U.S. Route 119 (US 119) is a spur of
US 19
U.S. Route 19 (US 19) is a north–south U.S. Highway in the Eastern United States. Despite encroaching Interstate Highways, the route has remained a long-haul road, connecting the Gulf of Mexico with Lake Erie.
The highway's souther ...
. It is a north–south route (on a northeast-southwest alignment) that was an original
United States highway
The United States Numbered Highway System (often called U.S. Routes or U.S. Highways) is an integrated network of roads and highways numbered within a nationwide grid in the contiguous United States. As the designation and numbering of these hi ...
of 1926. It is Corridor G of the
Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) east of
US 23
}
U.S. Route 23 or U.S. Highway 23 (US 23) is a major north–south U.S. Highway between Jacksonville, Florida, and Mackinaw City, Michigan. It is an original 1926 route which originally reached only as far south as Portsmouth, Ohio, and has sinc ...
and
KY 80
Kentucky Route 80 (KY 80) is a state highway in the southern part of the U.S. state of Kentucky. The route originates on the state's western border at Columbus in Hickman County and stretches across the southern portion of the state, ...
in
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
to
Interstate 64
Interstate 64 (I-64) is an east–west Interstate Highway in the Eastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. Route 40 (US 40), and US 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchang ...
at
Charleston, West Virginia.
Route description
Kentucky
In Kentucky, US 119 is a two- and four-lane highway running from
Pineville at
U.S. Route 25E to the West Virginia state line at
South Williamson. It follows the Cumberland River past
Harlan to near the source of the river's Poor Fork, crosses Pine Mountain south of
Whitesburg, then follows a meandering course along the mountain to
Jenkins, where it joins US 23 and turns north to
Pikeville. Just north of Pikeville it turns east to South Williamson, where it crosses the Tug Fork of the Big Sandy River into Williamson, W.Va.
From Pineville to
US 23 (Country Music Highway) at
Jenkins, it is part of ADHS
Corridor F
The Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) is a series of highway corridors in the Appalachia region of the eastern United States. The routes are designed as local and regional routes for improving economic development in the historical ...
. In its concurrency from Jenkins north to
Pikeville, where it heads east toward West Virginia, it is part of
Corridor B
The Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) is a series of highway corridors in the Appalachia region of the eastern United States. The routes are designed as local and regional routes for improving economic development in the historical ...
. From US 23/
KY 80
Kentucky Route 80 (KY 80) is a state highway in the southern part of the U.S. state of Kentucky. The route originates on the state's western border at Columbus in Hickman County and stretches across the southern portion of the state, ...
at Pikeville eastward towards the state line, it is part of
Corridor G
U.S. Route 119 (US 119) is a spur of US 19. It is a north–south route (on a northeast-southwest alignment) that was an original United States highway of 1926. It is Corridor G of the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) east of U ...
.
West Virginia
U.S. Route 119 enters West Virginia from Kentucky as unsigned ADHS Corridor G, a four-lane limited-access highway stretching from
Williamson to
Charleston. The earliest segment of Corridor G to open was in 1972 and was finished in 1997. Formerly, US 119 was a typical two-lane mountain highway. Old US 119 now comprises all or parts of
US 52
U.S. Route 52 (US 52) is a major United States highway in the central United States that extends from the northern to southeastern region of the United States. Contrary to most other even-numbered U.S. Highways, US 52 primarily follows ...
,
WV 44,
WV 10,
WV 17,
WV 85,
WV 3,
WV 94 and
WV 61.
The US route becomes a mostly two-lane highway north of Charleston, having functionally been replaced by
Interstate 79. Compared to its replacement, US 119 takes a rather winding course. A trip from the
Charleston area to the
Morgantown area (I-79/US 119 Exit #1 to I-68 Exit #1) is via I-79 and via US 119. The travel time is about double taking US 119, over 4 hours instead of about 2 hours.
From Charleston, US 119 heads roughly east along the
Elk River to
Clendenin, where it turns north for to
Spencer. At Spencer, it begins to head east with
US 33
U.S. Route 33 (US 33) is a United States Numbered Highway that runs northwest–southeast for from northern Indiana to Richmond, Virginia, passing through Ohio and West Virginia en route. Although most odd-numbered U.S. routes are north–s ...
for . Along the way, it passes through
Glenville and
Weston
Weston may refer to:
Places Australia
* Weston, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb of Canberra
* Weston, New South Wales
* Weston Creek, a residential district of Canberra
* Weston Park, Canberra, a park
Canada
* Weston, Nova Scotia
* ...
, where it intersects parent route
US 19
U.S. Route 19 (US 19) is a north–south U.S. Highway in the Eastern United States. Despite encroaching Interstate Highways, the route has remained a long-haul road, connecting the Gulf of Mexico with Lake Erie.
The highway's souther ...
and replacement
I-79
Interstate 79 (I-79) is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States, designated from I-77 in Charleston, West Virginia, north to Pennsylvania Route 5 (PA 5) and PA 290 in Erie, Pennsylvania. It is a primary thoroughfare ...
. From I-79 to
WV 20 at
Buckhannon
Buckhannon is the only incorporated city in, and the county seat of, Upshur County, West Virginia, Upshur County, West Virginia, United States, and is located along the Buckhannon River. The population was 5,299 at the 2020 United States Census ...
, US 33/US 119 follow
Corridor H
U.S. Route 48 (US 48), also known as the incomplete Corridor H of the Appalachian Development Highway System, extends from Interstate 79 (I-79) in Weston, West Virginia, eastward across the crest of the Allegheny Mountains to I-81 in Str ...
.
At
Buckhannon
Buckhannon is the only incorporated city in, and the county seat of, Upshur County, West Virginia, Upshur County, West Virginia, United States, and is located along the Buckhannon River. The population was 5,299 at the 2020 United States Census ...
, US 119 again turns north — first with
WV 20 then by itself as it travels to
Philippi. At Philippi it joins with
US 250
U.S. Route 250 (US 250) is a route of the United States Numbered Highway System, and is a spur of U.S. Route 50. It currently runs for from Richmond, Virginia to Sandusky, Ohio. It passes through the states of Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohi ...
for . From there, US 119 heads on its own through
Grafton and towards
Morgantown.
Just south of
Morgantown, US 119 intersects
Interstate 68's Exit #1, immediately east of its end at
I-79
Interstate 79 (I-79) is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States, designated from I-77 in Charleston, West Virginia, north to Pennsylvania Route 5 (PA 5) and PA 290 in Erie, Pennsylvania. It is a primary thoroughfare ...
. US 119 then enters downtown Morgantown, again meeting with
US 19
U.S. Route 19 (US 19) is a north–south U.S. Highway in the Eastern United States. Despite encroaching Interstate Highways, the route has remained a long-haul road, connecting the Gulf of Mexico with Lake Erie.
The highway's souther ...
. It leaves town via the narrow and winding North Willey Street and congested Mileground.
Just after the Mileground, US 119 intersects with the Monongalia County Route 857 connector to
I-68
Interstate 68 (I-68) is a Interstate Highway in the US states of West Virginia and Maryland, connecting I-79 in Morgantown, West Virginia, to I-70 in Hancock, Maryland. I-68 is also Corridor E of the Appalachian Development Highway Syst ...
Exit #7, which effectively allows through traffic to bypass Morgantown. US 119 finally turns north to enter
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
near
Point Marion. The
Hamilton Farm Petroglyphs are along this section. Much of this last stretch of US 119 heading towards
Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Uniontown is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States, southeast of Pittsburgh and part of the Greater Pittsburgh Region. The population was 10,372 at the 2010 census, down from 12,422 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat and ...
is already bypassed by traffic using
I-68
Interstate 68 (I-68) is a Interstate Highway in the US states of West Virginia and Maryland, connecting I-79 in Morgantown, West Virginia, to I-70 in Hancock, Maryland. I-68 is also Corridor E of the Appalachian Development Highway Syst ...
, CR 857, and
PA 857. While this alternate route is longer, it has a better alignment and is faster to travel.
Pennsylvania
US 119 travels through
Connellsville
Connellsville is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States, southeast of Pittsburgh and away via the Youghiogheny River, a tributary of the Monongahela River. It is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 7,637 at th ...
,
Greensburg, and
Punxsutawney, and bypasses
Uniontown and
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
. There are numerous other boroughs and villages along its route in the Keystone State.
The southern entrance of US 119 is at the West Virginia state line one-half mile south of
Point Marion. The northern terminus is at
US 219
U.S. Route 219 (US 219) is a spur of US 19. It runs for from West Seneca, New York, at an interchange with Interstate 90 (I-90) to Rich Creek, Virginia, intersecting at US 460. US 219 is found (from north to south) in New York, Pennsylvania, ...
two miles (3 km) south of
DuBois, Pennsylvania
DuBois ( ) is a city and the most populous community in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, United States. DuBois is located approximately northeast of Pittsburgh. The population was 7,510 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the ...
.
US 119's control cities include
Morgantown, West Virginia, Uniontown, Connellsville,
New Stanton
New Stanton is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,173 at the 2010 census. New Stanton is often used as a control city in western parts of Pennsylvania, as I-70 joins the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) ...
(for northbound traffic only), Greensburg,
Blairsville, Indiana, Punxsutawney, and DuBois.
History
US 23 / US 123
In 1929
U.S. Route 23
}
U.S. Route 23 or U.S. Highway 23 (US 23) is a major north–south U.S. Highway between Jacksonville, Florida, and Mackinaw City, Michigan. It is an original 1926 route which originally reached only as far south as Portsmouth, Ohio, and has sinc ...
, which then ended at Jenkins, KY, was extended to Pineville. The following year this section was renumbered to U.S. Route 123, to allow US 23 to be extended in a different direction (towards Kingsport TN). In 1934 US 119 was extended from Morgantown WV into Kentucky, joining US 123 at Jenkins; US 123 was then renumbered to US 119.
Kentucky
Hwy 119 in Kentucky was originally a series of two-lane roads paralleling
Pine Mountain that connected
Pineville to
Baxter (just north of
Harlan) and then headed northeast through
Cumberland,
Whitesburg, and
Pikeville en route to West Virginia.
Starting in the 1970s, there were a number of projects that widened or replaced sections of the road. In most places, the original route has been largely abandoned, instead cutting through the mountain to provide a much wider and straighter route. Small segments of the original route are still in existence as access roads to communities that predate the expansion. In
Loyall the original route is known as Hwy 413, and this parallels Hwy 119 heading northeast until it reaches the community of
Rosspoint. During this stretch in Baxter, Hwy 119 also briefly combines with
U.S. Route 421
U.S. Route 421 (also U.S. Highway 421, US 421) is a diagonal northwest–southeast United States Numbered Highway in the states of North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana. The highway runs for from Fort Fisher, North Caro ...
, which then splits off and heads north across Pine Mountain. In Rosspoint, the original route of Hwy 119 is designated as Hwy 522. Hwy 522 parallels Hwy 119 all the way to Cumberland, where the final stretch of original highway is called Kingdom Come Dr. before merging with Hwy 119 just south of the Harlan County/Letcher County border.
From this point until the base of Pine Mountain (unofficially called Whitesburg Mountain), the highway is largely unchanged from its original route. On the mountain, Hwy 119 has recently been widened in a number of places in order to make it safer for trucking traffic.
Across the mountain in Whitesburg, Hwy 119 turns northeast. South of
Jenkins, Hwy 119 merges with
U.S. Route 23
}
U.S. Route 23 or U.S. Highway 23 (US 23) is a major north–south U.S. Highway between Jacksonville, Florida, and Mackinaw City, Michigan. It is an original 1926 route which originally reached only as far south as Portsmouth, Ohio, and has sinc ...
until Pikeville, where it splits off and heads northeast to the West Virginia border.
In 2007, a 6-mile stretch of Hwy 119 northeast of Pikeville, was expanded and improved by cutting through the mountain, once again abandoning the original route which is now known as the Zebulon Hwy. and Bent Branch Rd. Past this point, Hwy 119 follows its original route until exiting Kentucky at
South Williamson.
West Virginia
The routing of US 119 south of
Charleston changed drastically with the opening of
Corridor G
U.S. Route 119 (US 119) is a spur of US 19. It is a north–south route (on a northeast-southwest alignment) that was an original United States highway of 1926. It is Corridor G of the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) east of U ...
from 1972 to 1997.
The original routing southeast of the capital was
WV 61 to
Marmet, where it took
WV 94 southwest to
Racine
Jean-Baptiste Racine ( , ) (; 22 December 163921 April 1699) was a French dramatist, one of the three great playwrights of 17th-century France, along with Molière and Corneille as well as an important literary figure in the Western traditi ...
.
[Rand McNally. Atlas. 1970.] From Racine to
Danville, it followed today's
WV 3 and onward to
Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
Place names
* Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
. From Madison south to
Logan, it followed today's
WV 17.
South of Logan to
Mountain View, it followed
WV 44. At Mountain View, it intersected US 52 and traveled concurrently with it to the northwest, to
Williamson, where it entered Kentucky.
Corridor G
Corridor G is a
highway
A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It is used for major roads, but also includes other public roads and public tracks. In some areas of the United States, it is used as an equivalent term to controlled-acces ...
in
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
and
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
. It is part of the
Appalachian Development Highway System, encompassing US 119 for its length. At the southern terminus of Corridor G at
Corridor B
The Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) is a series of highway corridors in the Appalachia region of the eastern United States. The routes are designed as local and regional routes for improving economic development in the historical ...
(
US 23
}
U.S. Route 23 or U.S. Highway 23 (US 23) is a major north–south U.S. Highway between Jacksonville, Florida, and Mackinaw City, Michigan. It is an original 1926 route which originally reached only as far south as Portsmouth, Ohio, and has sinc ...
/
US 460
U.S. Route 460 (US 460) is a spur route of U.S. Route 60. It currently runs for 655 miles (1,054 km) from Norfolk, Virginia, at its parent route U.S. Route 60 at Ocean View to Frankfort, Kentucky, intersecting its parent route once ...
/
KY 80
Kentucky Route 80 (KY 80) is a state highway in the southern part of the U.S. state of Kentucky. The route originates on the state's western border at Columbus in Hickman County and stretches across the southern portion of the state, ...
) near
Pikeville, Kentucky, traffic can continue along Corridor B towards Pikeville and
Jenkins, where one can pick up
Corridor F
The Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) is a series of highway corridors in the Appalachia region of the eastern United States. The routes are designed as local and regional routes for improving economic development in the historical ...
(US 119) or proceed south on Corridor B (US 23) into Virginia. At the northern terminus at
Interstate 64
Interstate 64 (I-64) is an east–west Interstate Highway in the Eastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. Route 40 (US 40), and US 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchang ...
in
Charleston, West Virginia, one can pick up
Interstate 77 and
Interstate 79, along with the
West Virginia Turnpike
West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth.
Etymology
The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some ...
.
The
Hatfield–McCoy Trails are an ATV and mountain biking network of trails throughout southwest
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
. Three trail heads branch off from various secondary routes accessible from Corridor G.
Kentucky
In 1974,
[Bridge stamp listings. Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. 2005.] the first segment of Corridor G was completed from
KY 292 (2nd St.) at
South Williamson south to
KY 199 at
Huddy. This was a four-lane divided highway that contained
mountable medians and jersey barriers, with a mix of state route and driveway access. This is especially evident as US 119 cuts through the center of
Belfry and South Williamson. Several years later, a segment of four-lane US 119 along Buckley Creek opened from
Corridor B
The Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) is a series of highway corridors in the Appalachia region of the eastern United States. The routes are designed as local and regional routes for improving economic development in the historical ...
/
US 23
}
U.S. Route 23 or U.S. Highway 23 (US 23) is a major north–south U.S. Highway between Jacksonville, Florida, and Mackinaw City, Michigan. It is an original 1926 route which originally reached only as far south as Portsmouth, Ohio, and has sinc ...
/
US 460
U.S. Route 460 (US 460) is a spur route of U.S. Route 60. It currently runs for 655 miles (1,054 km) from Norfolk, Virginia, at its parent route U.S. Route 60 at Ocean View to Frankfort, Kentucky, intersecting its parent route once ...
/
KY 80
Kentucky Route 80 (KY 80) is a state highway in the southern part of the U.S. state of Kentucky. The route originates on the state's western border at Columbus in Hickman County and stretches across the southern portion of the state, ...
north of
Pikeville to what is now
KY 1426 northeast of Pikeville.
In 1997,
a section of US 119 was relocated on new alignment from
KY 3154 (Meathouse Fork Rd.) at
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
east to
KY 199 at Huddy. Two years later,
a section of US 119 was relocated on new alignment from east of
Meta to KY 3154 at Canada. This involved extensive highwall construction at Bent Mountain and Canada Knob.
The final segment of Corridor G in Kentucky to be completed was from the
KY 1426 intersection north of
Pikeville east to Scott Fork east of Meta. This segment required the construction of three twin steel-box girder bridges at Johns Creek (
KY 194) near Bevins Branch, Winn Branch (Winn Branch Road), and Raccoon Creek (
KY 1441). This also includes a modified diamond interchange at what will be old US 119 1/2-mile east of KY 1426 at
Zebulon
Zebulun (; also ''Zebulon'', ''Zabulon'', or ''Zaboules'') was, according to the Books of Book of Genesis, Genesis and Book of Numbers, Numbers,Genesis 46:14 the last of the six sons of Jacob and Leah (Jacob's tenth son), and the founder of the ...
.
On June 30, 2006, the "Pinson Family Bridge" was dedicated. It crosses Raccoon Creek and
KY 1441. This twin steel-box girder bridge is more than long and is the only example of its kind in Kentucky.
[Elkins, H.B. "New US 119 in Kentucky." Newsgroup posting]
The girders were chosen because of the curvature within the bridge structure; each girder is completely hollow and it features a . clearance on the interior.
On December 6, 2006, a segment of Corridor G opened from the
KY 1426 intersection north of
Pikeville east to the
Kentucky Route 194, KY 194 (Johns Creek) interchange.
["New sections of US 119 open this Wednesday." Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. December 8, 2006 .] The last segment to open is from KY 194 north to Scott Fork. That segment was opened in March 2008.
West Virginia
The first segments of Corridor G to open was in 1972.
[Release Date Report. West Virginia Department of Transportation. August 2003.] During that year, a
Mingo County
Mingo County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 23,568. Its county seat and largest city is Williamson. Created in 1895, Mingo is West Virginia's newest county, named for the historic Iroq ...
segment from
Myrtle and
Belo (MP 13) to the
Logan County Logan County is the name of ten current counties and one former county in the United States:
* Logan County, Arkansas
* Logan County, Colorado
* Logan County, Idaho (1889–1895)
* Logan County, Illinois
* Logan County, Kansas
* Logan County, ...
line near
Holden opened. Segments of this were opened originally as a "super-two" since
WV 65 was being destroyed; it was critical that the old roadway be removed before the highway was expanded to four-lanes.
In 1973, a lengthy segment opened to traffic from
Godby Heights south of
Chapmanville (MP 13) to MP 4 in
Boone County.
This was followed a year later by a segment near
Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
Place names
* Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
from MP 9.37 to MP 13 in Boone County. In 1975, the segment from MP 4 to MP 9.37 in Boone County was opened to traffic. At this time, the connection to
Interstate 64
Interstate 64 (I-64) is an east–west Interstate Highway in the Eastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. Route 40 (US 40), and US 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchang ...
in
Charleston also opened to traffic from Oakwood Road. This included the flyover ramp from US 119 to the Interstate 64 interchange.
In 1977, a Mingo County segment from
Nolan (MP 7.45) at
US 52
U.S. Route 52 (US 52) is a major United States highway in the central United States that extends from the northern to southeastern region of the United States. Contrary to most other even-numbered U.S. Highways, US 52 primarily follows ...
to Myrtle (MP 13) opened to traffic.
The next segment to open would come in 1982,
when a Boone,
Lincoln
Lincoln most commonly refers to:
* Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the sixteenth president of the United States
* Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England
* Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S.
* Lincol ...
, and Kanawha County segment opened to traffic from
Julian (MP 17) to the
WV 601 interchange in
South Charleston (MP 11). The segment between the WV 601 interchange to Oakwood Road in Charleston would be completed in 1986;
it formerly utilized Oakhurst and Oakwood Roads.
In 1989,
a segment from MP 13 to
Julian (MP 17) in Boone County opened. In 1992, a new Tug Fork crossing at
Williamson was completed. Formerly, Corridor G traffic from Kentucky had to cross into downtown Williamson and pick up US 119 into West Virginia.
The last segment of Corridor G in West Virginia to be completed was from the Tug Fork crossing at Williamson north to
US 52
U.S. Route 52 (US 52) is a major United States highway in the central United States that extends from the northern to southeastern region of the United States. Contrary to most other even-numbered U.S. Highways, US 52 primarily follows ...
near
Nolan. This nine-mile (14 km) segment was completed in 1997.
Major intersections
See also
*
References
External links
Endpoints of U.S. Highway 119
{{US Highways
19-1
19-1
19-1
1
G