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When originally constructed, the turnpike was just two lanes (i.e., one in each direction). Occasionally there would be a third lane for passing, which could be used by traffic going in either direction!
There was one rest area - gas station that to get into and out of it, you crossed the lane going in the other direction, just like on regular highways.
snorp thats what I saw in colorado. Was worse than just a shared passing lane, because most of it was blind turns plus low anchored guard rails (if guard rails were there at all!).
Thanks for the warning. 80 mph is just too fast anywhere...Much less in the region your speaking about. Good for you for slowing down. Perhaps that'll save some ones life one day...
Thanks for the warning. 80 mph is just too fast anywhere...Much less in the region your speaking about. Good for you for slowing down. Perhaps that'll save some ones life one day...
We have some of those same problems here in our high country in Arizona as well.
On the flat lands though; our freeway speed limit is usually 75 MPH and the DPS (highway patrol) typically will not bother you if going under, say 88 MPH.
I think 70 mph is a bit fast for a state with as many mountainous roads and curves as WV has. If they lowered the speed limit to 60 it would be better (although many may disagree with me on this). PA has a lower speed limit and it also has a mountainous terrain.
Last edited by appalachiangirl; 05-26-2008 at 09:14 PM..
We drove straight through from Hilton Head last night...The traffic on I-95 was light. It was a stark statement that the highways were semi-deserted. In the later part of the afternoon, the traffic picked up and I would call that moderate. A horrendous bottleneck came at the tunnel into Bluefield, where Virginia roadcrews had narrowed tthe traffic to one lane going into the tunnel...but as soon as Va troopers removed the safety cones, traffic got back to normal...I estimated the traffic slug to be backed up for about 20 miles...crazy...
Not a single accident observed in the going or coming...State troopers hidden in every conceivable nook and cranny...only 2 cars at the speed trap at Summersville and the speed limit there has been raised to 50 mph...which is very workable...
Fishing was great...golf is always so so...too much worktime to get the game in tune...
Was vacation a dream or did it really happen?
DK, maybe everyone else stayed home because gas is 4 bucks. I did.
General question to anyone: what hiway is the WV turnpike of which you speak?
Colorado-
Memories of Colorado nineteen seventy-something, rode out to a nightclub in Boulder with my neighbor. When we got up into the steep turns with no guardrails, he began to share the fact that he had a car accident earlier that day, and I began to realize that he was heavily sedated, slouched at the wheel of this VW bug. Since hitch-hiking was against the law there and it just seemed like a bad idea at dusk in the mountains, I opted for the white knuckle ride on into Boulder. Somehow, I found another ride home. Ah, the good old days! How did I ever survive them?
My wife, brother-in-law and I went hiking in the San Juan Mts years ago and we took their parents 1980 something Olds station wagon. No guts 6cyl, squishy brakes and sloppy steering. There were NO guard rails on those steep, winding roads and combine that with semi traffic right on your behind!
I said if I were to make a living in Ouray, I'd buy the first service station when you get into town and make a killing selling fresh underwear and brake pads
West Virginia Turnpike is I-64/I-77...from Charleston to Beckley to Bluefield...Toll was $1.50..Bluefield to Beckley...In the early days, it was a killer..pretty good road now.
Gas in Georgia was $3.72. Progressively more as a person came North...$3.89 in Virginia.
Stay off Rt. 47 if you can help it. Goofy strip paving, edge lines crumbling into the ditches, and plenty of craters has drivers competing for the smooth part of the cow path. Mud scattered on the road makes rainy days interesting. And the 50 year old dips are only getting better, in competing with King's Island and Cedar Point.
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