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Interstate 470 (Ohio-West Virginia)
Encyclopedia
Interstate 470 is a 10.63 miles (17.1 km) long loop
of Interstate 70
bypassing the city of Wheeling, West Virginia
. The western terminus of the freeway is at an interchange with I-70
near Blaine, Ohio
. Traveling southeast through rural Belmont County
, the highway approaches the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge
carrying I-470 over the Ohio River
. After crossing the river into Ohio County, West Virginia
, the highway turns northeast, towards the Wheeling neighborhood of Elm Grove
and its eastern terminus at I-70
near Wheeling Park.
Construction began in 1975 in the two states but due to a chronic lack of funding, construction in Ohio was stalled between 1976 and 1981. By 1983, both states had completed construction on the freeway. The three-level diamond interchange with concurrent
highways U.S. Route 250 (US 250) and West Virginia Route 2 (WV 2) on the eastern banks of the Ohio River was thought to be the most complex interchange in West Virginia's Interstate Highway System
at the time of construction. On average, between 26,000 and 38,000 vehicles use the highway daily. During the reconstruction work on the Wheeling Tunnel
, I-470 was one of two suggested detour routes to avoid the closed tunnel.
of Blaine, in eastern Belmont County, Ohio. An exit for County Road 28 (CR 28), the penultimate exit for westbound travelers, provides travelers access to US 40 (also known as the National Road
). The highway curves to the southeast through the woodlands forming part of the northeastern corner of Neffs
, and briefly parallels High Ridge Road (CR 214) before meeting it at a diamond interchange
. High Ridge Road to the north connects back to I-70, and to the south links Bellaire
to the loop. I-470 continues east into a valley before a trumpet interchange with State Route 7 (SR 7) along the western shores of the Ohio River. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge
carries I-470 over three rail lines and the Ohio River (the state line between Ohio and West Virginia). The rail lines on the western banks of the river belong to the Norfolk Southern Railway
and the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway.
I-470 enters Wheeling and Ohio County, West Virginia; the Greater Wheeling Trail
, a rail trail
, passes underneath the freeway as I-470 approaches a three-level diamond interchange with US 250 and WV 2. The concurrent highways connect to downtown Wheeling in the north and Benwood
to the south before the freeway enters another valley and more woodlands. An interchange with West Bethlehem Boulevard provides access to the town of the same name
to the south, before the freeway terminates at an incomplete interchange with I-70 over Wheeling Creek
near Wheeling Park. Traffic from I-470 can only access eastbound I-70, and only traffic traveling westbound on I-70 can access I-470. The eastern branch of the Greater Wheeling Trail passes underneath the freeway as it passes over the creek.
I-470 is the only auxiliary Interstate Highway in West Virginia. The Ohio
and West Virginia
Departments of Transportation (ODOT and WVDOT) conduct surveys on their highways to measure traffic volume. This is expressed in terms of average annual daily traffic (AADT), which is a measure of average traffic volume for any day of the year. In 2008, they calculated that as few as 26,350 vehicles traveled along the highway at the western terminus in Ohio, and as many as 38,000 vehicles used I-470 across the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge. As part of the Interstate Highway System, the entire route is listed on the National Highway System
– a system of roads that are important to the nation's economy, defense and mobility.
After a 3.3-cent-per-gallon (0.87 cents per liter) fuel tax
increase, Ohio was able to begin to fund the project again. Bids for construction work on the remainder of the Ohio portion of the freeway were solicited in 1981, with an estimated construction time frame of 37 months to complete the stretch of Interstate between I-70 and the bridge. The West Virginia portion was under construction by 1976, and was completed by 1983 in both states. The three-level diamond interchange on the eastern banks of the Ohio River was thought to be the most complex interchange in West Virginia at the time of construction.
Between September and December 1996, about 518 m (1,699.5 ft) of roadway in Ohio was closed so the ODOT could stabilize and repave the roadway; the rocks forming the top of an abandoned mine underneath the freeway had become overstressed.
The Wheeling Tunnel was closed for reconstruction work in 2007, 2008 and 2010. Travelers who wished to continue through Wheeling were directed to I-470, or through Wheeling along city streets.
|-
!State
!County
!Location
!Mile
!Exit
!Junction
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=4|Ohio
|rowspan=4|Belmont
|rowspan=4|Pultney Township
| style="background:#fdd;" rowspan="2"|0.0
| style="background:#fdd;"|
| style="background:#fdd;"|
| style="background:#fdd;"|Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
|- style="background:#fdd;"
||1
||Banfield Road, Mall Road (CR 28)
||Westbound exit only; Eastbound entrance is to I-70 before I-470 begins
|-
|3.2
|3
|
|
|-
|6.3
|6
|
|
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|Ohio River
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge
|align=center|Ohio – West Virginia state line
|-
|rowspan=4|West Virginia
|rowspan=4|Ohio
|-
|rowspan=3|Wheeling
|7.2
|1
|
|
|-
|8.8
|2
|
|
|-
| style="background:#fdd;"|10.6
| style="background:#fdd;"|
| style="background:#fdd;"|
| style="background:#fdd;"|Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
Bypass (road)
A bypass is a road or highway that avoids or "bypasses" a built-up area, town, or village, to let through traffic flow without interference from local traffic, to reduce congestion in the built-up area, and to improve road safety....
of Interstate 70
Interstate 70
Interstate 70 is an Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a Park and Ride near Baltimore, Maryland. It was the first Interstate Highway project in the United States. I-70 approximately traces the path of U.S. Route 40 east of the Rocky...
bypassing the city of Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. The western terminus of the freeway is at an interchange with I-70
Interstate 70 in Ohio
In the U.S. state of Ohio, Interstate 70 provides access between Indiana and West Virginia.-Route description:Along its path through Ohio, Interstate 70 passes through the following counties: Preble, Montgomery, Clark, Madison, Franklin, Fairfield, Licking, Muskingum, Guernsey and Belmont County...
near Blaine, Ohio
Blaine, Ohio
Blaine is an unincorporated community in northern Pease Township, Belmont County, Ohio, United States, along Wheeling Creek. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 43909....
. Traveling southeast through rural Belmont County
Belmont County, Ohio
Belmont County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. It is part of the Wheeling, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 70,400. Its county seat is St. Clairsville...
, the highway approaches the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge
Interstate 470 Bridge
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge is a four-lane arch-suspension bridge in the United States. It carries Interstate 470 over the Ohio River between Bridgeport, Ohio and Wheeling, West Virginia.-History:...
carrying I-470 over the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
. After crossing the river into Ohio County, West Virginia
Ohio County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 47,427 people, 19,733 households, and 12,155 families residing in the county. The population density was 447 people per square mile . There were 22,166 housing units at an average density of 209 per square mile...
, the highway turns northeast, towards the Wheeling neighborhood of Elm Grove
Elm Grove, West Virginia
Elm Grove is within Wheeling city limits in Ohio County, West Virginia, United States. It lies at an elevation of 774 feet ....
and its eastern terminus at I-70
Interstate 70 in West Virginia
Interstate 70 in the U.S. state of West Virginia crosses the Northern Panhandle region, through Ohio County and the city of Wheeling. The shortest segment of I-70 in any state it crosses is the segment in West Virginia, spanning across the panhandle...
near Wheeling Park.
Construction began in 1975 in the two states but due to a chronic lack of funding, construction in Ohio was stalled between 1976 and 1981. By 1983, both states had completed construction on the freeway. The three-level diamond interchange with concurrent
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
highways U.S. Route 250 (US 250) and West Virginia Route 2 (WV 2) on the eastern banks of the Ohio River was thought to be the most complex interchange in West Virginia's Interstate Highway System
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
at the time of construction. On average, between 26,000 and 38,000 vehicles use the highway daily. During the reconstruction work on the Wheeling Tunnel
Wheeling Tunnel
Twin tunnels form the Wheeling Tunnel in Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virginia. The tunnels are long, cutting though Wheeling Hill, and each carries two lanes of Interstate 70 and U.S. Route 250. The tunnels originally took three years to construct, costing $6.9 million...
, I-470 was one of two suggested detour routes to avoid the closed tunnel.
Route description
The freeway begins at a trumpet interchange with I-70 near the unincorporated communityUnincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
of Blaine, in eastern Belmont County, Ohio. An exit for County Road 28 (CR 28), the penultimate exit for westbound travelers, provides travelers access to US 40 (also known as the National Road
National Road
The National Road or Cumberland Road was the first major improved highway in the United States to be built by the federal government. Construction began heading west in 1811 at Cumberland, Maryland, on the Potomac River. It crossed the Allegheny Mountains and southwestern Pennsylvania, reaching...
). The highway curves to the southeast through the woodlands forming part of the northeastern corner of Neffs
Neffs, Ohio
Neffs is a census-designated place in Belmont County, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Wheeling, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, and briefly parallels High Ridge Road (CR 214) before meeting it at a diamond interchange
Diamond interchange
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a freeway crosses a minor road. The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge...
. High Ridge Road to the north connects back to I-70, and to the south links Bellaire
Bellaire, Ohio
Bellaire is a village in Belmont County, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Wheeling, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,278 at the 2010 census. The village is located along the Ohio River...
to the loop. I-470 continues east into a valley before a trumpet interchange with State Route 7 (SR 7) along the western shores of the Ohio River. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge
Interstate 470 Bridge
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge is a four-lane arch-suspension bridge in the United States. It carries Interstate 470 over the Ohio River between Bridgeport, Ohio and Wheeling, West Virginia.-History:...
carries I-470 over three rail lines and the Ohio River (the state line between Ohio and West Virginia). The rail lines on the western banks of the river belong to the Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
and the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway.
Greater Wheeling Trail
The Greater Wheeling Trail is a long mixed use rail trail located in Wheeling, West Virginia....
, a rail trail
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
, passes underneath the freeway as I-470 approaches a three-level diamond interchange with US 250 and WV 2. The concurrent highways connect to downtown Wheeling in the north and Benwood
Benwood, West Virginia
Benwood is a city in Marshall County, West Virginia, along the Ohio River. It is part of the Wheeling, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,585 at the 2000 census.Benwood was chartered in 1853 and incorporated in 1895...
to the south before the freeway enters another valley and more woodlands. An interchange with West Bethlehem Boulevard provides access to the town of the same name
Bethlehem, West Virginia
Bethlehem is a village in Ohio County, West Virginia, United States. It is part of the Wheeling, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,651 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bethlehem is located at ....
to the south, before the freeway terminates at an incomplete interchange with I-70 over Wheeling Creek
Wheeling Creek (West Virginia)
Wheeling Creek is a tributary of the Ohio River, 25 miles long, in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia in the United States, with a watershed extending into southwestern Pennsylvania. Via the Ohio River, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of...
near Wheeling Park. Traffic from I-470 can only access eastbound I-70, and only traffic traveling westbound on I-70 can access I-470. The eastern branch of the Greater Wheeling Trail passes underneath the freeway as it passes over the creek.
I-470 is the only auxiliary Interstate Highway in West Virginia. The Ohio
Ohio Department of Transportation
The Ohio Department of Transportation is the organization of state government responsible for developing and maintaining all state and federal roadways in the state of Ohio with exception of the Ohio Turnpike. In addition to highways, the department also helps develop public transportation and...
and West Virginia
West Virginia Department of Transportation
The West Virginia Department of Transportation is the state agency responsible for transportation in West Virginia. The Department of Transportation serves an umbrella organization for seven subsidiary agencies which are directly responsible for different areas of the state's...
Departments of Transportation (ODOT and WVDOT) conduct surveys on their highways to measure traffic volume. This is expressed in terms of average annual daily traffic (AADT), which is a measure of average traffic volume for any day of the year. In 2008, they calculated that as few as 26,350 vehicles traveled along the highway at the western terminus in Ohio, and as many as 38,000 vehicles used I-470 across the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge. As part of the Interstate Highway System, the entire route is listed on the National Highway System
National Highway System (United States)
The National Highway System is a network of strategic highways within the United States, including the Interstate Highway System and other roads serving major airports, ports, rail or truck terminals, railway stations, pipeline terminals and other strategic transport facilities.Individual states...
– a system of roads that are important to the nation's economy, defense and mobility.
History
Plans for a southern bypass of Wheeling were first published in 1955 in a document titled General Location of National System of Interstate Highways Including All Additional Routes at Urban Areas. Ohio had completed the stretch of highway between I-70 to just before the SR 7 interchange by 1976; however, due to budget deficiencies work did not resume in Ohio until 1981. Construction of the bridge linking the two portions of highway was scheduled to be completed by 1981, but construction did not begin until that year.After a 3.3-cent-per-gallon (0.87 cents per liter) fuel tax
Fuel tax
A fuel tax is an excise tax imposed on the sale of fuel. In most countries the fuel tax is imposed on fuels which are intended for transportation...
increase, Ohio was able to begin to fund the project again. Bids for construction work on the remainder of the Ohio portion of the freeway were solicited in 1981, with an estimated construction time frame of 37 months to complete the stretch of Interstate between I-70 and the bridge. The West Virginia portion was under construction by 1976, and was completed by 1983 in both states. The three-level diamond interchange on the eastern banks of the Ohio River was thought to be the most complex interchange in West Virginia at the time of construction.
Between September and December 1996, about 518 m (1,699.5 ft) of roadway in Ohio was closed so the ODOT could stabilize and repave the roadway; the rocks forming the top of an abandoned mine underneath the freeway had become overstressed.
The Wheeling Tunnel was closed for reconstruction work in 2007, 2008 and 2010. Travelers who wished to continue through Wheeling were directed to I-470, or through Wheeling along city streets.
Exit list
{|class=wikitable|-
!State
!County
!Location
!Mile
!Exit
!Junction
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=4|Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
|rowspan=4|Belmont
Belmont County, Ohio
Belmont County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. It is part of the Wheeling, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 70,400. Its county seat is St. Clairsville...
|rowspan=4|Pultney Township
Pultney Township, Belmont County, Ohio
Pultney Township is one of the sixteen townships of Belmont County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 9,700 people in the township, 4,751 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
| style="background:#fdd;" rowspan="2"|0.0
| style="background:#fdd;"|
| style="background:#fdd;"|
| style="background:#fdd;"|Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
|- style="background:#fdd;"
||1
||Banfield Road, Mall Road (CR 28)
||Westbound exit only; Eastbound entrance is to I-70 before I-470 begins
|-
|3.2
|3
|
|
|-
|6.3
|6
|
|
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge
Interstate 470 Bridge
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge is a four-lane arch-suspension bridge in the United States. It carries Interstate 470 over the Ohio River between Bridgeport, Ohio and Wheeling, West Virginia.-History:...
|align=center|Ohio – West Virginia state line
|-
|rowspan=4|West Virginia
West 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...
|rowspan=4|Ohio
Ohio County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 47,427 people, 19,733 households, and 12,155 families residing in the county. The population density was 447 people per square mile . There were 22,166 housing units at an average density of 209 per square mile...
|-
|rowspan=3|Wheeling
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...
|7.2
|1
|
|
|-
|8.8
|2
|
|
|-
| style="background:#fdd;"|10.6
| style="background:#fdd;"|
| style="background:#fdd;"|
| style="background:#fdd;"|Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
External links
- Interstate 470 at AA Roads
- Interstate 470 (in Ohio) at State Ends