Topic: What was the reason I-79 was built through WV?

[TomorrowHERD]

I think it was built to increase speed ticket revenue for the state...

[firstate]

the real answer is..

IT was one of Kennedy's campaign promises

..to connect the capitol city and west virginia university.

He, a catholic, needed promises such as these to win the hearts of a non-catholic state.


And...just as an aside...and true

When campaigning in West Virginia, Kennedy went to visit a public school...and talked to a grade school student on a "trial" free lunch program.  When Kennedy asked the boy, "Why are you not eating"..the little boy replied....because I have to take it home to my family. ...Many biographers have concluded that this incident changed Kennedy

 

[Gaylen]

I think many people are forgetting about I-77, which basically was the initial road in the interstate system in West Virginia.
Also on the US 19 cutoff from I-79 to I-77 in Beckley. It isn't at Flatwoods. It is about 10 miles further south kust past the Sutton exit.

[Pinkerton99]

I am pretty confident I79 was not built as a road to connect charleston to wvu athletics. Talk about a conspiracy theory! College athletics were nowhere near as popular at the time. The country had more important things to worry about, like defeating communism.

Now i64 going through white might have been influenced by the bunker at the Greenbrier.

[2xBison]

When the feds say "We want a road and are willing to pay 90% of it and use WV materials and manpower to build it", you don't tell them you are fine with the way things are just to avoid Morgantown.

79 also provided the only avenue to MD/DC from the West for years and years.

It's like when some were ecstatic with the US not getting  a home Olympics because they hated Obama...Some here would rather stay in the stone ages than have an Interstate highway that happens to lead through the 3rd most populous area of the state. 

Doug you are going to give Buff a run for his money if you aren't careful.

There is also a wonderful route to D.C. via I 64 over to I 81 and up.  Now if you are just talking the west, and not WV, I 70 works pretty well.  not much difference in time.

79 is a waste of I state dollars.

[TomorrowHERD]

Without out Byrd, will they ever finish I-74?

[catfanatic1979]

I just wish there was a way to get more people to travel the road and make some cash off it. I was just thinking about this a few days ago.

Perhaps we can get some of those canadians to settle here.lol

[IM4DHERD]

I-74 is a Federal Hgwy to connect Detroit to the port at Charleston, SC.  Feds pay 90% of Interstate Hgwy costs with or without Byrd.  There are plenty of sections already built here in NC

2X - not supporting WVU in any way, shape or form, just saying that to think the only reason it was built was because of WVU is nuts.  79 was the only viable interstate route to DC for 30 years before 64.  My family used to go to the MD shore and 79 saved us 8 hours on a round trip.

To say that the state should not have an interstate that increases interstate commerce, brings access to rural areas and increases business there, opening up in-state markets that would not have otherwise been opened just because it happens to run past a school that you hate is ludicrous.  To say that the 180 or so miles that was built at a rate of over $3M per mile (1991 dollars) just because of the evil empire of WVU is completely insane.  WV paid 10% of the cost, that cost more than made back just by the money spent in-state to build it, multiplied by the business growth along the corridor since it opened.

If it were built solely for WVU why didn't the legislature stop I-64 at the KY border because it certainly helped Marshall?  Hate 'em or ignore 'em, either way, they are not the Illuminati and do not meet with the aliens who live among us.   Everything does not revolve around WVU for many of us.

[W0lfman]

When the feds say "We want a road and are willing to pay 90% of it and use WV materials and manpower to build it", you don't tell them you are fine with the way things are just to avoid Morgantown.

Weren't the feds willing to pay more than 50% of the cost for a new airport in Putnam County?  I would assume that would mean WV materials and labor.  Didn't happen though did it?  Charleston protects Charleston and Charleston protects morgantown.  That is just the way it is bro whether you want to believe or not.  You can say I79 wasn't built solely for access to morgantown...I know there are other arguments for why I79 went that direction.  But for you to say or think getting access to morgantown and wvu wasnt a part of the reason that route was chosen is ludicrous.

[marcbuff]

Good Post IM4DAHERD. No one ever said the I-79 route was intended ONLY for WVU sports. I said it was a by product of the roads construction. Getting to the WVU Medical Center and other resources are also accessible due to it as well. The interstate system was built for the military to get the resources to a trouble area faster as the primary goal with interstate commerce as the close second goal. Im sure it has aided WV Tourism as well. It is a shame certain posters with tunnel vision see the entire world as a Morgantown conspiracy  ;D

[IM4DHERD]

Morgantown, yes...WVU no.  Morgantown was absolutely part of the reason...Why run a road through mountains and coalfields when you can run the road through Morgantown/Bridgeport/Clarkburg/Fairmont - a grouping that made up probably the 3rd largest population center in the state at the time.  My point is that some here say the sole reason for the road was so that legislators could get to 30,000 seat Mountaineer field 5 times a year.

From an Oral History interview with William Barron, gov in the early 60's --

In the primary race in particular, we promised the people of West Virginia that we would have an interstate road coming down from Morgantown in the north through the central part of the State, perhaps
joining up with our West Virginia turnpike. The matter came up again in the general election – more with the Democrats; it may have been mentioned by the Republican candidate, but not to the degree that I did as the Democratic candidate for Governor. After the election
when we were sitting down with President Kennedy, we talked to him about what we had told the people, and what we had do. Although such a road was not then a part of the Interstate Program, the President took it upon himself to give that mileage to West Virginia.

http://www.wvculture.org/History/1960presidentialcampaign/jfklibrary/barronww.pdf

Barrow promised the road as candidate for governor, then went to already President Kennedy after the fact to get the promise fulfilled.

[2xBison]

Everything does not revolve around WVU for many of us.

yeah, those of you out of state that don't see how things really go up here.

everything doesn't revolve around wvu for me either.  i just know what it is and who their people are.

you are kidding yourself if you think we have I 79 going through the hole today, if not for wvu there and the desire to go see FB games and fill up that new stadium.  timing wasn't that far apart was it?

[IM4DHERD]

I-79 was planned and started being built in 1967...first sections opened in 1968.  New stadium was built in 1980.  Doubt the road was conceived, planned or built to fill a stadium...That is just the kind of thinking I am talking about.

[wvmafia]

Weren't the feds willing to pay more than 50% of the cost for a new airport in Putnam County?  I would assume that would mean WV materials and labor.  Didn't happen though did it?  Charleston protects Charleston and Charleston protects morgantown.  That is just the way it is bro whether you want to believe or not.  You can say I79 wasn't built solely for access to morgantown...I know there are other arguments for why I79 went that direction.  But for you to say or think getting access to morgantown and wvu wasnt a part of the reason that route was chosen is ludicrous.

You, my friend, are one of the "gets it" people.  Charleston cares NOTHING about Huntington or MU.  They protect their own and that includes wvu...I wish the naive would grow up and see it for what it is and stop living in the belief that the political rhetoric out of campaigning politicians has even an ounce of truth tied to it.

[herdplusfan]

At first , I 79 was to run from Clarksburg to Beckley  bypassing  Charleston.  Charleston got it moved.  Then Byrd got Federal funds to inprove US21 and the building the bridge at Fayetteville. 

[Sam-I-am]

No doubt...I remember in High School, many parents were sure happy about the idea that it wouldn't take 6 hours to get their kids there and back, but that is a result of the decision, not the cause. 

No kidding.  My family has been hunting in the Bickle Knob area of Elkins for the opening week of deer/gun season for about 45 years. From Huntington that was darn near an all day trip at one time.  Now it's about a 2.5-3 hour drive.    Now if they'd only finish Corridor H.  :)

[2xBison]

buff, i mean doug

let's move past the beginnings of the conceptual phase.

when was I 79 complete as we know it and when was wvu's stadum done..........maybe you can give us the first time frame of it's conception.

[IM4DHERD]

I've seen the light.  I-79 was built to fill the new Mountaineer field.  The money used for that highway, specifically spent to benefit the 'queers, should have gone to MU to build a baseball stadium, an IPF, and our football stadium 40 years earlier so that we would now have won our rightful 5 BCS titles.  Them sum bitches.  Need to go put on my foil cap so they can't read my mind.  

I'll worry about them the week before we play them, just like every other team we play.  Next up - OSU.  We beat WVU regularly, we take over.  Just win baby, and don't worry about anything else.

[2xBison]

doug, now your just being silly ;)

I'll play your game.

there was never ever any thought to have it run near Beckley.........the fact that many people of influence in charleston like wvu and this made attending games so much easier has nothing to do with the fact i 79 goes through Charleston.  it is a much much needed to route to connect southern WV to the outside world...no other way out, it just happens to go through morgan hole.  

lastly since you wouldn't answer the question......I 79 was completed in 1979, mountaineer field opened in 1980.  total coincidence.

[W0lfman]

the fact that many people of influence in charleston like wvu and this made attending games so much easier has nothing to do with the fact i 79 goes through Charleston.  it is a much needed to route to connect southern WV to the outside world...no other way out, it just happens to go through morgan hole.  

lastly since you wouldn't answer the question......I 79 was completed in 1979, mountaineer field opened in 1980.  total coincidence.

IM4 has been gone so long he has forgotten how the political climate is up there when it comes to polishing up good ole wvu. 

[HerdHead]

....when it comes to polishing up good ole wvu. 

Polish up wvu?  If that is possible, why did my grandfather always tell me "you can't polish a terd"?

[IM4DHERD]

All I am saying is that it only made civic and economic sense to run an interstate highway by Fairmont (7th largest city/town in WV), Clarksburg (9th) and Morgantown (5th) regardless of a stadium being built or WVU being there.  WVU Alum legislature didn't coerce the state of Pennsylvania to plan 180 miles of I-79 through their state to benefit WVU.

At the risk of sounding like _sturt_, it's the logical answer vs. the emotional answer.

[HerdHead]

Good gawd, man, you had me convinced... then you quoted _sturt_! 

[Robitt]

I don't consider myself a knuckle dragger, but I'm 100% against anything that aids wvu in any way.  So, if that makes me a Neanderthal, so be it!

Ugh!

[herdplusfan]

I think the Feds/ state did a good job placing the interstates in WV. The corridor roads have been helpful. I do believe 35 from Charleston to Point Pleasent  upgrade needs to be completed as well as Route 2 in the Northern Panhandle.