West Virginia Route 2

Infobox road
state=WV
type=WV
route=2
length_mi=230.6
length_ref=Distance calculated using Microsoft MapPoint mapping software.]
length_round=1
established=1920s
direction_a=South
direction_b=North
starting_terminus=
junction=

ending_terminus=
counties=Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel, Tyler, Pleasants, Wood, Jackson, Mason, Cabell
previous_type=WV
previous_route=972
next_type=WV
next_route=3

West Virginia Route 2 is a state highway in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It generally parallels the Ohio River along the west border of the state, from U.S. Route 60 in Huntington (just west of the East End Bridge) northeasterly to U.S. Route 30 in Chester (just south of the Jennings Randolph Memorial Bridge).

WV 2 leaves the shores of the Ohio River in two places: between Point Pleasant and Mount Alto (where West Virginia Route 62 follows the river) and between Ravenswood and Waverly (where West Virginia Route 68 mostly follows the river).

Communities along the route

Communities are listed from the southern terminus to the northern terminus.

*Cabell County, West Virginia
**Huntington

*Mason County, West Virginia
**Gallipolis Ferry
**Point Pleasant

*Jackson County, West Virginia
**Ravenswood

*Wood County, West Virginia
**Parkersburg
**Waverly

*Pleasants County, West Virginia
**Belmont
**St. Marys

ImageStackRight|280

*Tyler County, West Virginia
**Friendly
**Sistersville

*Wetzel County, West Virginia
**Paden City
**New Martinsville
**Steelton

*Marshall County, West Virginia
**Moundsville
**Glen Dale
**McMechen
**Benwood

*Ohio County, West Virginia
**Wheeling
**Clearview

*Brooke County, West Virginia
**Windsor Heights
**Beech Bottom
**Wellsburg
**Follansbee

*Hancock County, West Virginia
**Weirton
**New Cumberland
**Newell
**Chester

History

Chester to Wheeling

WV 2 is a variable two and four-lane highway from its northern terminus at Chester to Wheeling.

On June 23, 2000, work began on a project that widened WV 2 from two to four-lanes from Weirton at US 22 (Robert C. Byrd Expressway) south to CR 8 near Follansbee. The project length was just .9 miles. Work was supposed to be complete by June 31, 2001, however, construction wrapped up on October 31 at a cost of $21,444,875 "WV 2 Project Follansbee-Weirton Road II." West Virginia Department of Transportation. 1 Nov. 2006 [http://www.wvdot.com/6_motorists/district6/6e6a1_dist6_WEir_Foll.htm] ] . The project entailed stabalizing the hillside by reshaping the highwall, widen the roadway with four convert|12|ft|m|sing=on lanes, creating convert|10|ft|m|sing=on outside shoulders, and convert|8|ft|m|sing=on interior shoulders. 3.9 million cubic yards of earth was removed during the excavation process.

One year later, the highway widening project progressed further south for convert|2.5|mi|km ["Panhandle Archaic." West Virginia Department of Culture. 1 Nov. 2006 [http://www.wvculture.org/shpo/es/project.html] .] .

There are currently plans to widen WV 2 from two to four-lanes from US 22 north to Chester at a cost of $463,900,000; this would include a bypass of New Cumberland and would also correct rockfall hazards along the entire length "Sheet1." West Virginia Department of Transportation. 1 Nov. 2006 [http://www.wvdot.com/6-year-plan/Content%20Files/2006%20Updates%202/priority%20average%20composite.xls] ] . Likewise, a project to widen WV 2 from two to four-lanes from Follansbee south to Wheeling is projected to cost $489,500,000. This would connect to an incomplete interchange at Interstate 70 and U.S. Route 250 and include a northern bypass of Wheeling. The projects are ranked 45th and 48th, respectively.

Wheeling to Parkersburg

Within the six-year plan produced by the West Virginia Department of Transportation is a four-lane upgrade for WV 2 between McKeefrey and Parkersburg. Ranked 55th, this project has an estimated price tag of $432,000,000 .

Parkersburg to Huntington

WV 2 was reconstructed from Lesage to Glenwood as an improved two-lane highway with shoulders on a four-lane right-of-way in the mid-1980s. Currently, there long-range plans to widen WV 2 from WV 193 near Barboursville northeast to Point Pleasant to four-lanes at a cost of $237,300,000 . Even further down the road is WV 2 widening from Point Pleasant to Interstate 77 at a cost of $207,300,000. The projects are ranked 86th and 98th,respectively.

Notes

* The state route is the subject of "Driving Up the Ohio River on Route 2 in Late Fall", a poem by Larry Smith. The poem was featured on the October 26, 2006 edition of "The Writer's Almanac" radio program ["THURSDAY, 26 OCTOBER, 2006" The Writer's Almanac from American Public Media. [http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/programs/2006/10/23/index.html#thursday] ] .

References