Editing Interstate 77

{{Short description|Interstate Highway from South Carolina to Ohio}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox road
| country = USA
| route = 77
| type = I
| map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=290|frame-height=290|type=line|from=Interstate 77.map}}
| map_custom = yes
| map_notes = I-77 highlighted in red
| length_mi = 610.10
| length_ref = <ref name="fhwa">{{Cite web |last=Starks |first=Edward |date=January 27, 2022 |title=Table 1: Main Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways |url=https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/interstate_highway_system/routefinder/table01.cfm |access-date=August 8, 2023 |work=FHWA Route Log and Finder List |publisher=[[Federal Highway Administration]] |archive-date=September 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230920000348/https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/interstate_highway_system/routefinder/table01.cfm |url-status=live }}</ref>
| direction_a = South
| terminus_a = {{Jct|state=SC|I|26}} in [[Cayce, South Carolina|Cayce, SC]]
| junction = 
* {{Jct|state=SC|I|20}} in [[Columbia, South Carolina|Columbia, SC]]
* {{Jct|state=NC|I|85}} in [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte, NC]]
* {{Jct|state=NC|I|40}} in [[Statesville, North Carolina|Statesville, NC]]
* {{Jct|state=NC|I|74}} near [[Mount Airy, North Carolina|Mt. Airy, NC]]
* {{Jct|state=VA|I|81}} between [[Fort Chiswell, Virginia|Fort Chiswell]] and [[Wytheville, Virginia|Wytheville]], VA
* {{Jct|state=WV|I|64}} between [[Beckley, West Virginia|Beckley]] and [[Charleston, West Virginia|Charleston]], WV
* {{Jct|state=WV|I|79}} near [[Charleston, West Virginia|Charleston, WV]]
* {{Jct|state=OH|I|70}} in [[Cambridge, Ohio|Cambridge, OH]]
* {{Jct|state=OH|I|76|SR|8}} in [[Akron, Ohio|Akron, OH]]
* {{Jct|state=OH|I|80|OHTP}} in [[Richfield, Ohio|Richfield, OH]]
| direction_b = North
| terminus_b = {{Jct|state=OH|I|90}} in [[Cleveland|Cleveland, OH]]
| states = [[South Carolina]], [[North Carolina]], [[Virginia]], [[West Virginia]], [[Ohio]]
}}
'''Interstate&nbsp;77''' ('''I-77''') is a north–south [[Interstate Highway]] in the [[Eastern United States]]. It traverses diverse terrain, from the mountainous state of [[West Virginia]] to the rolling farmlands of [[North Carolina]] and [[Ohio]]. It largely supplants the old [[U.S. Route&nbsp;21]] (US&nbsp;21) between [[Cleveland, Ohio]], and [[Columbia, South Carolina]], as an important north–south corridor through the middle [[Appalachian Mountains]]. The southern terminus of I-77 is in [[Cayce, South Carolina]], in [[Lexington County, South Carolina|Lexington County]] at the junction with [[Interstate 26|I-26]].<ref>{{Cite map|title=Cayce, SC|publisher=City of Cayce|url=https://caycesc.gov/files/Cayce%20City%20Limits%20Map.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707202629/https://caycesc.gov/files/Cayce%20City%20Limits%20Map.pdf|archive-date=July 7, 2022|url-status=live|access-date=January 28, 2024}}</ref> The northern terminus is in Cleveland at the junction with [[Interstate 90|I-90]]. Other major cities that I-77 connects to include Columbia, South Carolina; [[Charlotte, North Carolina]]; [[Charleston, West Virginia]]; and [[Akron, Ohio]]. The [[East River Mountain Tunnel]], connecting [[Virginia]] and West Virginia, is one of only two instances in the U.S. where a mountain road tunnel crosses a state line. The other is the [[Cumberland Gap Tunnel]], connecting [[Tennessee]] and [[Kentucky]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=AppalachianMagazine |date=December 18, 2015 |title=Virginia & West Virginia's Shared Tunnel |url=http://appalachianmagazine.com/2015/12/18/virginia-west-virginias-shared-tunnel/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713233054/http://appalachianmagazine.com/2015/12/18/virginia-west-virginias-shared-tunnel/ |archive-date=July 13, 2018 |access-date=July 13, 2018 |magazine=Appalachian Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> I-77 is a [[Snowbird (person)|snowbird]] route to the [[Southern U.S.]] for those traveling from the [[Great Lakes region]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wighton |first1=Doug |date=December 29, 2014 |title=Road trip: the alternate route to Florida |url=https://www.thestar.com/autos/2014/12/29/road_trip_the_alternate_route_to_florida.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180320105606/https://www.thestar.com/autos/2014/12/29/road_trip_the_alternate_route_to_florida.html |archive-date=March 20, 2018 |access-date=March 20, 2018 |website=[[Toronto Star]] |language=en |issn=0319-0781 |oclc=137342540}}</ref>

==Route description==
{{More citations needed section|date=October 2023}}
{{Lengths table|length_ref=<ref name="fhwa" />}}
|-
|[[Interstate 77 in South Carolina|SC]]
|{{Convert|91.05|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[Interstate 77 in North Carolina|NC]]
|{{Convert|105.50|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
||[[Interstate 77 in Virginia|VA]]
|{{Convert|69.40|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[Interstate 77 in West Virginia|WV]]
|{{Convert|187.21|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[Interstate 77 in Ohio|OH]]
|{{Convert|160.13|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|Total
|{{Convert|610.10|mi|km|disp=table}}
|}
===South Carolina===
{{Main|Interstate 77 in South Carolina}}
[[File:Southern terminus of I-77 at I-26 in Columbia, South Carolina.jpg|right|thumb|I-77 southbound ends at I-26]]
I-77 begins as an eight-lane highway at I-26 in the far southwestern part of the [[Columbia metropolitan area, South Carolina|Columbia metropolitan area]]. In the Columbia area, I-77 offers access to [[Fort Jackson (South Carolina)|Fort Jackson]] before meeting [[Interstate 20|I-20]] in the northeastern part of the city. This segment of I-77, combined with I-20 and I-26, form a [[beltway]] around Columbia, though it is not officially designated as such.

After leaving the northern Columbia suburb of [[Blythewood, South Carolina|Blythewood]], I-77 narrows to four lanes until it widens to eight lanes at [[Rock Hill, South Carolina|Rock Hill]] from exit&nbsp;77 to the North Carolina state line at [[Interstate 485|I-485]].

The final section of the entire length of I-77 was completed in Columbia in 1995.

===North Carolina===
{{Main|Interstate 77 in North Carolina}}
[[File:I-77-US21-Woodlawn-BillyGraham-OverheadSign.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Woodlawn Road and Billy Graham Parkway overhead sign in Charlotte, North Carolina]]
I-77 through North Carolina begins at the South Carolina state line at [[Pineville, North Carolina|Pineville]]. It narrows to six lanes on the North Carolina side south of [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]] and then widens to 8 and 10&nbsp;lanes through downtown before entering the North Carolina [[Piedmont (United States)|Piedmont]] region. In Charlotte, it intersects [[Interstate 85|I-85]] as well as intersecting each of the loops of [[Interstate 485|I-485]] and [[Interstate 277 (North Carolina)|I-277]] (twice). North of Charlotte, it skirts [[Lake Norman]] where it narrows again to four lanes before passing through [[Huntersville, North Carolina|Huntersville]], [[Cornelius, North Carolina|Cornelius]], [[Davidson, North Carolina|Davidson]], and [[Mooresville, North Carolina|Mooresville]]. At [[Statesville, North Carolina|Statesville]], {{Convert|40|mi|km}} north of I-85, it intersects [[Interstate 40|I-40]] and [[U.S. Route 70|US&nbsp;70]]. Next, it crosses over [[U.S. Route 421|US&nbsp;421]] in [[Yadkin County, North Carolina|Yadkin County]] and continues on through [[Elkin, North Carolina|Elkin]]. The final intersection in the state is with a discontinuous section of [[Interstate 74|I-74]] near [[Mount Airy, North Carolina|Mount Airy]].

I-77 in Charlotte is also known as the Bill Lee Freeway; this designation stretches from exit&nbsp;6 (South Tryon Street/Woodlawn Road) in Charlotte to exit&nbsp;33 (US&nbsp;21 north), near Mooresville. A {{Convert|6|mi|km|adj=on|spell=in}} portion south of the city is called the General Younts Expressway. When I-77 crosses over I-85 (which runs in an east–west direction through the interchange), the northbound lanes are to the west of the southbound lanes.

North Carolina completed its section of I-77 in 1975.

===Virginia===
{{Main|Interstate 77 in Virginia}}
[[File:I77NCline.jpg|thumb|right|250px|I-77 entering North Carolina from Virginia]]
I-77 through Virginia passes through two tunnels: the [[Big Walker Mountain Tunnel|Big Walker]] and [[East River Mountain Tunnel|East River]] mountain tunnels. For {{Convert|8|mi|km|spell=in}}, I-77 and [[Interstate 81|I-81]] overlap near [[Wytheville, Virginia|Wytheville]]. This is a [[wrong-way concurrency]], where two roads run concurrent with each other but are designated in opposite directions. For its entire length in Virginia, I-77 is either parallel to or [[Concurrency (road)|concurrent]] with [[U.S. Route 52|US&nbsp;52]]. It will have a concurrency with [[Interstate 74|I-74]] throughout the state. 

On March 31, 2013, there was a nearly 100-car pileup on I-77 near [[Fancy Gap, Virginia|Fancy Gap]]; as a result of that crash, electronic variable speed limit signs are now in place along that stretch of I-77. The speed limit can be adjusted according to driving conditions at any given time.

===West Virginia===
{{Main|Interstate 77 in West Virginia}}
[[File:East River Mt Tunnel.JPG|thumb|left|250px|Northbound at the East River Mountain Tunnel, at the border of Virginia and West Virginia]]
I-77 enters [[West Virginia]] through the [[East River Mountain Tunnel]]. At milepost&nbsp;9, I-77 becomes cosigned with the [[West Virginia Turnpike]] for the next {{Convert|88|mi|km}}, a [[toll road]] between [[Princeton, West Virginia|Princeton]] and [[Charleston, West Virginia|Charleston]]. It is concurrent with [[Interstate 64|I-64]] to Charleston at [[Beckley, West Virginia|Beckley]]. The speed limit is {{convert|70|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} for most of the length, with a {{convert|60|mph|km/h|adj=on}} limit for the section between [[Marmet, West Virginia|Marmet]] and the toll plaza near [[Pax, West Virginia|Pax]].

It enters Charleston via the Yeager Bridge before splitting off at a four-level junction with I-64. {{Convert|2|mi|km|spell=In}} north of the city center, it junctions with [[Interstate 79|I-79]], before proceeding north to [[Ripley, West Virginia|Ripley]] and [[Parkersburg, West Virginia|Parkersburg]].

North of Charleston, I-77 is known as the Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway.

===Ohio===
{{Main|Interstate 77 in Ohio}}
[[File:I-90i-71junction.jpg|200px|right|thumb|I-90 near the [[Interstate 71|I-71]] to I-77 interchange in [[Cleveland, Ohio]]]]
Entering from [[West Virginia]] at [[Marietta, Ohio|Marietta]], I-77 passes through rolling Appalachian terrain.

The [[Interchange (road)|interchange]] with I-70 at Cambridge is (or at least at one time was) thought to be the largest interchange in the world, covering over {{convert|300|acre|ha}}.

I-77 continues north through [[Canton, Ohio|Canton]] and then Akron, where it connects with I-76. The interchange with I-80, the Ohio Turnpike, between Akron and Cleveland was completed in December 2001;<ref>{{cite news |last=Exner |first=Rich |date=December 2, 2001 |title=Turnpike ramps to I-77 open tomorrow |url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_action=doc&p_topdoc=1&p_docnum=1&p_sort=YMD_date:D&p_product=NewsBank&p_text_direct-0=document_id=(%200F2DBD5A1CF6B647%20)&p_docid=0F2DBD5A1CF6B647&p_theme=aggregated5&p_queryname=0F2DBD5A1CF6B647&f_openurl=yes&p_nbid=R5DH53BMMTIxMzY2NjI4OC43MzgyMTY6MToxMjoxOTguMzAuMjI4LjA&&p_multi=CPDB |access-date=June 16, 2008 |work=[[The Plain Dealer]] |language=en-US |issn=2641-4058}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=December 3, 2001 |title=Ohio Turnpike, I-77 Interchange Opens To Traffic |url=http://www.newsnet5.com/news/1100039/detail.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015015456/http://www.newsnet5.com/news/1100039/detail.html |archive-date=October 15, 2008 |access-date=June 16, 2008 |work=[[WEWS-TV]] |language=en-US}}</ref> previously, traffic had to exit at [[Ohio State Route 21|State Route&nbsp;21]] (SR&nbsp;21) to access the turnpike. I-77 ends at I-90 in Cleveland.

I-77 is also known as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway in Ohio<ref>{{Cite web |title=5533.37 Vietnam Veterans' of America highway |url=http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/5533.37 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001055547/http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/5533.37 |archive-date=October 1, 2011 |website=LAWriter - Ohio Laws and Rules |publisher=[[Ohio Revised Code]]}}</ref> and the Willow Freeway in [[Greater Cleveland]].<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Willow Freeway |encyclopedia=[[The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History]] |publisher=[[Case Western Reserve University]] |url=http://ech.case.edu/ech-cgi/article.pl?id=WF1 |url-status=live |date=June 20, 1997 |language=en-US |isbn=0-253-31303-1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612182225/http://ech.case.edu/ech-cgi/article.pl?id=WF1 |archive-date=June 12, 2010}}</ref>

==History==
{{Empty section|date=August 2023}}

==Junction list==
;South Carolina
: {{jct|country=USA|I|26}} in [[Cayce, South Carolina|Cayce]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|21|US|176|US|321}} in Cayce
: {{jct|country=USA|US|76|US|378}} in [[Columbia, South Carolina|Columbia]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|20}} on the [[Woodfield, South Carolina|Woodfield]]–[[Dentsville, South Carolina|Dentsville]] CDP line
: {{jct|country=USA|US|1}} in Dentsville
: {{jct|country=USA|US|21}} south of [[Blythewood, South Carolina|Blythewood]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|21}} on the [[Lesslie, South Carolina|Lesslie]]–[[Rock Hill, South Carolina|Rock Hill]] line
: {{jct|country=USA|US|21}} in Rock Hill
: {{jct|country=USA|US|21}} north of [[Fort Mill, South Carolina|Fort Mill]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Charlotte, North Carolina]].
;North Carolina
: {{jct|country=USA|I|485}} in Charlotte
: {{jct|country=USA|I|277|dab1=North Carolina|US|74}} in Charlotte
: {{jct|country=USA|US|29}} in Charlotte
: {{jct|country=USA|I|277|dab1=North Carolina}} in Charlotte
: {{jct|country=USA|I|85}} in Charlotte
: {{jct|country=USA|I|485}} in [[Huntersville, North Carolina|Huntersville]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|21}} in [[Cornelius, North Carolina|Cornelius]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Mooresville, North Carolina|Mooresville]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|21}} southeast of [[Troutman, North Carolina|Troutman]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|70}} in [[Statesville, North Carolina|Statesville]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|40}} in Statesville
: {{jct|country=USA|US|21}} north of Statesville
: {{jct|country=USA|US|421}} west-northwest of [[Hamptonville, North Carolina|Hamptonville]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|21}} south-southeast of [[Jonesville, North Carolina|Jonesville]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Elkin, North Carolina|Elkin]].
: {{jct|country=USA|I|74}} west-southwest of [[Pine Ridge, Surry County, North Carolina|Pine Ridge]]. The highways travel concurrently to the [[Virginia]] state line north-northwest of Pine Ridge.
;Virginia
: {{jct|country=USA|US|58|US|221}} in [[Woodlawn, Carroll County, Virginia|Woodlawn]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|81|US|11}} in [[Fort Chiswell, Virginia|Fort Chiswell]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Wytheville, Virginia|Wytheville]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|52}} in Fort Chiswell. The highways travel concurrently to Wytheville.
: {{jct|country=USA|US|52}} west of [[Bland, Virginia|Bland]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|52}} in [[Rocky Gap, Virginia|Rocky Gap]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|52}} north-northwest of Rocky Gap. The highways travel concurrently to [[Bluefield, West Virginia]].
;West Virginia
: {{jct|country=USA|US|460}} east-southeast of [[Princeton, West Virginia|Princeton]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|19}} south-southeast of [[Camp Creek, West Virginia|Camp Creek]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|64}} southeast of [[Crab Orchard, West Virginia|Crab Orchard]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Charleston, West Virginia|Charleston]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|60}} southeast of [[Snow Hill, Kanawha County, West Virginia|Snow Hill]]. The highways travel concurrently to Charleston.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|79}} northeast of Charleston
: {{jct|country=USA|US|33}} in [[Ripley, West Virginia|Ripley]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Silverton, West Virginia|Silverton]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|50}} east of [[Parkersburg, West Virginia|Parkersburg]]
;Ohio
: {{jct|country=USA|state=OH|SR|7}} in [[Marietta, Ohio|Marietta]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|70}} south-southeast of [[Cambridge, Ohio|Cambridge]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|40}} east of Cambridge
: {{jct|country=USA|US|22}} northeast of Cambridge
: {{jct|country=USA|US|36}} in [[Newcomerstown, Ohio|Newcomerstown]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|250}} in [[New Philadelphia, Ohio|New Philadelphia]]. The highways travel concurrently to south-southeast of [[Strasburg, Ohio|Strasburg]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|30|US|62}} in [[Canton, Ohio|Canton]]. I-77/US&nbsp;62 travels concurrently through Canton.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|277|dab1=Ohio|US|224}} south of [[Akron, Ohio|Akron]]
: {{jct|state=OH|I|76|SR|8}} in Akron. I-76 and I-77 travel concurrently through Akron.
: {{Jct|state=OH|SR|21}} West of Akron
: {{jct|country=USA|I|271}} in [[Richfield, Ohio|Richfield]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|80}} on the Richfield–[[Brecksville, Ohio|Brecksville]] line
: {{jct|country=USA|I|480|dab1=Ohio}} on the [[Independence, Ohio|Independence]]–[[Brooklyn Heights, Ohio|Brooklyn Heights]] line
: {{jct|country=USA|I|490|dab1=Ohio}} in [[Cleveland]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|422}} in Cleveland
: {{jct|country=USA|I|90}} in Cleveland
<ref name="randmcnally">{{cite book |author=Rand McNally |title=The Road Atlas |publisher=[[Rand McNally]] |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-528-00771-2 |edition=Walmart |location=Chicago |pages=74, 79, 81, 92, 106, 112}}</ref>

==Auxiliary routes==
* [[Interstate 277 (North Carolina)|I-277]] – [[Charlotte, North Carolina]]
* [[Interstate 277 (Ohio)|I-277]] – [[Akron, Ohio]]
{{I-77 aux}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{AttachedKML|display=title,inline}}
{{Commons category|Interstate 77}}
* {{osmrelation-inline|921197}}

{{Interstates}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Interstate 77| ]]
[[Category:Interstate Highway System|77]]