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State Route 72 (Virginia)
Encyclopedia
State Route 72 is a primary state highway
in the southwest part of the U.S. state
of Virginia
. It runs from State Route 71
near Gate City north to State Route 65
at Fort Blackmore, northeast with SR 65 to Dungannon, and north via Coeburn to State Route 83
near Clintwood.
SR 72 begins at State Route 71
at Slabtown
, east of Gate City
. It heads north across the Moccasin Ridge via some small creek valleys and crosses Copper Creek
at Williams Mill. SR 72 continues north across Copper Ridge and into the Clinch River
valley, where it meets State Route 65
. SR 65 and SR 72 overlap, paralleling the Clinch River to Dungannon
. After the two routes split, SR 72 continues to follow the river to the northeast, but then splits in order to cross Stone Mountain.
Wise County
The land flattens out near the county line, and SR 72 continues northwest and north across the Guest River
and past Maytown to State Route 158 in Coeburn. SR 72 turns west with SR 158, formerly U.S. Route 58 Alternate until the bypass was built, and then splits to the north. It runs alongside small creeks, passing Bondtown and Cranes Nest on its way to Fuller Gap, where it crosses Guest Mountain and the Tennessee Valley Divide
. It then descends through small creek valleys and alongside the Cranes Nest River to the county line.
Dickenson County
SR 72 continues along the Cranes Nest River, but splits to cross a small ridge at Hibbitts Gap. Then it continues northerly alongside small creeks, past Darwin to its end at State Route 83
at Georges Fork, west of Clintwood.
). SR 122 was renumbered State Route 72 in the 1933 renumbering. In 1949, the section south of Dungannon was transferred to the secondary system as State Route 774, due to its "local character and very low traffic volume" of 187 per day. (SR 774 now carries about 360 vehicles per day.) SR 72 was extended in 1986, running southwest on State Route 65
to Fort Blackmore and then south to State Route 71
near Gate City, taking over parts of State Route 619, SR 676, SR 661, SR 710, and SR 660.
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 the southwest part of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
. It runs from 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...
near Gate City north to State Route 65
State Route 65 (Virginia)
Virginia State Route 65 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 23, US 58, and US 421 in Clinchport north to US 58 Alternate in Castlewood.-Route description:...
at Fort Blackmore, northeast with SR 65 to Dungannon, and north via Coeburn to State Route 83
State Route 83 (Virginia)
Virginia State Route 83 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 23 Business in Pound east to the West Virginia state line in Paynesville, where the highway continues as West Virginia Route 83...
near Clintwood.
Description
Scott CountySR 72 begins at 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...
at Slabtown
Slabtown, Virginia
Slabtown is an unincorporated community in Lancaster County in the U. S. state of Virginia....
, east of Gate City
Gate City, Virginia
Gate City is a town in Scott County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,034 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Scott County....
. It heads north across the Moccasin Ridge via some small creek valleys and crosses Copper Creek
Copper Creek
Copper Creek can refer to several streams:*Copper Creek *Copper Creek *Copper Creek *Copper Creek...
at Williams Mill. SR 72 continues north across Copper Ridge and into the Clinch River
Clinch River
The Clinch River rises in Southwest Virginia near Tazewell, Virginia and flows southwest through the Great Appalachian Valley, gathering various tributaries including the Powell River before joining the Tennessee River in East Tennessee.-Course:...
valley, where it meets State Route 65
State Route 65 (Virginia)
Virginia State Route 65 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 23, US 58, and US 421 in Clinchport north to US 58 Alternate in Castlewood.-Route description:...
. SR 65 and SR 72 overlap, paralleling the Clinch River to Dungannon
Dungannon, Virginia
Dungannon is a town in Scott County, Virginia, United States. The population was 332 at the 2010 census. It derives its name from the medium-sized town, Dungannon, situated in County Tyrone in Northern Ireland....
. After the two routes split, SR 72 continues to follow the river to the northeast, but then splits in order to cross Stone Mountain.
Wise County
The land flattens out near the county line, and SR 72 continues northwest and north across the Guest River
Guest River
The Guest River is a short tributary of the Clinch River in southwestern Virginia in the United States. It is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River by way of the Clinch, Tennessee and Ohio Rivers...
and past Maytown to State Route 158 in Coeburn. SR 72 turns west with SR 158, formerly U.S. Route 58 Alternate until the bypass was built, and then splits to the north. It runs alongside small creeks, passing Bondtown and Cranes Nest on its way to Fuller Gap, where it crosses Guest Mountain and the Tennessee Valley Divide
Tennessee Valley Divide
The Tennessee Valley Divide is the eastern and southern boundary of the drainage basin of the Tennessee River and its tributaries.The Tennessee Valley Divide begins near the northeasternmost source of the Tennessee River, in the vicinity of Bluefield, West Virginia. From there, the divide...
. It then descends through small creek valleys and alongside the Cranes Nest River to the county line.
Dickenson County
SR 72 continues along the Cranes Nest River, but splits to cross a small ridge at Hibbitts Gap. Then it continues northerly alongside small creeks, past Darwin to its end at State Route 83
State Route 83 (Virginia)
Virginia State Route 83 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 23 Business in Pound east to the West Virginia state line in Paynesville, where the highway continues as West Virginia Route 83...
at Georges Fork, west of Clintwood.
History
The road from Coeburn north to Clintwood was part of the original state highway system designated in 1918, as a spur of State Route 11 (now U.S. Route 58 Alternate there). In the 1923 renumbering it became part of State Route 114, which continued east from Clintwood to Haysi. The piece south of Clintwood was renumbered State Route 122 in the 1928 renumbering, and that same year it was extended south from Clintwood to Dungannon and southeast to end at State Route 107 (now State Route 71State 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...
). SR 122 was renumbered State Route 72 in the 1933 renumbering. In 1949, the section south of Dungannon was transferred to the secondary system as State Route 774, due to its "local character and very low traffic volume" of 187 per day. (SR 774 now carries about 360 vehicles per day.) SR 72 was extended in 1986, running southwest on State Route 65
State Route 65 (Virginia)
Virginia State Route 65 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 23, US 58, and US 421 in Clinchport north to US 58 Alternate in Castlewood.-Route description:...
to Fort Blackmore and then south to 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...
near Gate City, taking over parts of State Route 619, SR 676, SR 661, SR 710, and SR 660.