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U.S. Route 22 in West Virginia

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U.S. Highway with short length in northern tip of West VirginiaThis article is about the section of U.S. Route 22 in West Virginia. For the entire route, see U.S. Route 22.
U.S. Route 22 markerU.S. Route 22
US 22 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by WVDOH
Length6.01 mi (9.67 km)
ExistedNovember 11, 1926–present
HistoryCompleted March 9, 1972
Major junctions
West end US 22 at the Ohio state line over the Veterans Memorial Bridge
Major intersections
East end US 22 at the Pennsylvania state line in Weirton
Location
CountryUnited States
StateWest Virginia
CountiesBrooke, Hancock
Highway system
← WV 20→ WV 23

U.S. Highway 22 (US 22) is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from Cincinnati, Ohio to Newark, New Jersey. In the state of West Virginia, US 22 travels 6.01 miles (9.67 km) from the Ohio state line to the Pennsylvania state line in the city of Weirton. US 22 is a major highway within the northern panhandle of the state. Despite its short length, it is an important route connecting travelers from Ohio to the vicinity of Greater Pittsburgh via Weirton. For its entire length in the state, US 22 is known as the Robert C. Byrd Expressway, named after Senator Robert Byrd.

Route description

US 22 eastbound past milepost 4 in Weirton

US 22 is a freeway for its entire length in West Virginia known as the 'Robert C. Byrd Expressway. Along the freeway, annual average daily traffic varied from a maximum of 31,192 vehicles near milepost 4 in Weirton. The minimum was 23,025 vehicles near the Pennsylvania state line.

US 22 westbound approaching the interchange with WV 2

US 22 enters Brooke County, West Virginia, from Jefferson County, Ohio, across the Veterans Memorial Bridge over the Ohio River. Upon entering the state, US 22 parallels the Harmon Creek and reaches its first interchange with West Virginia Route 2 (WV 2) for Follansbee and Wheeling. Immediately, WV 2 merges with US 22 and briefly runs concurrently for approximately 3⁄4 mile (1.2 km). Shortly after the concurrency, WV 2 splits from US 22 to head for downtown Weirton while US 22 retains its northeastward track and enters Hancock County before Brooke County in quick succession. Continuing to parallel the Harmon Creek, US 22 passes to the east of Weirton with homes, neighborhoods, and mountainous hills dotting the west side of the road. Turning to an easterly direction at milepost 3, US 22 reaches its next interchange for County Routes 507 (CR 507) and CR 1 (Harmon Creek Road) before skirting the foothills of the Appalachian Plateau to head back northeast. US 22 turns to an east direction before reaching a partial cloverleaf interchange (parclo) with CR 13 (Three Springs Drive) for the city center. The U.S. Highway, in the meantime, avoids the area and reaches its final interchange, a diamond interchange at milepost 5 for WV 105 (Colliers Way) as it touches the Brooke–Hancock county boundary once more. Shortly thereafter, US 22 exits West Virginia into Washington County, Pennsylvania.

History

US 22 was formed in 1926. In West Virginia, it traveled along a route previously designated WV 25, which directly served Weirton.

On June 24, 1963, the Pennsylvania Department of Highways authorized a four-lane highway that would extend from Weirton to Steubenville. This highway had an extended length of roughly four miles (6.4 km), and the total cost for construction was $3,180,025 (equivalent to $24.3 million in 2023). This was designed to help improve congestion and reduce the number of hazards that occurred on the previous routing of US 22. The project featured four 12-foot (3.7 m) lanes of reinforced concrete, which had to be paved, while the median would be 20 feet (6.1 m) in length. Additionally, four bridges would be provided to help carry the route over and under side roads.

On January 11, 1965, approved appraisals for 8 of the 23 properties in US 22's right of way from the Pennsylvania state line to Three Springs Drive were secured. The contracts for the two interchanges, the Three Springs Drive interchange as well as with Colliers Way, would be let in the spring, and the next part of the bypass would allow US 22 to run from Three Springs Drive to Cove Road. The last part of US 22's route would extend the highway along the Ohio River into Steubenville.

On April 11, 1968, the first phase of the US 22 bypass was supposed to be completed on December 11, 1967. However, due to hazardous weather conditions, work resumed on April 11. As of this day, the highway extended from a point 0.6 miles (0.97 km) west of Three Springs Drive to the Pennsylvania state line. The bypass was located at a point roughly a mile (1.6 km) south of the previous routing which also entered Pennsylvania. The bypass in this area was composed of two 12-foot (3.7 m) lanes on both sides with a median strip 25 feet (7.6 m) long. The median strip would be covered with grass and have no breaks for travelers to change directions. On March 10, 1972, the final 1.4 miles (2.3 km) of US 22 were completed and opened to the public, connecting travelers from the Ohio to the Pennsylvania state lines.

Junction list

CountyLocationmikmExitDestinationsNotes
Ohio River0.00.0
US 22 west – Steubenville		Continuation into Ohio
Veterans Memorial Bridge
Brooke​0.60.971
WV 2 south – Follansbee, Wheeling		Western end of WV 2 concurrency
​1.21.92
WV 2 north (Main Street) – Downtown Weirton		Eastern end of WV 2 concurrency
Hancock
 No major junctions
BrookeWeirton3.25.13 CR 507 (Harmon Creek Road) / CR 1 (Cove Road)
4.36.94 CR 13 (Three Springs Drive) – Weirton, West Virginia Northern Community CollegeNo CR 13 signage eastbound
Brooke–Hancock
county line		5.58.95 WV 105 (Colliers Way)
6.09.7—
US 22 east – Pittsburgh		Continuation into Pennsylvania
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. ^ "US 22 in West Virginia" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  2. ^ Bureau of Public Roads & American Association of State Highway Officials (November 11, 1926). United States System of Highways Adopted for Uniform Marking by the American Association of State Highway Officials (Map). 1:7,000,000. Washington, DC: United States Geological Survey. OCLC 32889555. Retrieved October 23, 2022 – via Wikimedia Commons.
  3. ^ "Moore Stands by Bridge Plan". The Weirton Daily Times. March 10, 1972. p. 1. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Text of Moore's Address". The Weirton Daily Times. March 10, 1972. p. 1. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Renaming U.S. Route 22 Bypass in Weirton, West Virginia, the 'Robert C. Byrd Expressway.'". West Virginia Legislature. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  6. ^ AADT (Map). West Virginia Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  7. "Veterans Memorial (Weirton-Steubenville)". West Virginia Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  8. West Virginia Department of Transportation (January 2024). Brooke County (PDF) (Map). West Virginia Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  9. West Virginia Department of Transportation (January 2024). Hancock County (PDF) (Map). West Virginia Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  10. Clason Map Company (1927). Best Roads of West Virginia (Map). 1:1,267,200. Clason Map Company. Retrieved January 4, 2025 – via University of Alabama Map Library.
  11. Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved November 30, 2023. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
  12. "Modernization of Route 22 Is Authorized". The Weirton Daily Times. June 10, 1963. p. 2. Retrieved January 16, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Eight Properties For 22 By-Pass Approved". The Weirton Daily Times. January 11, 1965. p. 2. Retrieved January 16, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Work Resumes On Phase 1 of Rt. 22 Bypass On Heights". The Weirton Daily Times. April 11, 1968. p. 1. Retrieved January 16, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. "U.S. Route 22" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved February 19, 2020.


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