Fellowsville North plate.svg
WV-26.svg
WV 26 north Kingwood
Macomber South plate.svg
WV-72.svg
WV 72 south Parsons
west end of WV 72 overlap
North plate.svg
WV-72.svg
WV 72 north Rowlesburg
east end of WV 72 overlap
Brookside South plate.svg
WV-24.svg
WV 24 south Thomas
East plate.svg
US 50.svg
US 50 east (George Washington Highway)
US 50 passes through Maryland
Garrett Gorman West plate.svg
US 50.svg
US 50 west (George Washington Highway)
North Branch Potomac River Gormania Bridge
Grant Gormania South plate.svg
WV-90.svg
WV 90 south Thomas
Mount Storm South plate.svg
WV-42.svg
WV 42 south Petersburg
west end of WV 42 overlap
Mineral North plate.svg
WV-42.svg
WV 42 north Elk Garden, Jennings Randolph Lake
east end of WV 42 overlap
Claysville West plate.svg
WV-93.svg
WV 93 west Scherr
west end of WV 93 overlap
New Creek East plate.svg
WV-93.svg
To plate.svg
North plate.svg
US 220.svg
WV 93 east to US 220 north Keyser
east end of WV 93 overlap
North plate.svg
US 220.svg
US 220 north Keyser
west end of US 220 overlap
Hampshire Junction South plate.svg
US 220.svg
South plate.svg
WV-28.svg
US 220 south / WV 28 south Moorefield
east end of US 220 overlap; west end of WV 28 overlap
Romney North plate.svg
WV-28.svg
WV 28 north
east end of WV 28 overlap
North plate.svg
WV-29.svg
WV 29 north Paw Paw
west end of WV 29 overlap
South plate.svg
WV-29.svg
WV 29 south Baker
east end of WV 29 overlap
East plate.svg
US 50.svg
US 50 east Winchester
Virginia state line
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hampshire County, West Virginia</span> County in West Virginia, United States

Hampshire County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 23,093. Its county seat is Romney, West Virginia's oldest town (1762). The county was created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1754, from parts of Frederick and Augusta Counties (Virginia) and is the state's oldest county. The county lies in both West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle and Potomac Highlands regions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 50</span> Numbered Highway in the United States

U.S. Route 50 or U.S. Highway 50 (US 50) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching 3,019 miles (4,859 km) from Interstate 80 (I-80) in West Sacramento, California, to Maryland Route 528 in Ocean City, Maryland, on the Atlantic Ocean. Until 1972, when it was replaced by Interstate Highways west of the Sacramento area, it extended to San Francisco, near the Pacific Ocean. The Interstates were constructed later and are mostly separate from this route. It generally serves a corridor south of I-70 and I-80 and north of I-64 and I-40.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 522</span> Highway in the United States

U.S. Route 522 is a spur route of US 22 in the states of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. The U.S. Highway travels in a north-south direction, and runs 308.59 miles (496.63 km) from US 60 near Powhatan, Virginia, to its northern terminus at US 11 and US 15 near Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. US 522 serves many small cities and towns in the Piedmont, Blue Ridge Mountains, and northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. The highway serves the Virginia communities of Goochland, Mineral, Culpeper, the town of Washington, and Front Royal and the independent city of Winchester. US 522 then follows the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians north and then east through the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, a 2-mile-wide (3.2 km) stretch of Western Maryland, and South Central Pennsylvania to its terminus in the Susquehanna Valley. The highway serves Berkeley Springs, West Virginia; Hancock, Maryland; and the Pennsylvania communities of McConnellsburg, Mount Union, Lewistown, and Middleburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 258</span> U.S. Highway in North Carolina and Virginia

U.S. Route 258 is a spur of US 58 in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Virginia. The U.S. Highway runs 220.15 miles (354.30 km) from US 17 Business and NC 24 Business in Jacksonville, North Carolina north to Virginia State Route 143 at Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia. In North Carolina, US 258 connects Jacksonville with the Inner Banks communities of Kinston, Snow Hill, Farmville, Tarboro, and Murfreesboro. The U.S. Highway continues through the Virginia city of Franklin, where the highway intersects US 58, and the town of Smithfield on its way to the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. US 258 crosses the James River on the James River Bridge and follows Mercury Boulevard through Newport News and Hampton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia State Route 156</span> State highway in Virginia

State Route 156 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs 57.38 miles (92.34 km) from U.S. Route 301 and SR 35 in Templeton north to US 360 Business in Mechanicsville. SR 156 follows a circuitous route through the eastern part of the Richmond–Petersburg metropolitan area. South of the James River, the state highway connects Templeton in Prince George County with Hopewell, which is directly served by SR 156 Business. SR 156 crosses the James River on the Benjamin Harrison Memorial Bridge and briefly passes through Charles City County. For most of its length in Henrico and Hanover, the state highway is a rural road that provides access to several units of Richmond National Battlefield Park. However, SR 156 provides access to Richmond International Airport, Interstate 64 (I-64), and I-295 as it passes through the Richmond suburbs of Sandston and Highland Springs as a major highway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia State Route 10</span> State highway in eastern Virginia, US

State Route 10 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs 93.58 miles (150.60 km) from U.S. Route 360 in Richmond east to SR 337 in Suffolk. SR 10 is a major suburban highway through Chesterfield County between the Southside of Richmond and Hopewell. Between Hopewell and Smithfield, which is served by SR 10 Business, the state highway passes through rural Prince George, Surry, and Isle of Wight counties, following the route of an old stagecoach road through an area that features many of the preserved James River plantations. SR 10 runs concurrently with US 258 and SR 32 between Smithfield and Suffolk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia State Route 236</span>

State Route 236 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs 15.63 miles (25.15 km) from U.S. Route 29 and US 50 in Fairfax east to SR 400 in Alexandria. SR 236 is a major suburban arterial highway that connects the independent cities of Fairfax and Alexandria via Annandale in Fairfax County. The state highway is known as Main Street in City of Fairfax, Little River Turnpike in Fairfax County, where the highway meets Interstate 495 (I-495), and Duke Street in Alexandria, where the road has junctions with I-395 and US 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cacapon River</span> River in West Virginia, United States

The Cacapon River, located in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle region, is an 81.0-mile-long (130.4 km) shallow river known for its fishing, boating, wildlife, hunting, and wilderness scenery. As part of the Potomac River watershed, it is an American Heritage River.

The Northwestern Turnpike is a historic road in West Virginia, important for being historically one of the major roads crossing the Appalachians, financed by the Virginia Board of Public Works in the 1830s. In modern times, west of Winchester, Virginia, U.S. Route 50 follows the path of the Northwestern Turnpike into West Virginia, whose major Corridor D project follows the western section of the original Northwestern Turnpike.

In the United States, Corridor D is part of the Appalachian Development Highway System. In Ohio, it follows State Route 32 from the eastern Cincinnati suburbs until a point west of Albany, where it becomes concurrent with U.S. Route 50. After crossing into West Virginia, it follows U.S. Route 50 until the Interstate 79 interchange in Clarksburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Virginia Route 259</span> State highway in West Virginia, United States

West Virginia Route 259 is a state highway in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The state highway runs 45.6 miles (73.4 km) from the Virginia state line near Mathias north to the Virginia state line at High View. At both termini, the road continues as Virginia State Route 259. WV 259 passes through Hardy and Hampshire counties and runs concurrently with WV 55 on Corridor H between Baker and Wardensville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tennessee State Route 22</span> State Highway in Tennessee

State Route 22 is a 172.8-mile long (278.1 km) south-to-north state highway in the western part of Tennessee, United States. It begins at the Mississippi state line in McNairy County, where the roadway continues as Mississippi Highway 2. It ends at the Kentucky state line in Lake County, when it crosses into the Kentucky Bend, a detached portion of Fulton County, Kentucky. The monument for the 1862 Battle of Island Number Ten in the American Civil War is located on SR 22, about 3 mi (4.8 km) north of Tiptonville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 301 in Virginia</span> Segment of American highway

U.S. Route 301 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Sarasota, Florida, to Biddles Corner, Delaware. In Virginia, the U.S. Highway runs 142.70 miles (229.65 km) from the North Carolina state line near Skippers north to the Maryland state line at the Potomac River near Dahlgren. US 301 forms the local complement to Interstate 95 (I-95) from Emporia to Petersburg. The U.S. Highway runs concurrently with US 1 between Petersburg and the state capital of Richmond, where the highways form one of the main north–south avenues. US 301 continues north concurrent with Virginia State Route 2 to Bowling Green, forming an eastern alternative to I-95 and US 1 north of Richmond. At Bowling Green, which is connected to I-95 by SR 207, US 301 becomes the primary highway connecting Richmond and the Northern Neck with Southern Maryland. US 301 was constructed in four main segments: as the original SR 24 and then US 17-1 south of Petersburg, as US 1 from Petersburg to Richmond, as SR 2 from Richmond to Bowling Green, and as part of SR 207 toward Dahlgren. US 301 replaced US 17–1 in the early 1930s and was extended from Petersburg north along its current course into Maryland when the Potomac River Bridge was completed in 1940.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 15 in Virginia</span> Section of United States Numbered Highway in Virginia

U.S. Route 15 (US 15) is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from Walterboro, South Carolina, to Painted Post, New York. In Virginia, the U.S. Highway runs 230.37 miles (370.74 km) from the North Carolina state line near Clarksville north to the Maryland state line at the Potomac River near Lucketts. US 15 is a major north–south highway through the Piedmont of Virginia, connecting Clarksville and Farmville in Southside with Culpeper, Warrenton, and Leesburg in Northern Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 17 in Virginia</span> Section of U.S. highway in Virginia

U.S. Route 17 (US 17) is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from Punta Gorda, Florida, to Winchester, Virginia. In Virginia, the U.S. Highway runs 255.83 miles (411.72 km) from the North Carolina state line in Chesapeake north to its northern terminus at US 11, US 50, and US 522 in Winchester. US 17 is a major highway in the eastern half of Virginia. The U.S. Highway connects the Albemarle Region of North Carolina with the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. Within the urban area, US 17 passes through the South Hampton Roads cities of Chesapeake, Portsmouth, and Suffolk and the Virginia Peninsula city of Newport News. Between Yorktown and Fredericksburg, the U.S. Highway serves as the primary highway of the Middle Peninsula. At Fredericksburg, US 17 leaves the Atlantic Plain; the highway passes through the Piedmont town of Warrenton and crosses the Blue Ridge Mountains on its way to Winchester in the Shenandoah Valley. The route from Tappahannock to Winchester roughly follows the Confederate march during the Civil War to Gettysburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 221 in Virginia</span> Highway in Virginia

U.S. Route 221 (US 221) is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Perry, Florida to Lynchburg, Virginia. In Virginia, the U.S. Highway runs 149.61 miles (240.77 km) from the North Carolina state line near Independence north to its northern terminus at US 29 Business, US 460 Business, and US 501 Business in Lynchburg. US 221 connects Independence, Galax, and Hillsville in Southwest Virginia while running concurrently with US 58. The U.S. Highway connects those communities with Roanoke via Floyd County, within which US 221 is the main east–west highway. Entering Bedford County, US 221 exits the Blue Ridge Mountains; it then passes through the Piedmont town of Bedford on its way to Lynchburg and shares a brief overlap with US 460 Business through the town. The U.S. Highway also runs concurrently with US 460 from Roanoke to Bedford and parallels that U.S. Highway from Bedford to Lynchburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 250 in Virginia</span> Segment of American highway

U.S. Route 250 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Sandusky, Ohio to Richmond, Virginia. In Virginia, the highway runs 166.74 miles (268.34 km) from the West Virginia state line near Hightown east to its eastern terminus at US 360 in Richmond. US 250 is the main east–west highway of Highland County, which is known as Virginia's Little Switzerland; the highway follows the path of the 19th century Staunton and Parkersburg Turnpike. From Staunton east to Richmond, the highway serves as the local complement to Interstate 64 (I-64), roughly following the 18th century Three Notch'd Road through Waynesboro and Charlottesville on its way through the Shenandoah Valley, its crossing of the Blue Ridge Mountains at Rockfish Gap, and the Piedmont. In the Richmond metropolitan area, US 250 is known as Broad Street, a major thoroughfare through the city's West End and downtown areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capon Lake Whipple Truss Bridge</span> Bridge in West Virginia

The Capon Lake Whipple Truss Bridge, formerly known as South Branch Bridge or Romney Bridge, is a historic Whipple truss bridge in Capon Lake, West Virginia. It is located off Carpers Pike and crosses the Cacapon River. The bridge formerly carried Capon Springs Road over the river, connecting Capon Springs and Capon Lake.

References

  1. Federal Highway Administration, National Highway Planning Network GIS data version 2005.08
  2. West Virginia Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. 1997. ISBN   0-89933-246-3. OCLC   36832284.
  3. 1 2 Google (December 25, 2013). "US 50 West Virginia, western part" (Map). Google Maps . Google. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
  4. Google (December 25, 2013). "US 50 West Virginia eastern portion" (Map). Google Maps . Google. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
Template:Attached KML/U.S. Route 50 in West Virginia
KML is not from Wikidata
US 50.svg U.S. Route 50
Previous state:
Ohio
West Virginia Next state:
Maryland
Previous state:
Maryland
Next state:
Virginia