I-79

About I-79

From Charleston, WV (I-64/I-77) to Erie, PA (I-90)

Interstate 79 is a north-south route running about 343 miles from Charleston, West Virginia, to Erie, Pennsylvania, on the shore of Lake Erie. It begins at Interstate 77 in the West Virginia capital and climbs north through the rugged Appalachian Plateau, serving Clarksburg, Fairmont, and the university city of Morgantown before crossing into Pennsylvania. The route then passes west of Pittsburgh and continues north through farm and forest country to reach its terminus near the Lake Erie waterfront.

Much of the corridor is mountainous, with long grades and deep cuts as it follows the hilly terrain of north-central West Virginia and western Pennsylvania. Around Pittsburgh it acts as a western bypass of the city core, feeding traffic into the metropolitan freeway network through its auxiliary spur. North of Pittsburgh it settles into gentler country on its way to Erie.

The highway is an important connector between the Ohio Valley and the Great Lakes, linking the energy and industrial regions of West Virginia and western Pennsylvania. It carries a steady mix of regional commuter traffic, freight, and travelers heading to the Lake Erie shoreline.

State-by-state mileage

State	Miles
West Virginia	160.5
Pennsylvania	182.2
Total	342.7

History

Interstate 79 was part of the planning that followed the 1956 federal highway act and was numbered in 1962, with construction stretching across the following years as crews worked through the difficult Appalachian terrain. The mountainous alignment in West Virginia required extensive cuts, fills, and bridges to meet Interstate standards.

Segments opened in stages through the 1960s and 1970s, completing a continuous freeway between Charleston and Erie that replaced slower routes through the hill country.

Major cities and places

Did you know

• The southern terminus is at I-77 in Charleston and the northern terminus is in Erie near the Lake Erie shore.
• The route serves Morgantown and West Virginia University.
• It functions as a western bypass of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area.
• Its mountainous West Virginia segments required heavy earthwork to meet Interstate grade standards.