Interstate 79

Interstate 79
Route information
Length	343.24 mi (552.39 km)
Existed	1958-present
Major junctions
Southern terminus	I-77 near Charleston, WV
Northern terminus	PA 5 / PA 290 / Bayfront Parkway in Erie, PA
Location
Country	United States
States	West Virginia, Pennsylvania

Interstate 79 (I-79) is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States, designated from I-77 in Charleston, West Virginia to Pennsylvania Route 5 (PA 5) and PA 290 in Erie, Pennsylvania. It is a primary thoroughfare through western Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and makes up part of an important corridor to Buffalo, New York, and the border with Canada. Major metropolitan areas connected by I-79 include Charleston and Morgantown in West Virginia, and Pittsburgh, and Erie in Pennsylvania. In West Virginia, I-79 is known as the Jennings Randolph Expressway, named for Jennings Randolph. In the three most northern counties it is signed as part of the High Tech Corridor. For most of its Pennsylvania stretch, it is known as the Raymond P. Shafer Highway, named for Raymond P. Shafer.

Route Description

Except at its northern end, I-79 is located on the Allegheny Plateau. Despite the somewhat rugged terrain, the road is relatively flat. Most of the highway is at an elevation of about 1,000 to 1,200 feet (300 to 370 metres) above sea level, with some lower areas near both ends and higher areas near Sutton, West Virginia. In the hillier areas, this flatness is achieved by curving around hills, along ridges, and in or part way up river valleys. Interstate 79 generally parallels the path of U.S. Route 19 (US 19) north of Sutton, West Virginia.

West Virginia

I-79 begins at a three-way directional Y interchange  with Interstate 77 along the northwest bank of the Elk River just northeast of Charleston. For its first 67 miles (108 km), to a point just south of Flatwoods, I-79 is located in the watershed of the Elk River, which drains into the Kanawha River. It crosses the Elk River twice — at Frametown and Sutton - and never strays more than about 15 to 20 miles (24 to 32 km) from it.

Pennsylvania

I-79 enters Pennsylvania after leaving West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. South of Washington, Pennsylvania, I-79 traverses the mostly rural Greene County area.

Between mile markers 34 and 38, I-79 is multiplexed with I-70 in the Washington, Pennsylvania area before heading north towards Pittsburgh.

The freeway into Pittsburgh requires drivers to use I-376 while I-79 completely bypasses the city. Beyond the Pittsburgh area, I-79 traverses more rural areas in Butler, Lawrence, Mercer, Crawford, and Erie counties before arriving at its termination point in Erie. In Erie, I-90 provides an important connection from I-79 to Buffalo, New York and the border with Canada.

Around the 100-mile marker on the northbound side are two ghost ramps that were specifically built for the Boy Scouts of America in order to have access to Moraine State Park without having to get on U.S. Route 422 for the 1973 and 1977 National Scout Jamborees, which were held at Moraine. The ramps were permanently closed after the 1977 event, but remain in place as of 2017.

I-79 was completely rebuilt in the Pittsburgh area in the early 1990s.

Interstate Highway System

Major Interstates are written in bold.