U.S. Route 60 (US 60) runs northwest to southeast across the central and southern portions of West Virginia. It runs from the Kentucky state line at Catlettsburg, Kentucky, and Kenova. The road passes through Huntington, Charleston, and White Sulphur Springs. The route exits the state into Virginia, running concurrently with Interstate 64 (I-64) east of White Sulphur Springs. Most of US 60's route through West Virginia is part of and even signed in several areas as the Midland Trail, a National Scenic Byway.
 U.S. Route 60 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midland Trail | ||||
 US 60 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by WVDOH | ||||
| Length | 177.8 mi[1] (286.1 km) | |||
| Existed | 1926–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |  US 60 in Catlettsburg, KY | |||
| ||||
| East end |  I-64 / US 60 near Callaghan, VA | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | West Virginia | |||
| Counties | Wayne, Cabell, Putnam, Kanawha, Fayette, Greenbrier | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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Route description
editThis section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2023) |
The Midland Trail is a National Scenic Byway which follows US 60 through a portion of the Southern West Virginia between Charleston and Sam Black Church. It was part of the longer transcontinental Midland Trail. In this area, the Midland Trail follows the route of the historic James River and Kanawha Turnpike, an early road linking canals in the James River in Virginia with the navigable portion of the Kanawha River in West Virginia.[citation needed]
The Midland Trail crosses some of the most rugged terrain of the Mountain State. The trail extends for approximately 100 miles (160 km) from White Sulphur Springs in the east to Charleston in the west. The trail is believed to have been originally carved into the mountains by buffalo and native peoples. In 1790, George Washington ordered the trail cleared. The trail came to be traveled by stage coaches and soldiers in the Civil War.[citation needed]
Prior to 1988, the Midland Trail was heavily traveled, particularly by commercial vehicles, including large trucks transporting coal and timber. Traffic was significantly reduced in 1988 when the final section of I-64 was completed.[citation needed]
Although considerably shorter than the Interstate Highway routing via the West Virginia Turnpike, these days, the Midland Trail serves mostly local traffic and shunpikers seeking a bucolic interlude. [citation needed] It passes through both the Kanawha River Valley and the plateau high above. Due to the mountain switchbacks and long, steep grades, drivers of recreational vehicles and inexperienced drivers are advised to use extra caution, particularly during inclement weather conditions.[citation needed]
Major intersections
edit| County | Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Sandy River | 0.000– 0.085 | 0.000– 0.137 |  US 60 west (35th Street) | Continuation into Kentucky | |
| Billy C. Clark Bridge | |||||
| Wayne | Kenova | 1.2 | 1.9 |     WV 75 east (14th Street) to I-64 | Western terminus of WV 75; serves Tri-State Airport |
| Cabell | Huntington | 6.5– 6.6 | 10.5– 10.6 |  US 52 to I-64 – Ironton OH | Interchange |
| 8.5 | 13.7 |  WV 527 (5th Street) | One-way street, inbound access only, at-grade intersection eastbound; entrance-only interchange westbound; west end of overlap with WV 527 | ||
| 8.6 | 13.8 | WV 527 (6th Street) to I-64 | East end of overlap with WV 527; eastbound access only | ||
| 8.8 | 14.2 |  8th Street to WV 527 | Signed westbound only | ||
| 9.5 | 15.3 |   WV 10 south (Hal Greer Boulevard) to I-64 | Northern terminus of WV 10 at US 60 west | ||
  WV 2 north (3rd Avenue east) – Point Pleasant | Westbound access only; southern terminus of WV 2 | ||||
| 11.6 | 18.7 | US 60 west (31st Street north) to WV 2  Frank "Gunner" Gatski Memorial Bridge to SR 7 – Proctorville5th Avenue east | |||
| Barboursville | 14.7– 15.1 | 23.7– 24.3 | I-64 – Ashland KY, Charleston | I-64 exit 15 | |
| 16.5 | 26.6 |  WV 10 Alt. south (Davis Creek Road) – West Hamlin | Northern terminus of WV 10 Alt | ||
| 18.2 | 29.3 |  WV 193 north (Big Ben Bowen Highway) to I-64 / Tanyard Station Drive – WV Route 2 | Southern terminus of WV 193 | ||
| 20.2 | 32.5 |  CR 8960 (East Mall Road) to I-64 | |||
| | 20.8 | 33.5 |  CR 30 (Cyrus Creek Road) | ||
| | 21.4 | 34.4 |  CR 17 (Blue Sulphur Road) | ||
| Ona | 23.0 | 37.0 |   CR 29 (Fudges Creek Road) / CR 1 (Howells Mill Road) | ||
| Milton | 27.2 | 43.8 |  CR 9 (Newmans Branch Road) / James River Turnpike Road | ||
| 27.5 | 44.3 |   CR 257 (Bill Blenko Drive) / CR 15 (Smith Street) | |||
| 28.0 | 45.1 |  CR 13 to I-64 | |||
| Culloden | 29.3 | 47.2 |  CR 6039 (Morris Memorial Hospital Road) | ||
| 31.0 | 49.9 |  CR 251 (James River Turnpike Road) | |||
| Putnam | Hurricane | 32.9 | 52.9 |   WV 34 Bus. north (Main Street) – Downtown | Southern terminus of WV 34 Bus |
| 34.2 | 55.0 | WV 34 north (Midland Trail) to I-64 – Hurricane | West end of WV 34 overlap | ||
| 34.4– 34.6 | 55.4– 55.7 | WV 34 south (Chamblin Road) – Hamlin | East end of WV 34 overlap | ||
| | 38.8 | 62.4 |  CR 6013 (Hodges Road) | ||
| | 39.6 | 63.7 | CR 6013 (Hodges Road) | ||
| | 41.3 | 66.5 |  CR 46 (Scott Depot Road) | ||
| Kanawha | | 41.3 | 66.5 | CR 1 (Browns Creek Road) | |
| Amandaville | 43.7 | 70.3 |   WV 817 north (Old Route 35) to I-64 / CR 6014 (West Main Street) – Winfield | Southern terminus of WV 817 | |
| Coal River | 44.6– 44.7 | 71.8– 71.9 | Earl Henry Curnutte Bridge | ||
| St. Albans | 45.0 | 72.4 | Second Street (CR CR 6/16) | ||
| 45.1 | 72.6 |  WV 25 / Third Street (CR 6/15) | |||
| 46.7 | 75.2 | Walnut Street (CR CR 160/7) | |||
| | 48.2 | 77.6 | CR 6014 (Kanawha Terrace) | ||
| South Charleston | 50.9 | 81.9 | Rock Lake Drive | ||
| 51.1– 51.2 | 82.2– 82.4 | Dunbar Toll Bridge / Maple Street | |||
| 52.1– 52.2 | 83.8– 84.0 |  I-64 east – Charleston | I-64 exit 54 | ||
| 52.3 | 84.2 |  WV 601 south (Jefferson Road) / Jefferson Road | Northern terminus of WV 601 | ||
| 52.5 | 84.5 |  I-64 west – Huntington | I-64 exit 54 | ||
| 54.2 | 87.2 | To I-64 / Montrose Drive | |||
| South Charleston–Charleston line | 55.0– 55.1 | 88.5– 88.7 |  WV 61 south (MacCorkle Avenue SW) | Northern terminus of WV 61 | |
| Charleston | 55.1– 55.4 | 88.7– 89.2 | Patrick Street Bridge over Kanawha River | ||
| 55.5 | 89.3 | Kanawha Boulevard West | |||
| 55.6 | 89.5 | Fourth Avenue | |||
| 55.7 | 89.6 | Begin one-way segment | |||
| 55.8 | 89.8 | WV 25 west (Seventh Avenue) | Eastern terminus of WV 25 | ||
| 55.9 | 90.0 | US 60 west (Washington Street) | |||
| 55.9 | 90.0 | End one-way segment | |||
| 57.0 | 91.7 | Begin one-way segment | |||
| 57.5 | 92.5 |    US 119 (Pennsylvania Avenue) to I-64 / I-77 / I-79 – Beckley, Huntington | |||
| 58.3 | 93.8 | Dickinson Street | |||
| 58.6 | 94.3 | US 60 west (Washington Street East) to I-64 / I-77 / I-79 / Brooks Street | |||
| 58.6 | 94.3 | End one-way segment | |||
| 59.6 | 95.9 |  WV 114 (Greenbirer Street) to I-64 / I-77 / I-79 – Airport | Southern terminus of WV 114 | ||
| 59.7 | 96.1 | Quarrier Street | |||
| 59.8 | 96.2 | Kanawha Boulevard East | |||
| | 61.8– 62.7 | 99.5– 100.9 |  I-64 west / I-77 north | West end of I-64/I-77 overlap; no access from I-64 east/I-77 south to US 60 west or from US 60 east to I-64 west/I-77 north; I-64/I-77 exit 97 | |
| | 62.9– 63.5 | 101.2– 102.2 |  I-64 east / I-77 south – Beckley | East end of I-64/I-77 overlap; I-64/I-77 exit 96 | |
| | 63.8 | 102.7 |  CR 73 (Campbells Creek Drive) | ||
| Malden | 64.3– 64.5 | 103.5– 103.8 |  CR 6012 (Midland Trail) – Malden, Rand | Interchange | |
| | 72.8– 73.4 | 117.2– 118.1 | To WV 61 / I-64 / I-77 – Chelyan | ||
| Cedar Grove | 76.8 | 123.6 |  CR 81 (Belle Creek Road) – Cedar Grove | ||
| Smithers | 85.0– 85.3 | 136.8– 137.3 | To WV 61 (WV 6 south / Montgomery Bridge) – Montgomery | Interchange | |
| Fayette | Smithers | 85.7 | 137.9 |  CR 2 (Cannelton Hollow Road) / Greyhound Lane / Michigan Avenue | |
| Gauley Bridge | 95.8 | 154.2 | Main Street (CR 16/5) | ||
| 95.9– 96.0 | 154.3– 154.5 |   WV 16 north / WV 39 east – Gauley Bridge | West end of WV 16 overlap; western terminus of WV 39 | ||
| Gauley Bridge | 96.0– 96.1 | 154.5– 154.7 | Sgt. Scott Angel Memorial Bridge over Gauley River | ||
| Chimney Corner | 100.7 | 162.1 | WV 16 south – Fayetteville | East end of WV 16 overlap | |
| Hico | 111.5– 111.8 | 179.4– 179.9 |  US 19 – Beckley, New River Bridge, Summersville | ||
| | 118.7 | 191.0 |  WV 41 north – Mount Nebo | West end of WV 41 overlap | |
| | 121.2 | 195.1 | WV 41 south (Stanaford Road) – Clifftop | East end of WV 41 overlap | |
| Greenbrier | Rainelle | 131.9 | 212.3 |  WV 20 south (South Sewell Street) | West end of WV 20 overlap |
| 132.6 | 213.4 |  CR 6032 (James River and Kanawha Turnpike) | |||
| Charmco | 136.4 | 219.5 | WV 20 north (Coalfield Trail) | East end of WV 20 overlap | |
| | 146.2 | 235.3 |   CR 25 (Smoot Road) / CR 604 (Gray Gables Road) | ||
| | 146.4– 146.5 | 235.6– 235.8 | I-64 – Beckley, Lewisburg | I-64 exit 156 | |
| | 152.7 | 245.7 |  WV 12 south (Alta Drive) to I-64 | Northern terminus of WV 12 | |
| | 152.8 | 245.9 |  CR 6010 (Sinking Creek Road) | ||
| Lewisburg | 163.3 | 262.8 |  US 219 (Jefferson Street) to I-64 | ||
| 163.8 | 263.6 |  CR 451 (Holt Lane) | |||
| Caldwell | 166.6 | 268.1 |  WV 63 west – Organ Cave, Rich Creek VA | Eastern terminus of WV 63; Rich Creek VA only signed westbound | |
| White Sulphur Springs | 173.7 | 279.5 |  WV 92 north (Pocahontas Trail) – Green Bank | Southern terminus of WV 92 | |
| | 174.1– 175.0 | 280.2– 281.6 | I-64 west | West end of I-64 overlap; access only from US 60 east to I-64 east and from I-64 west to US 60 west; I-64 exit 181 | |
| | 176.9 | 284.7 |  WV 311 south – Crows | Interchange; Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; northern terminus of WV 311; I-64 exit 183 | |
| | 177.8 | 286.1 | I-64 east / US 60 east – Lexington | Continuation into Virginia | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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References
edit- ^ a b "Google Maps Directions" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
External links
edit- Midland Trail National Scenic Highway WV Rt.60
- Hawk's Nest State Park
- New River CVB Guide to Ansted, WV
- Biographical item on William Jordan, an African-American photographer that includes the Gauley Mountain Coal Company startup timeframe
- West Virginia Coal Mines site
- Chicago Dragoons
- New River Gorge website
- National Park Service - New river Gorge National River
- Roads To the Future - New River Gorge Bridge webpage