Documentary about the planning, construction, usage and future of the West Virginia turnpike, a highway that was a precursor to the Interstate Highway System.
We made a special trip to Charleston when it first opened. It was a great accomplishment. I heard it described once as having "99miles with 99 bridges"
At least West Virginia knows how to take care of snow covered roads. I’m from the Beckley area and lived in Princeton. It’s not a bad place compared to where I live now in Kentucky. The people are nicer in WV.
I shall time late 60s. Early 70s you had to have tire chains or they would let you get on it. I helped with the road work and new bridges in Charleston’s when I got out of the Marines. In 1974. I’m now a retired concrete superintendent. Got my start in Charleston as a union labor. Big life in between then to now. Semper fi.
With 3 toll booths in each direction at $4.00 a pop you'd better keep the roads clear of snow. The turnpike is much better now then it was a few years ago and it's absolutely beautiful, but at $12.00 ( for cars, way more for trucks) one way, there should be no snow, potholes or trash.
Back in the late 70s up until the early & mid 80s, my mother would take me & my sister from Columbus to her home town in Radford Va. Sometimes my Dad would drive whenever he was on vacation from his trucking job at Roadway. My Mom would take the long way (I 70 east to I 77 Southbound), my Dad would always take the truckers route 23 to 35. Back then, the turnpike was two lane, used to see a lot of semi accidents on the two lane stretch. I remember when construction first began, lots of blasting zones thru the mountains. Once completed, I was amazed at the vast improvements...it is one of my favorite stretches of highway to travel on til this day.
From 6:54 to 7:00, street lights along the West Virginia (circa early 1940s) look like the bristles of the brush are hanging down, but it is an early Westinghouse Type OV-10, fitted with vintage Mercury Vapor Lamps. Actually it is either shielded to prevent the light pollution. That is more then 25 years before the energy crisis.
The West Virginia Turnpike was initially dubbed "the road to nowhere" as it failed to generate sufficient traffic volume to keep up with bond obligations in the first few years after opening. It was only upon completion of Interstate 77 from Ohio and Virginia, that the Turnpike attracted enough volume to warrant widening.
I was born in 65. My brother in 55... it's so hard to believe this all happened in my generation...I drive most of these roads daily for my job.. I'm so proud of WV
I was born in Hurricane W.VA. the year they started on the W.VA. turnpike . I was four years old when it was opened. Seems like I can remember taking a ride on it when it was opened.
I traveled the turnpike a lot back in the 70's. Mostly two lanes with a passing lane every now and then, and constant construction, mostly near the southern end. It was extremely dangerous, people falling asleep at the wheel, passing in curves, blocking the passing lane, etc. Big trucks everywhere, tailgating the slow drivers and then creating a mile-long traffic jam on the hills. CB radios helped a bit since drivers could keep you advised of any problems coming up - and of course, any Smokies lying in wait (one was called Dirty Dan by the trucers, they really hated him). I remember James Dent wanted to rename it the WV Treacherous Pathway.
In 20 years calling on customers in WV I made round trips on this road every month. To get an idea of it's value drive 50 or miles from it on local roads. Without the turnpike, I and many other business people would say "don't bother with WV." Too much trouble.
@@petebentley3156 ! was 14 years old when this highway was first built and remembering them saying that it would pay for itself in 10 years and today I guess its still paying for itself but it was a BIGGGG improvement to the alternative US 52 from bluefield to charleston which was VERY CURVY and Mountains like you wouldnt believe. the toll was supposed to be taken off once it paid for itself is why I said i guess its still paying for itself
Thank you so very much, Keyser! I have a documentary on PBS streaming called "The Legacy of the Land" that is currently available for viewing there online. And here on RU-vid I have a series of stories I create each week called The History Project. The link for that is ru-vid.com/group/PLbTIXU2Zp-KnEBhoV5DtNVm19YEc1zbPm. I truly appreciate your supportive remarks!
Two lanes mostly. Some passing lanes. My first time in 72. As a young Marine headed home on a weekend. I did that a lot then. Got a Tropper that chased me fifty miles cause he couldn’t pass ran me down at the Beckley exist. Didn’t lock me up. Only reason was the J P was busy with his kids. $35 dollar ticket bug money to me. Loved that 69 mustang just as fast as his car.
The WV Turnpike was supposed to pay for itself in tolls, paying itself off many years ago but has failed to do so as of this date. The State continues, not only to charge toll for using the Turnpike but also keeps raising the amounts charged for traveling across the toll road.
The Turnpike in the early years was a deadly risk to drive on. The side going South was 2 lanes and at times a one lane because work was still being done. People not used to it would have the lane abruptly end on them, at night it was even worse. There was a lot of head on collisions . Driving North was the same way, deadly with lane changes and rock slides. It is much better and safer today.
Correct. What I said holds true, the traffic volumes to justify widening occurred after Interstate 77 was completed and routed along the West Virginia Turnpike. Before that time, the Turnpike was derided as a "road to nowhere".
Well, you can’t say “I-77 was finished” before the WV Turnpike was widened to four lanes. Before it was widened, the turnpike was only “future” or “temporary” I-77.
@@jbm71 You misunderstood. I-77 Charleston and north in West Virginia was finished as well as south to the VA state line. Turnpike was never signed as temporary I-77.
@@BlackMan614 You can’t say “I-77 was finished” when there was still an 88.mile gap of “mostly two-lane WV Turnpike” in the middle of it. Yes, the PIECES of I-77 from OH to Charleston and from Princeton to VA were finished before the turnpike was four-laned. But I-77 as a whole wasn’t finished until it was complete to Interstate standards end-to-end from Cleveland to Columbia.
The road was narrow and it was hard to pass. We got behind a pig truck one time. Took us twenty minutes to find a clear space to 'safely' get around it. I can still vividly recall that smell. No thanks, I'll pass on the bacon.
There’s nothing scarier than an out of state truck that stops at the cabin creek toll north on 77. They’re grabbing gears running their trucks for all they’re worth coming down that hill. Personally I’ve seen them close to 100mph ignoring the giant 50mph signs for crossing the right angle bridge. Brakes and tires smoking with 200 foot black marks.!! This is easily one of the most dangerous places coming into Charleston. Keep yer eyes 👀 peeled for maniacs.!!
The Tamarack is a beautiful place but the stuff that is sold in there is outrageous I seen a table there that looked like a guy fly fishing and that table was over eight grand the coal company i worked for would have our annual retraining there and they would pay for our lunch there and the food was delicious but very high for a trout dinner thirty some bucks
You can thank Robert Byrd for the Federal roads in WV. For many decades Southern Politicians were great at sending money (Pork Barrel Spending) to build roads, many of them in the South. Four lane Roads to "nowhere" exist much more so in the South as anyone who has been there can contest. Byrd and his type were seen as money wasters at the time for projects not needed at the time. They were proven to be ahead of their time. I well remember when 64 was being built in the 70's near Beckley and all this talk about no need. Again, it was ahead of its time and if not done then would prove difficult today with the environmental regulations.
I remember those red and white license plates I still have the one that was on my mother’s car we left West Virginia in August 2019 60 and hers was only on the car for about a month and a half so it’s in pristine condition it’s hanging on the wall in my bedroom
