East River Mountain Tunnel
Encyclopedia
The East River Mountain Tunnel is a 5412 feet (1,649.6 m) vehicular tunnel
that carries Interstate 77
(I-77) and U.S. Route 52
(US 52) through East River Mountain between the communities of Bluefield, West Virginia
, and Rocky Gap, Virginia
.
and the southern end is in Virginia
, Virginia shared the cost of the project. The state line falls almost exactly across the midpoint of the tunnel, with 51% of the tunnel residing in West Virginia and the remaining 49% on the Virginia side.http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library/niceandcurious/tunnelvision.htm
Prior to the opening of the East River Mountain Tunnel, travelers wishing to cross the state line had to navigate the narrow, twisting, guardrail-less route of US 52
up and over the mountain (now designated as VA 598
/WV 598). When fog or snow was present, the journey became arduous, and the road was occasionally closed completely (particularly in the winter months) due to treacherous conditions.
The tunnel is located about 20 miles (32.2 km) north of its shorter cousin, the Big Walker Mountain Tunnel
. The East River Mountain Tunnel is also one of only two land vehicular tunnels in the United States that cross a state line, the other being the Cumberland Gap Tunnel
.
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
that carries Interstate 77
Interstate 77
Interstate 77 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. It traverses diverse terrain, from the mountainous state of West Virginia to the rolling farmlands of North Carolina and Ohio. It largely supplants the old U.S...
(I-77) and U.S. Route 52
U.S. Route 52
U.S. Route 52 is a United States highway that runs across the northern, eastern and southeastern regions of the United States. Contrary to most other even-numbered U.S...
(US 52) through East River Mountain between the communities of Bluefield, West Virginia
Bluefield, West Virginia
Bluefield is a city in Mercer County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 10,447 at the 2010 census. It is also the core city of the Bluefield WV-VA micropolitan area which has a population of 107,342.-Geography & Climate:...
, and Rocky Gap, Virginia
Rocky Gap, Virginia
Rocky Gap is an unincorporated community that is located in Bland County in the U.S. state of Virginia. Rocky Gap's center sits at a high elevation of around 2,887 ft. In the year of 2009, there was an estimate that there were a total of 75 people living in Rocky Gap. Rocky Gap has one zip code...
.
History
Groundbreaking began on the tunnel on August 12, 1969, and after five years of labor it was opened to the public at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on December 20, 1974. At a cost of $40 million, it was (at the time) the most expensive construction project undertaken by the West Virginia Division of Highways. Because the northern end of the tunnel is in West VirginiaWest Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
and the southern end is in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, Virginia shared the cost of the project. The state line falls almost exactly across the midpoint of the tunnel, with 51% of the tunnel residing in West Virginia and the remaining 49% on the Virginia side.http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library/niceandcurious/tunnelvision.htm
Prior to the opening of the East River Mountain Tunnel, travelers wishing to cross the state line had to navigate the narrow, twisting, guardrail-less route of US 52
U.S. Route 52
U.S. Route 52 is a United States highway that runs across the northern, eastern and southeastern regions of the United States. Contrary to most other even-numbered U.S...
up and over the mountain (now designated as VA 598
Virginia State Route 598
State Route 598 is a primary state highway in Bland County, Virginia, United States. It is the old alignment of U.S. Route 52 from the Interstate 77 interchange north of Rocky Gap to the West Virginia state line, where it continues as West Virginia Route 598 in Bluefield.-External links:*...
/WV 598). When fog or snow was present, the journey became arduous, and the road was occasionally closed completely (particularly in the winter months) due to treacherous conditions.
Location
Big Walker Mountain Tunnel
The Big Walker Mountain Tunnel is a vehicular tunnel in the Appalachian Mountains of Southwest Virginia that carries Interstate 77 through/under Big Walker Mountain...
. The East River Mountain Tunnel is also one of only two land vehicular tunnels in the United States that cross a state line, the other being the Cumberland Gap Tunnel
Cumberland Gap Tunnel
The Cumberland Gap Tunnel is a tunnel that carries U.S. Route 25E under Cumberland Gap National Historical Park near the intersection of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. The east portal of the tunnel is in Tennessee and the west portal is in Kentucky; according to United States Geological Survey...
.