Interstate 77 in Virginia

Interstate 77 (I-77) in the US state of Virginia is a 67-mile (108 km) north–south Interstate Highway serving Hillsville, Wytheville, and Bland. Running parallel to US Route 52 (US 52), I-77 passes through the Big Walker Mountain Tunnel and East River Mountain Tunnel, the latter on the West Virginia state line and one of only two land vehicular tunnels to cross a state line.[4]

Interstate 77 marker

Interstate 77

I-77 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by VDOT
Length66.27 mi[1][2][3] (106.65 km)
Existed1972–present
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
South end I-74 / I-77 near Mount Airy, NC
Major intersections US 58 / US 221 near Hillsville
I-81 / US 11 near Wytheville
US 52 various times between Wytheville and Rocky Gap
North end I-77 / US 52 near Bluefield, WV
Location
CountryUnited States
StateVirginia
CountiesCarroll, Wythe, Bland
Highway system
SR 76 SR 78

Route description

View south along I-77 just south of the East River Mountain Tunnel in Bland County

I-77 enters Virginia near Mount Airy, North Carolina, while the highway continues south into North Carolina concurrently with a segment of the unfinished I-74. The first exit is a folded diamond interchange with State Route 620 (SR 620).[5] The route continues northeast toward Fancy Gap and passes under the Blue Ridge Parkway, with access to it and the town provided by a diamond interchange with SR 775, which has a connection to US 52.

Continuing northwest, the expressway reaches another diamond interchange with US 58/US 221 (Carrollton Pike). The route has another interchange with SR 620 before folding onto I-81.

The route begins a wrong-way concurrency with I-81 and US 11, with the northbound direction cosigned with southbound I-81 and US 11. US 52 joins this concurrency in an interchange. Continuing west, US 11 splits south to Wytheville's downtown[6] and I-81 eventually splits west to head toward Bristol. From here, US 52 resumes its parallel of the expressway and the highway intersects SR 61 near Rocky Gap. Near Bland, the interstate enters the Big Walker Mountain Tunnel, and north of Bland, US 52 merges onto the freeway on the approach to the East River Mountain Tunnel, and the tunnel crosses into West Virginia, where the route continues.

History

I-77 was first opened in 1972 between I-81 in Wytheville and US 52 in Bland, which also included the Big Walker Mountain Tunnel. The Interstate was extended from Bland to the West Virginia border in 1974–1975; this extension included the East River Mountain Tunnel. In July 1977, I-77 was built between the North Carolina border and Fancy Gap, and, in December, it was extended from Fancy Gap to Poplar Camp. In 1978, I-77 was built between Poplar Camp and I-81. The Interstate existed in two separate segments until 1987, when the I-81/I-77 overlap between Wytheville and Fort Chiswell was built.

I-77 in Fancy Gap has been the site of many fatal accidents, often due to fog and wind in the mountains. In November 2010, two people died as a result of a 75-vehicle pileup.[7] On March 31, 2013, 17 crashes along I-77 led to a 95-vehicle pileup and resulted in three deaths.[8][9] In September 2013, a pileup resulted in one death.[10]

Exit list

CountyLocationmikmExitDestinationsNotes
Carroll0.000.00

I-77 south / I-74 east Charlotte
North Carolina state line
0.941.511 SR 620
8.5713.798
SR 148 / SR 775 to US 52 Fancy Gap
To Blue Ridge Parkway
14.8523.9014 US 58 / US 221 Hillsville, Galax
19.0330.6319 SR 620
Poplar Camp24.0638.7224 SR 69 Poplar Camp
Wythe32.1451.7232

I-81 north / US 11 north Roanoke
South end of I-81 / US 11 wrong-way concurrency; I-77 south follows exit 81
Interstate 77 overlaps with I-81. (exit 73 to 80)
Wytheville39.1863.0540



I-81 south / US 52 north to US 21 south Bristol
North end of I-81 wrong-way concurrency; north end of US 52 overlap; I-77 north follows exit 72
40.2864.8241 SR 610 (Peppers Ferry Road) Wytheville, Max Meadows
Bland45.7773.6647 SR 717
Wythe
No major junctions
Big Walker Mountain48.8178.55Big Walker Mountain Tunnel
BlandBland51.2282.4352 US 52 / SR 42 Bland
57.3392.2658 US 52 (via SR 666) Bastian
South Gap61.2798.6062 SR 606 South Gap
Rocky Gap63.24101.7764 US 52 / SR 61 Rocky Gap
65.57105.5266
US 52 south / SR 598
South end of US 52 overlap
66.27106.65

I-77 north / US 52 north Bluefield, Charleston
West Virginia state line (East River Mountain Tunnel through East River Mountain)
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. "2005 Virginia Department of Transportation Jurisdiction Report - Daily Traffic Volume Estimates - Carroll County" (PDF).
  2. "2005 Virginia Department of Transportation Jurisdiction Report - Daily Traffic Volume Estimates - Wythe County" (PDF).
  3. "2005 Virginia Department of Transportation Jurisdiction Report - Daily Traffic Volume Estimates - Bland County" (PDF).
  4. Beth (June 30, 2016). "Most People Have No Idea This Unique Tunnel In Virginia Exists". OnlyInYourState. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  5. "Virginia Interstate Exits - Travel | Virginia Department of Transportation". www.virginiadot.org. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  6. "Virginia Interstate Exits - Travel | Virginia Department of Transportation". www.virginiadot.org. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  7. Police, Staff Reports, Virginia State (November 16, 2010). "Dense fog causes 75-vehicle pile up and closes southbound I-77". HeraldCourier.com. Retrieved September 20, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. "3 killed in 95-vehicle pileup at Virginia-N.C. line". USA Today. March 31, 2019. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  9. Purdy, Chase (March 31, 2013). "3 killed in I-77 pileup". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  10. "UPDATE: Pile-Up in Dense Fog on I-77 Kills One, Injures Two". WSET. September 21, 2013. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
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