Morgantown Roadgeek Meet

June 18, 2011

West Virginia Basics

Road Network
In West Virginia, the West Virginia Division of Highways (a component of the West Virginia Department of Transportation) is responsible for maintaining almost all roads outside city limits and many roads inside. West Virginia has one of the largest state-maintained road networks in the country, maintaining 34,726 miles of roadway.

Route Types
West Virginia Route (primary state route)
State routes, referred to as West Virginia Route XX or commonly just West Virginia XX, are signed using a white square or rectangle on a black background. Generally speaking, 2-digit state routes were part of the original road network and have been in place since at least the 1930s. 3-digit route numbers were added later and have a number commonly related to their previous county route designation (e.g., WV 310 was originally County Route 31).

County Route
While they are maintained by the state, these routes are officially named County Routes. They are numbered on a county-by-county basis, with numbers almost always changing at county lines. Whole numbers, such as shown on the right with County Route 73, were generally the primary roads when the system was established in 1933. Fractional county routes were originally intended for dead-end roads or minor connectors between other roads. In this system, the numerator is the number of the primary (state, county, or U.S.) route at which it terminates. The denominators uniquely identify the particular road; originally they started at the southern/western end of the county and sequentially numbered each branch. As additional roads were added, they were assigned the next available number. Sometimes fractional routes do branch off other fractional routes; in this case, the numerator of the parent route is also used for the child route. West Virginias county route numbering system tends to be very static, with roads rarely renumbered. This leads to many cases where primary county routes are fairly minor roads but the fractional routes are fairly major. For example, Chaplin Hill Road which connects I-79

Exit #155 to US 19/WV 7 is Monongalia County Route 19/24. As one travels along a road, it is not uncommon for the route number to change due to long-ago abandoned sections. For example, part of Chaplin Hill Road is CR 19/24 and part is CR 43/5. Fractional routes generally dont get renumbered when its parent route number changes; many older branches off CR 857 are numbered CR 69/XX (from when it was CR 69) but newer ones are numbered CR 857/XX.

With a handful of exceptions (Monongalia CR 857 being one), county routes are rarely signed on standalone trailblazers. They are normally signed in conjunction with the road name at intersections.

Home Access Road Program (HARP roads)

These roads service two or more private residences and, prior to the late 1990s, were private roads. The state agreed to accept these roads put only provides minimal maintenance in most cases. Some of these routes do get added to the normal county route system, in which case they are eligible for upgrades. Numbering varies by county; generally HARP roads are numbered above 900. In some counties, they are whole numbers and in others they are fractional.

Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit

The first, and only, system of its kind, the Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit system provides connectivity between the three distinct campuses of West Virginia University. Using fullyautomated vehicles, passengers are able to travel directly between five stations along the line.

History
The PRT was originally constructed as a demonstration project for the Urban Mass Transit Administration, now known as the Federal Transit Administration. Morgantown suffered from major traffic problems due to its use of busses for moving students between the Universitys physically-separated campuses. UMTA was looking to test the personal rapid transit concept, which included automated dispatching and control of vehicles. With its diverse locales, hilly terrain, four-season weather and heavy peak traffic loads, Morgantown served as an ideal test bed. Initial contracts for the PRT system were let in December 1970. While the concept was first developed as the Alden staRRcar, UMTA decided that Alden was too small to handle a project

of Morgantowns scope. The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory was contracted to manage the project, with Boeing designing the vehicles, Bendix the control systems, and Harris Engineering the guideway. The project was rushed due by USDOT because it was intended to be a showpiece for President Nixons 1972 reelection campaign. This rush, coupled with poor project management, led to its estimated cost quadrupling from $15 million to $60 million. Examples of these problems include Phase I bridges being massively overbuilt to handle the weight of railroad cars rather than something closer in weight to a passenger car, and the vehicles needing retrofitted with 4-wheel steering due to too-sharp turning radius at the stations. The dedication of the PRTs first phase, from Walnut station downtown to Engineering station, was held on October 24, 1972. Tricia Nixon was one of the first riders, but the system still had many problems and did not open for regular passenger use until 1975. It was closed between 1978-1979 for an expansion to the WVU Health Sciences Center that added two more stations. With the exception of breaks and two summer-long shutdowns, the system has operated continuously since then with approximately 98.5% uptime.

Future Plans
The PRT system is now about 40 years old. With the exception of replacement of the original DEC PDP control computers with Intel Pentium-based systems in the late 1990s, the system is essentially as-built. Reliability has begun to suffer in recent years, but improvements are on the way. The PRT system is currently in the middle of a program to replace the on-board control computers on all its vehicles. These systems were originally custom-built for the PRT with discrete soldered components. Their replacements make use of off-the-shelf components to improve ease of maintenance and repair. A larger project, estimated to cost about $100 million, would involve a complete overhaul of the system. It is intended to completely replace the existing vehicle fleet, control and communications systems as well as make aesthetic improvements. There is also discussion of converting the system from power by electric rail along the guideway to being batterypowered, with vehicles charging while in-station. While the PRT receives student fees and federal transit funds, finding the money to fund this full project represents a challenge.

Stations
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Medical Center (WVU Health Sciences Center, WVU Hospitals, Mountaineer Field) Towers (freshmen dorms, Student Recreation Center) Engineering (Evansdale Campus, Creative Arts Center, Coliseum) Beechurst (Downtown Campus) Walnut (Downtown Morgantown)

Driving Tour
1. Chilis for Lunch
What to see
Lunch starts at 12:00pm. We hope to be getting on the road near 1:30pm.

Driving here
Located at 1001 University Town Centre Boulevard in Granville, West Virginia.

2.

Dents Run Covered Bridge

What to see
This 40-foot long kingpost truss bridge crosses Dents Run. Built in 1889, it was restored in 2004 for $185,684. It is the only extant covered bridge in Monongalia County and just one of 17 statewide.

Driving to here

0.0 miles RIGHT on University Town Centre Boulevard 0.3 LEFT on CR 19/24: Chaplin Hill Road 2.3 3.8 4.0 4.1
Be in left-most left turn lane. Area Notes: Mylan Park is a large recreational facility built in this past decade. It includes a number of baseball diamonds, horseshoe courts, an equestrian area, events center, and other facilities.

RIGHT on CR 43: Sugar Grove Road LEFT on CR 43/6: John Fox Road PULL HEAD-IN into gravel lot on right into gravel lot after bridge

3.

Robert C. Bob Beach Memorial Bridge

What to see
This 149-foot single span bridge carries County Route 39 across Dunkard Creek. Completed in 2004 at a cost of over $3 million, this bridge is the worlds longest three-hinge timber arch bridge. The arch is constructed of fiber-reinforced glue-laminated timber and suspends, with 30 steel cables, a fiber-reinforced polymer deck. This bridge was constructed as a showpiece for innovative new materials. The large hill just northeast of the bridge is Browns Hill. This was the western terminus of the line surveyed by Mason and Dixon in 1767. Their Native Americans would not continue west of here due to unfriendly Indians inhabiting the area. The line was eventually extended west to the current southwest corner of Pennsylvania by other surveyors in 1784.

Driving to here

4.1 4.2 4.7 4.8 7.2 12.2 15.9 16.0

LEAVE EASTBOUND on CR 43/6: John Fox Road

Return via same route we drove in on.

RIGHT on CR 43: Sugar Grove Road BEAR RIGHT on fork to US 19: Fairmont Road RIGHT on US 19: Fairmont Road
Be cautious of limited sight distance at this intersection.

RIGHT on CR 41: Little Indian Creek Road LEFT on WV 7 WEST: Mason-Dixon Highway RIGHT on CR 39: Buckeye Road PULL OFF on gravel shoulder before bridge

4.

Cheat Lake Bridges

What to see
The Ices Ferry Bridge carries County Route 857 over a 4-span through truss. Originally constructed as a 2-span pin-connected truss in 1922 over the Cheat River, an additional two

riveted spans were added in 1925 when the river was dammed to form Cheat Lake. The bridge maintains its original railings. With a narrow deck, sharp curves at each end, and a 4-ton load limit, this bridge is inadequate for current traffic. Construction began earlier this year on a replacement girder bridge that will be built on a skew angle. The new structure will cost $12.5 million and is expected to open in October 2012. Interstate 68 crosses Cheat Lake on a 7-span 1,965-foot long deck truss built in 1976.

Driving to here

16.0 19.6 19.7 19.9 21.4 25.1 25.1

CONTINUE STRAIGHT on CR 39: Buckeye Road

At Pennsylvania state line, becomes SR 2003: Buckeye Road.

RIGHT on Wades Run Road BEAR RIGHT on Wades Run Road RIGHT on US 19 SOUTH Road Notes: WV 100 is the original route of US 19, which at first did not cross
the Monongahela River. When the original Star City Bridge was built in 1950, US 19 was realigned and entered Morgantown for the first time.

CONTINUE STRAIGHT on US 19 SOUTH/WV 7 EAST Area Notes: Scotts Run is a creek that follows WV 7 and US 19 through this area,
giving its name to the valley. This area very rapidly and very heavily developed beginning in 1917 as a coalfield, but suffered much labor strife in the late 1920s. When the Great Depression came, this area was especially hard hit. Conditions drew attention from the national media and relief organizations including the Red Cross, Quakers, Methodists, and Presbyterians set up shop in the area. Some of the organizations founded by these relief groups, including The Shack and Scotts Run Settlement House, are still in operation today. Hearing of the conditions, Eleanor Roosevelt personally visited the area in early 1933. What she witnessed led her to push for the creation of new communities to resettle indigent families. The first such community, Arthurdale, is located along WV 92 about twenty miles southeast of here in Preston County. 165 families were relocated to 1,200 acres in Arthurdale, parts of which today are open as a museum. Eventually, more than 100 communities were established nationwide including two others in West Virginia: Tygart Valley Homesteads along US 219/US 250 in Randolph County and at Eleanor along now WV 62 (then US 35) in Putnam County. Roosevelt took a very personal interest in the success of Arthurdale and the families who relocated there, returning a number of times to visit. FDR spoke at the Arthurdale High School graduation in May 1938.

26.8 27.3

LEFT on US 19 SOUTH/WV 7 EAST: Monongahela Boulevard Road Notes: The current Star City Bridge over the Monongahela River was
completed in 2004, replacing a 2-lane through truss that had become a major

28.1 28.2 29.0

traffic bottleneck. The new bridge is equipped with over 700 sensors that monitor characteristics of its traffic as well as expansion, contraction, and stresses of the bridge itself. Area Notes: The WVU Coliseum is the largest structure on the right near the WV 705 intersection. Built in 1970, it is the home of the West Virginia Mountaineers basketball team.

LEFT on WV 705 EAST: Patteson Drive At University Avenue, becomes WV 705 EAST: Van Voorhis Road. Area Notes: Mountaineer Field, home of the WVU football team, is located
along Elmer Prince Drive along with the WVU Hospitals complex. The construction of the limited-access portion of WV 705 east of Don Nehlen Drive was done to provide access to the stadium.

29.4 29.4

RIGHT on WV 705 EAST: Chestnut Ridge Road

This is a continuous right turn. At CR 61/1: Don Nehlen Drive, becomes 201 st Memorial Highway. Road Notes: The WV 705 corridor is currently undergoing an ITS deployment including the installation of video cameras. It also receiving a cutting-edge adaptive signal coordination system that tracks Bluetooth signals from passing cars and uses them to monitor vehicle progression. Road Notes: In the mid-2000s, there were plans to construct a new 4-lane road called the Pastureland Parkway to bypass the 2-lane section of WV 705 and US 119. This road would have departed just after CR 67: Stewartstown Road, swung downhill into West Run valley, then connected in with the 4-lane CR 857 connector to I-68. WVDOH did not secure the right-of-way and development around 2009 killed this plan. Instead, US 119 will be widened along its current route.

31.0

31.7 32.7 33.1 34.3 37.0 37.3 37.4 37.5 37.6 38.4 38.4

LEFT on US 119 NORTH: Mileground Road CONTINUE STRAIGHT on US 119 NORTH/CR 857 NORTH: Mileground Road RIGHT on CR 857 NORTH: Cheat Road LEFT on I-68 EAST towards Cumberland EXIT at Exit 10: WV 43 NORTH towards Uniontown LEFT on WV 43 NORTH: Mon-Fayette Expressway LEFT on temporary ramp immediately after I-68 underpass RIGHT on temporary ramp towards CR 857 LEFT on CR 857 SOUTH: Cheat Road U-TURN into gravel shoulder on left side of road before Ices Ferry Bridge PULL OFF on gravel shoulder between I-68 and Ices Ferry Bridges

5.

WV 43 Northern Interchange

What to see
Prior to the coming of the new WV 43 freeway, I68 Exit 10 connected to County Route 857 to provide access to the Cheat Lake area. With WV 43 now tying in to I-68 via Exit 10, this interchange was constructed to handle local traffic. The east-west section of CR 88/1: Bowers Lane was built new, and the existing north-south section connected to CR 88: Sunset Beach Road was widened. Using a folded diamond interchange appears to serve two purposes: (a) Providing additional distance between this interchange and WV 43s interchange with I-68, and (b) avoiding a cemetery south of the new Bowers Lane connector. This interchange was originally was to the northern end of the free section of WV 43, but WVDOH has for the time being suspended plans to toll the road.

Driving to here

38.4 38.8 39.3 39.8

CONTINUE STRAIGHT on CR 857 NORTH: Cheat Road LEFT on CR 88: Sunset Beach Road BEAR RIGHT on CR 88/1: Bowers Lane PULL OFF on paved shoulder near WV 43 SOUTH ramps

6.

WV 43 Southern Interchange

What to see
The slip ramp from I-68 westbound ties in to the WV 43 mainline here. The CR 857 overpass and segment up to the northern interchange are also readily visible from this spot.

Driving to here

39.8 40.2 40.5 40.7 40.7

CONTINUE STRAIGHT on CR 88/1: Bowers Lane RIGHT on CR 857 SOUTH: Fairchance Road LEFT on Jo Glen Drive LEFT on access road to St. Lukes Catholic Church PARK in St. Lukes Catholic Church

7.

Morgans Run Bridge

What to see
This pair of structures carries WV 43 high above Morgans Run creek and CR 71: Morgans Run Road. While a similar pair of bridges over Rubles Run to the north was completed by 2001, these structures did not go to bid until late 2006 due to a high cost of almost $20 million. The structures were completed in 2009.

Driving to here

40.7 40.8 42.7 43.4

RIGHT on Jo Glen Drive RIGHT on CR 857 NORTH: Fairchance Road LEFT on CR 71: Morgans Run Road
This is a narrow road with limited sight distance. Be careful for oncoming traffic.

PARK on paved access road on left underneath Morgans Run Bridge

Try to do a U-turn so you are parking facing out. This road does not have anything on it. Do not block CR 71: Morgans Run Road.

8A.

Gans Road Interchange (Optional Stop)

What to see
Since March 2000, this interchange has served as the southern end of the open Mon-Fayette Expressway sections. With the coming opening of West Virginias section of the road, the southern half of this interchange will finally open July 11,

2011. In recent weeks, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission has removed the portable Jersey barriers and fending that closed off the southern segment. The road is now striped, signed, and ready to open.

Driving to here

43.4 44.1 47.4 48.0

LEAVE EASTBOUND on CR 71: Morgans Run Road

Return via same route we drove in on. This is a narrow road with limited sight distance. Be careful for oncoming traffic.

LEFT on CR 857 NORTH: Fairchance Road

Be careful of limited sight distance at intersection. At Pennsylvania state line, becomes PA 857 NORTH: Fairchance Road.

LEFT on SR 3002: Gans Road PULL OFF on paved shoulder between PA 43 NORTH ramps and bridge

9.

WV 273 Interchange

What to see
To provide connectivity to Interstate 79, the new Exit 136 was constructed. WV 273 is carried over I79 on a steel arch bridge built about 2007. The interchange was constructed in conjunction with a widening of I-79 that finished in 2009. Ramps to and from Interstate 79 northbound opened on August 1, 2009 signed as being for CR 31/2: Stoney Road. The bridge and southbound ramps did not open until December 2010 and were signed as WV 273 at that time. The cut-stone building under construction currently is a new visitor center. The overpass of Satterfield Street is visible here, as is an excellent view of the Gateway corridor. The highway is built along what was previously State Street at a cost of approximately $150 million.

Driving to here

48.0 48.2

48.2 49.0 54.4 54.5 64.3 77.4 77.8 77.9 78.0 78.0

CONTINUE STRAIGHT on SR 3002: Gans Road U-TURN at PA 43 SOUTH/Bunker Hill Road intersection Use the wide spot on Bunker Hill Road at the intersection to do a Uturn. CONTINUE STRAIGHT on SR 3002: Gans Road
Return via the same route we drove in.

RIGHT on PA 857 SOUTH: Fairchance Road

At West Virginia state line, becomes CR 857 SOUTH: Fairchance Road

LEFT on access road to I-68 RIGHT on I-68 WEST towards Morgantown EXIT onto I-79 SOUTH towards Fairmont EXIT at Exit 136: WV 273 NORTH towards Downtown Fairmont CONTINUE STRAIGHT on Cole Street RIGHT on CR 64/13: State Street
This is the stop sign immediately downhill from WV 273.

RIGHT into East Marion Park PARK in East Marion Park parking lot

10.

WV 273 Downtown

What to see
This area offers views of the Fairmont Gateway Connectors northern end at Merchant Street along with the upper deck of the High Level Bridge. The roundabout at Elkins Street is nearby along with one of the bus shelters installed along the route.

Driving to here

78.0 78.1 78.2 79.0 79.1 79.2 79.3 79.3 79.3

LEFT on CR 64/13: State Street LEFT on Cole Street RIGHT on WV 273 NORTH: Alan B. Mollohan Gateway RIGHT on WV 310 SOUTH: Merchant Street RIGHT on Market Street RIGHT on Diamond Street LEFT on Bridge Street RIGHT into parking lot PARK in parking lot

11.

Monongahela River Bridges

What to see
The High Level Bridge, officially the Robert H. Mollohan-Jefferson Street Bridge, is the primary means of accessing downtown Fairmont from the I-79 corridor. Originally constructed in 1921, this 1,266foot concrete arch is an excellent example of a large early 20th Century structures. West Virginias largest reinforced concrete arch, this bridge was restored from 1998-2000 under a $23.5 million contract. The extensive project involved removing the existing deck and tearing the bridge down to its piers and arch ribs. The piers and arches were repaired; the verticals above the arches and the deck were replaced with new precast sections. The large piers at either end of the arch section contain staircases that originally provided access to the railroad tracks on either bank. While these stairwells still exist, they are now closed to the public for security reasons. Just downstream of the High Level Bridge are the cut-stone piers of what was known as the Low Level or Nickel Bridge. This through truss bridge carried Madison Street across the river. Built in 1908, this bridge was open until the 1980s. It was demolished about 2006. The bridge carried tolls its entire life, starting at 5 cents and ending at 25 cents when it closed. Fairmont is exploring reusing the piers for a pedestrian bridge.

Driving to here

79.3 79.4 79.6 79.9

LEFT on Bridge Street

Be careful of potholes on this roadway.

RIGHT on WV 310 SOUTH: Merchant Street

Be careful of limited sight distance at intersection.

SHARP LEFT on Everest Drive (at Morgantown Avenue traffic signal)

This road becomes Water Street.

PULL OFF on gravel area after High Level Bridge

12A. Direct Return to Morgantown

Driving to here

79.9 80.2 81.2 81.6 99.7

LEAVE NORTHBOUND on Water Street

Return via same route we drove in on. This road becomes Everest Drive.

LEFT on WV 310 SOUTH: Park Avenue RIGHT on WV 310 SOUTH: Grafton Road RIGHT on I-79 NORTH towards Morgantown EXIT at Exit 155: WV 7 for West Virginia University

100.0 100.2 100.4

RIGHT on CR 19/24: Chaplin Hill Road RIGHT on University Town Centre Boulevard LEFT into Chilis parking lot

12B. C.J. Maggies for Dinner

What to see
C.J. Maggies specialized in restoring older buildings in downtown cities. This restaurant, which opened earlier this summer, is their fourth location after Buckhannon and Elkins in West Virginia and Ashland, Kentucky. C.J. Maggies serves an extremely diverse menu, but be prepared to wait.

Driving to here

79.9 80.2 80.4 80.7 80.8 80.8

LEAVE NORTHBOUND on Water Street

Return via same route we drove in on. This road becomes Everest Drive.

RIGHT on WV 310 NORTH: Merchant Street RIGHT on CR 19/73: Jefferson Street LEFT on Hull Alley
This is the alley after Washington Street. There are Civil War Trails signs here.

LEFT into C.J. Maggies parking lot. PARK in parking lot

13B. After-Dinner Return to Morgantown

Driving to here

80.8 80.8 81.1

LEAVE NORTHBOUND on Hull Alley

Return via same route we drove in on.

RIGHT on CR 19/73: Jefferson Street LEFT on WV 310 SOUTH: Merchant Street

This road becomes WV 310 SOUTH: Park Avenue at Morgantown Avenue intersection.

82.3 82.7 100.8 101.1 101.3 101.5

RIGHT on WV 310 SOUTH: Grafton Road RIGHT on I-79 NORTH towards Morgantown EXIT at Exit 155: WV 7 for West Virginia University RIGHT on CR 19/24: Chaplin Hill Road RIGHT on University Town Centre Boulevard LEFT into Chilis parking lot