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State Route 70 (Virginia)
Encyclopedia
State Route 70 is a primary state highway
in Lee County, Virginia
, running south from U.S. Route 58 in Jonesville to the Tennessee
state line. Its continuation in Tennessee, also numbered State Route 70, continues south to the North Carolina
state line at North Carolina Highway 208
.
state line in the valley formed by Blackwater Creek. It follows that creek past Blackwater
, but soon leaves it to ascend Powell Mountain, which it crosses at Hunter Gap. SR 70 comes down off that mountain and then rises again, crossing Wallen Ridge before descending again and crossing the Powell River
on Sewell Bridge. From there it heads north across a relatively flat area, ending at U.S. Route 58 in the eastern part of Jonesville.
to Tennessee was part of the Trail of the Lonesome Pine, an auto trail
from Detroit to Florida
. In 1924, a group of citizens from far western Virginia appeared before the State Highway Commission, asking them to take it over as a state highway. A member of the Tennessee Legislature stated that be was sure that it would be designated a state highway in Tennessee if Virginia took over their part. The northernmost two miles (3 km) were added later in 1924 as State Route 1010, and a further 8 miles (13 km) were added in 1927. SR 1010 was renumbered to State Route 103 in the 1928 renumbering, and the final 3.5-mile (5.5 km) piece from Blackwater to Tennessee was added that year.
In the 1933 renumbering, SR 103 south of Jonesville was combined with the remaining piece of State Route 11, which ran from Jonesville northeast to Lebanon along present U.S. Route 58 Alternate (and its old alignments) and State Route 71
, to form State Route 64. (SR 11 had continued to Bluefield, West Virginia
along U.S. Route 19.) In late 1940, most of SR 64 was renumbered as State Route 70, running from Tennessee to St. Paul, to match Tennessee's State Route 70. North of St. Paul, State Route 64 replaced the former SR 70 (now State Route 63
), while SR 64 remained on its old alignment from St. Paul southeast to Dickensonville, and switched places with State Route 71
to end at Hansonville. Additionally, while SR 64 had gone from Pennington Gap towards Big Stone Gap via Woodway, the new SR 70 replaced State Route 66 via Dryden; the old SR 64 from Woodway towards Big Stone Gap became State Route 65.
U.S. Route 58 Alternate was formed in the early 1950s, and replaced all of SR 70 east of Jonesville, truncating it to its current length. In 1954, SR 70 became a secondary route, State Route 798, over objections. It was added back to the primary system in 1962, after being reconstructed, including the building of a new bridge over the Powell River
.
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in Lee County, Virginia
Lee County, Virginia
According to the census 2009 estimates, there were 25001 people, 11,587 households, and 6,852 families residing in the county. The population density was 54 people per square mile . There were 11,587 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
, running south from U.S. Route 58 in Jonesville to the Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
state line. Its continuation in Tennessee, also numbered State Route 70, continues south to the North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
state line at North Carolina Highway 208
North Carolina Highway 208
North Carolina Highway 208 is a primary state highway in the state of North Carolina. The highway runs north–south going the most direct route between Asheville and Greeneville, Tennessee.-Route description:...
.
Description
SR 70 begins at the TennesseeTennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
state line in the valley formed by Blackwater Creek. It follows that creek past Blackwater
Blackwater, Virginia
Blackwater is an unincorporated community in Mathews County, in the U. S. state of Virginia.-References:...
, but soon leaves it to ascend Powell Mountain, which it crosses at Hunter Gap. SR 70 comes down off that mountain and then rises again, crossing Wallen Ridge before descending again and crossing the Powell River
Powell River (Virginia)
The Powell River in the United States rises in southwest Virginia and flows into East Tennessee.The river rises in rural Wise County, Virginia near the Laurel Grove community northwest of Norton and flows for several miles before the confluence with Roaring Fork in the Kent Junction community...
on Sewell Bridge. From there it heads north across a relatively flat area, ending at U.S. Route 58 in the eastern part of Jonesville.
History
The road from Jonesville south via BlackwaterBlackwater, Virginia
Blackwater is an unincorporated community in Mathews County, in the U. S. state of Virginia.-References:...
to Tennessee was part of the Trail of the Lonesome Pine, an auto trail
Auto trail
The system of auto trails was an informal network of marked routes that existed in the United States and Canada in the early part of the 20th century. Marked with colored bands on telephone poles, the trails were intended to help travellers in the early days of the automobile.Auto trails were...
from Detroit to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. In 1924, a group of citizens from far western Virginia appeared before the State Highway Commission, asking them to take it over as a state highway. A member of the Tennessee Legislature stated that be was sure that it would be designated a state highway in Tennessee if Virginia took over their part. The northernmost two miles (3 km) were added later in 1924 as State Route 1010, and a further 8 miles (13 km) were added in 1927. SR 1010 was renumbered to State Route 103 in the 1928 renumbering, and the final 3.5-mile (5.5 km) piece from Blackwater to Tennessee was added that year.
In the 1933 renumbering, SR 103 south of Jonesville was combined with the remaining piece of State Route 11, which ran from Jonesville northeast to Lebanon along present U.S. Route 58 Alternate (and its old alignments) and State Route 71
State Route 71 (Virginia)
State Route 71 is a primary state highway in the southwest part of the U.S. state of Virginia. It runs from Gate City northeast to Lebanon, mostly through river valleys. Despite running more east–west than north–south, it is signed north–south; it parallels the similarly-oriented...
, to form State Route 64. (SR 11 had continued to 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:...
along U.S. Route 19.) In late 1940, most of SR 64 was renumbered as State Route 70, running from Tennessee to St. Paul, to match Tennessee's State Route 70. North of St. Paul, State Route 64 replaced the former SR 70 (now State Route 63
State Route 63 (Virginia)
Virginia State Route 63 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 58 Alternate in St. Paul north to SR 80 and SR 83 in Haysi.-Route description:...
), while SR 64 remained on its old alignment from St. Paul southeast to Dickensonville, and switched places with State Route 71
State Route 71 (Virginia)
State Route 71 is a primary state highway in the southwest part of the U.S. state of Virginia. It runs from Gate City northeast to Lebanon, mostly through river valleys. Despite running more east–west than north–south, it is signed north–south; it parallels the similarly-oriented...
to end at Hansonville. Additionally, while SR 64 had gone from Pennington Gap towards Big Stone Gap via Woodway, the new SR 70 replaced State Route 66 via Dryden; the old SR 64 from Woodway towards Big Stone Gap became State Route 65.
U.S. Route 58 Alternate was formed in the early 1950s, and replaced all of SR 70 east of Jonesville, truncating it to its current length. In 1954, SR 70 became a secondary route, State Route 798, over objections. It was added back to the primary system in 1962, after being reconstructed, including the building of a new bridge over the Powell River
Powell River (Virginia)
The Powell River in the United States rises in southwest Virginia and flows into East Tennessee.The river rises in rural Wise County, Virginia near the Laurel Grove community northwest of Norton and flows for several miles before the confluence with Roaring Fork in the Kent Junction community...
.