Interstate 79 - Interstate Travel Information
Purpose - What is Interstate-Guide about? AAroads Site Map On The Road - AARoads Blog. Definitions of terms and acronyms used throughout the Interstate Guide Contact Us Back To Interstate-Guide.com

Interstate 79

Photo taken by Shawn De Cesari

Routing

Interstate 79 is a north-south freeway that links Erie with Pittsburgh, Morgantown, and Charleston along the U.S. 19 corridor. Interstate 79 was originally planned to loop into Pittsburgh along Interstate 279, and Interstate 279 would have provided the bypass route via the current alignment of Interstate 79 in the western suburbs. These alignments lasted until at least 1968. In 1960 the Penn-Lincoln Parkway carried Interstate 70, by 1964 it changed to Interstate 76. Since these times, it was determined that the through-traffic needs of these two Interstates was more important, so they were routed outside of the downtown area.

In 1960 the northernmost segment of Interstate 79 between Interstate 90 and the city of Erie represented Interstate 179. This changed by 1968, if not sooner. The only instance in the current Interstate system where a 2-digit route ends as a 3-digit stem of itself is in Dallas, Texas at the Interstate 45 terminus and transition into unsigned Interstate 345. The Tri-Cities of Tennessee came close to being home to a second instance. Kingsport city officials advocated resigning Interstate 181 north of the August 2003 extended Interstate 26 as Interstate 126. American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) thought otherwise, and Interstate 181 remains in place.

Planned Improvements

A substandard connection between Interstate 79 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike (Interstate 76), known as the Cranberry Connector, required travelers to use Pennsylvania 228 to connect between two facilities. This non-freeway connection and the associated crossing of U.S. 19 nearby generated travel headaches for years. A $44.3 million project saw the replacement of the surface connection with a direct freeway connector. The project entailed the construction of a new collector/distributor roadway of Interstate 79 south from/to Pennsylvania 228. This portion of highway opened by late September of 2003. Next to open to traffic was the eastbound connection from Interstate 76 to U.S. 19 and Interstate 79. This facility spans all three roadways, thus providing uninhibited access. The expected date for eastbound ramp opening was mid to late October and the entire project May of 2004.1 On October 15, 2003, the Cranberry Connector is now fully open. The ramps allow full access between Interstate 76/Pennsylvania Turnpike, Interstate 79, and Pennsylvania 228. "So scratch a non-connected Interstate off the list."2

Parallel/Historic U.S. Routes

Interstate 79 largely follows U.S. 19 from Charleston north to Erie.

Highway Guides

Mileage

State Mileage Cities Junctions
West Virginia 160.52 Charleston, Weston, Clarksburg, Fairmont, Morgantown Interstate 79, Interstate 68
Pennsylvania 182.72* Washington, Pittsburgh, Meadville, Erie Interstate 70, Interstate 70, Interstate 279, Interstate 279, Interstate 76, Interstate 80, Interstate 90
TOTAL 343.24
Source: October 31, 2002 Interstate Route Log and Finders List
* - 3.55 miles on I-70
Site Navigation
Signed Routes
Hidden/Secret Routes
Decommissioned Routes
Future Routes
Business Route Guide
Interstate Shield Gallery
Official Federal Highway Administration Interstate Route Log and Finder List
Three-Digit Interstates (3dis) at Kurumi.com

Interstate 79 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)

State Location AADT Composite Year
Pennsylvania Morrisville 17,000 2002
Pennsylvania Washington 60,000 2002
Pennsylvania Carnegie 75,000 2002
Pennsylvania Franklin Park 74,000 2002
Pennsylvania Erie 38,000 2002
Source: Pennsylvania Traffic Volumes 2002 (Penndot)
Complete Interstate 79 AADT data.

Southern Terminus - Interstate 77 - Charleston, West Virginia
Perspective from Interstate 79 south
Now traveling south on Interstate 79 south, this diagrammatical sign provides the lane allocations for the interchange with Interstate 77. Photo taken by Shawn De Cesari/Dan Moraseski (11/01).
Sign bridge at the split for Interstate 77 north/south as seen from Interstate 79 south. Photo taken by Shawn De Cesari/Dan Moraseski (11/01).
A set of Interstate 64/77 shields is posted at the gore between Interstate 77 north/south. Photo taken by Shawn De Cesari/Dan Moraseski (11/01).
An END Interstate 79 shield assembly is posted at the interchange with Interstate 77. Photo taken by Shawn De Cesari/Dan Moraseski (11/01).
Perspective from Interstate 77 north
After the Interstate 64 interchange, this sign bridge appears on Interstate 77 north for the next two exits: Exit 102, Junction Interstate 79 and Exit 104, Junction U.S. 119. Photo taken by Shawn De Cesari/Dan Moraseski (11/01).
Interstate 79 - 1 Mile, northbound on Interstate 77 at the U.S. 119 interchange (Exit 102). Photo taken by Shawn De Cesari/Dan Moraseski (11/01).
An erroneous Interstate 77/79 duplex shield assembly is found after the Interstate 64 interchange. There should be a TO banner above the Interstate 79 shield. Photo taken by Shawn De Cesari/Dan Moraseski (11/01).
Northbound Interstate 77/79 split and sign bridge. Photo taken by Shawn De Cesari/Dan Moraseski (11/01).
Closer view of the Interstate 77/79 signage in the above photo. Photo taken by Jim Teresco (8/99).
Perspective from Interstate 79 north
First northbound Interstate 79 reassurance shield. The next point of interest for the West Virginia Interstate is that of Clarksburg, 119 miles to the northeast. Photo taken by Dan Moraseski (09/02/02).
Northern Terminus - Pennsylvania 5 - Erie, Pennsylvania
Perspective from Interstate 79 north
The countdown to the northern terminus of Interstate 79 commences at the second to last interchange of the freeway at U.S. 20/Exit 182. U.S. 20 is a divided surface highway known as 26th Street through the city of Erie. 1.50 miles of Interstate 79 remains. Photos taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006) and AARoads (10/09/01).
The counterpart of U.S. 20 in Pennsylvania and western New York is State Route 5. This highway intercepts the north end of Interstate 79 at Exit 183, 0.75 miles to the north of the sign bridge depicted in this photograph. Photo taken by AARoads (10/09/01).
Early season lake effect snow flurries began to fall in this northbound Interstate 79 photograph at Exit 183A/Pennsylvania 5 east. Traffic continuing north will meet the westbound cloverleaf in 0.25 miles as traffic is reduced in speed to 35 MPH. Photo taken by AARoads (10/09/01).
At the Exit 183A gore point, a diagrammatical overhead touts the final two connections of Interstate 79: Exit 183B for Pennsylvania 5/12th Street west and the continuation of the mainline as a surface street to the Erie bayfront. Photos taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006) and AARoads (10/09/01).
Expressway ends 1,000 feet warning signs and signal ahead 1,400 feet warning overhead at the Pennsylvania 5/12th Street overpasses. The Bayfront relates to the Presque Isle Bay, the body of water that separates the Presque Isle Peninsula and State Park from the city of Erie. Photo taken by AARoads (10/09/01).
Interstate 79 northbound transitions into Pennsylvania State Route 4034 at this end milepost underneath the 12th Street overpasses. These white reference signs are placed all along the Pennsylvania U.S. and State highway network. Every state maintained highway in the Commonwealth is assigned a state route number. These white signs indicate the designation applied to them. Thus this is the true northern terminus of the Interstate (SR 79). Photo taken by Barb Bee (6/01).
The Exit 183B gore point for the Pennsylvania 5 westbound cloverleaf ramp and the surface boulevard transition of the Interstate 79 freeway. The highway officially becomes Bayfront Parkway. Photo taken by AARoads (10/09/01).
Perspective from Interstate 79 south
First southbound Interstate 79 shield, located just south of the Bayfront Parkway transition into the freeway. Exits 183, 182, and 180 represent the three city of Erie interchanges that Interstate 79 facilitates. Five miles to the south is the junction with Interstate 90 at Exit 178. Photo taken by AARoads (10/09/01).
The first exit on southbound Interstate 79 is Exit 183, Junction Pennsylvania 5, followed by Exit 182, Junction U.S. 20. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
Southbound Interstate 79 reaches Exit 182, Junction U.S. 20. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
The next exit on southbound Interstate 79 is Exit 180, Junction U.S. 19 to Kearsage. The Interstate 90 interchange is Exit 178 but is not included in the "next exit 7 miles" calculation. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
Perspective from Interstate 90 east
Now traveling east on Interstate 90, we approach the interchange with Interstate 79 (one mile) near Erie, Pennsylvania. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
The first ramp in this cloverleaf interchange connects Interstate 90 east with Interstate 79 south to Pittsburgh. The second ramp will loop onto northbound Interstate 79 to Erie. At one time, Interstate 79 north of Interstate 90 was proposed as Interstate 179, but today is signed as a continuation of Interstate 79 all the way to Pennsylvania 5 in Erie. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
Westbound Interstate 90 reaches Exit 22B, Junction Interstate 79 north to Erie. Interstate 90 continues east toward Interstate 86/Southern Tier Expressway and Buffalo, New York. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
Perspective from Interstate 90 west
Now traveling west on Interstate 90, we approach the interchange with Interstate 79 (one mile) near Erie, Pennsylvania. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
The first ramp in this cloverleaf interchange connects Interstate 90 west with Interstate 79 north to Erie. The second ramp will loop onto southbound Interstate 79 to Pittsburgh. At one time, Interstate 79 north of Interstate 90 was proposed as Interstate 179, but today is signed as a continuation of Interstate 79 all the way to Pennsylvania 5 in Erie. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
Westbound Interstate 90 reaches Exit 22A, Junction Interstate 79 south to Pittsburgh. Interstate 90 continues west toward Cleveland, Ohio, and a merge with Interstate 80/Ohio Turnpike west to Chicago, Illinois. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).

Footnotes:

  1. "PennDOT touts benefits of Cranberry Connector ." The Post-Gazette, September 6, 2003
  2. Kitsko, Jeff. "Remaining ramps of the Cranberry Connector Opening Right Now." Online posting, misc.transport.road, October 15, 2003.

Page Updated October 28, 2007.