Editing Interstate 79 (section)

==Route description==
{{lengths table|length_ref=<ref name="fhwa" />}}
|-
|{{abbr|WV|West Virginia}}
|{{convert|160.52|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|{{abbr|PA|Pennsylvania}}
|{{convert|182.94|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|'''Total'''
|{{convert|343.46|mi|km|disp=table}}
|}
Except at its northern end, I-79 is located on the [[Allegheny Plateau]]. Despite the somewhat rugged terrain, the road is relatively flat. Most of the highway is at an elevation of about {{convert|1000|to|1200|ft|m}} above [[sea level]], with some lower areas near both ends and higher areas near [[Sutton, West Virginia]]. In the hillier areas, this flatness is achieved by curving around hills, along ridges, and in or partway up river valleys.<ref name=topos>[[United States Geological Survey]] [[topographic map]]s and aerial photos, accessed via [[Terraserver-USA]]</ref> From Sutton north, I-79 generally parallels the path of [[U.S. Route&nbsp;19]] (US&nbsp;19).

===West Virginia===
{{expand section|date=April 2022}}
<!--
[[File:2017-07-24 09 41 34 View north along Interstate 79 (Jennings Randolph Highway) just north of Exit 67 (U.S. Route 19, West Virginia State Route 15, Flatwoods) in Flatwoods, Braxton County, West Virginia.jpg|thumb|left|I-79 north of [[U.S. Route 19|US&nbsp;19]] at [[West Virginia Route 15]] in [[Flatwoods, West Virginia]]]]
[[File:Weston WV aerial 2021.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of I-79 and surrounding terrain as it approaches [[Weston, West Virginia]], from the south]]
-->
I-79 begins at a modified [[full Y interchange]] with [[Interstate 77|I-77]] along the northwest bank of the [[Elk River (West Virginia)|Elk River]] just northeast of [[Charleston, West Virginia|Charleston]]. (Instead of the expected treatment of I-77 as the primary route at this interchange, the following traffic movements are found: northbound I-77 through traffic curves to the left, while traffic to northbound I-79 exits right; southbound I-77 through traffic curves to the right and merges on the right with traffic from southbound I-79, while traffic to northbound I-79 both exits and merges on the left; southbound I-79 traffic merges on the left with traffic from southbound I-77, while traffic to northbound I-77 both exits and merges on the left.) For its first {{convert|67|mi|km}} to a point just south of [[Flatwoods, West Virginia|Flatwoods]], I-79 is located in the [[drainage basin|watershed]] of the Elk River, which drains into the [[Kanawha River]]. It crosses the Elk River at [[Frametown, West Virginia|Frametown]] and again at [[Sutton, West Virginia|Sutton]] and never strays more than about {{convert|15|to|20|mi|km}} from it.<ref name=topos/><ref name=watersheds>[[National Atlas of the United States]], [http://nationalatlas.gov/atlasftp.html#hucs00m Hydrologic Units (Watersheds) GIS data]{{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130504145622/http://www.nationalatlas.gov/atlasftp.html|date=May 4, 2013}}</ref>

===Pennsylvania===
[[File:2022-05-14 11 27 49 View north along Interstate 79 just north of Exit 7 in Whiteley Township, Greene County, Pennsylvania.jpg|thumb|left|I-79 northbound past exit&nbsp;7 in [[Whiteley Township, Pennsylvania]]]]
I-79 enters [[Pennsylvania]] from [[Morgantown, West Virginia]]. South of [[Washington, Pennsylvania|Washington]], it traverses mostly rural [[Greene County, Pennsylvania|Greene County]].

Between milemarkers&nbsp;34 and 38, I-79 [[concurrency (road)|overlaps]] [[Interstate 70|I-70]] in the Washington area before heading north toward [[Pittsburgh]].

I-79 is carried over the [[Ohio River]] by the [[Neville Island Bridge]], approximately {{convert|8|mi|km|spell=in}} northwest of Pittsburgh.

The freeway into Pittsburgh requires drivers to use [[Interstate 376|I-376]] while I-79 completely bypasses the city. Beyond the Pittsburgh area, I-79 traverses more rural areas in [[Butler County, Pennsylvania|Butler]], [[Lawrence County, Pennsylvania|Lawrence]], [[Mercer County, Pennsylvania|Mercer]], [[Crawford County, Pennsylvania|Crawford]], and [[Erie County, Pennsylvania|Erie]] counties before arriving at its termination point in [[Erie, Pennsylvania|Erie]]. In Erie, [[Interstate 90|I-90]] connects from I-79 to [[Buffalo, New York]], and the Canadian border.

Around milemarker&nbsp;100 on the northbound side are two [[ghost ramp]]s that were specifically built for the [[Boy Scouts of America]] in order to have access to [[Moraine State Park]] without having to travel on [[U.S. Route&nbsp;422|US&nbsp;422]] for the [[1973 National Scout Jamboree|1973]] and [[1977 National Scout Jamboree|1977]] National Scout Jamborees, which were held at Moraine. The ramps were permanently closed after the 1977 event but remain visible under encroaching vegetation.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.gribblenation.com/papics/ghostramps/ramps.html |title = Ghost Ramps |website = Gribblenation.com |date = June 5, 2005 |access-date = August 8, 2017 }}{{sps|certain=yes|date=March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Google maps|url=https://maps.google.com/maps?q=40.972705,-80.132024&hl=en&sll=41.068419,-80.057381&sspn=0.036691,0.077162&t=h&z=16 |title=Ghost ramps around the 100 mile marker |access-date=August 8, 2017}}</ref>