Editing Interstate 81

{{Short description|Interstate  Highway through Appalachian Mountains}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox road
| country = USA
| route = 81
| type = I
| map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=290|frame-height=290|type=line|from=Interstate 81.map}}
| map_custom = yes
| map_notes = I-81 highlighted in red
| length_mi = 855.02
| length_ref = <ref name=fhwa>{{cite web |date=December 31, 2021 |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=July 14, 2022 |work=FHWA Route Log and Finder List |publisher=[[Federal Highway Administration]]}}</ref>
| direction_a = South
| terminus_a = {{jct|state=TN|I|40}} in [[Dandridge, Tennessee|Dandridge, TN]]
| junction = <!-- Major junctions only; Only 5-8 most major intersections and cities belong here; please read [[WP:USRD/STDS]] for more info -->{{plainlist|1=
*{{jct|state=TN|I|26|US|23}} near [[Kingsport, Tennessee|Kingsport, TN]]
*{{jct|state=VA|I|77}} from [[Wytheville, Virginia|Wytheville, VA]] to [[Fort Chiswell, Virginia|Fort Chiswell, VA]]
*{{jct|state=VA|I|64}} from [[Lexington, Virginia|Lexington, VA]] to [[Staunton, Virginia|Staunton, VA]]
*{{jct|state=MD|I|70}} at [[Hagerstown, Maryland|Hagerstown, MD]]
*{{Jct|state=PA|US|11}} in [[Carlisle, Pennsylvania|Carlisle, PA]]
*{{jct|state=PA|I|83|US|22|US|322}} in [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania|Harrisburg, PA]]
*{{jct|state=PA|I|78}} in [[Union Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania|Union Township, PA]]
*{{jct|state=PA|I|80}} in [[Drums, Pennsylvania|Drums, PA]]
*{{jct|state=PA|I|84|I|380|US|6}} in [[Dunmore, Pennsylvania|Dunmore, PA]]
*{{jct|state=NY|I-Toll|90|NYST}} near [[Syracuse, New York|Syracuse, NY]] }}
| direction_b = North
| terminus_b = {{jct|state=ON|Hwy|137}} at the [[Canada–United States border|Canadian border]] on [[Wellesley Island|Wellesley Island, NY]]
| states = [[Tennessee]], [[Virginia]], [[West Virginia]], [[Maryland]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[New York (state)|New York]]
| established = 1957
}}

'''Interstate&nbsp;81''' ('''I-81''') is a north–south (physically northeast–southwest) [[Interstate Highway]] in the eastern part of the [[United States]]. Its southern terminus is at [[Interstate 40|I-40]] in [[Dandridge, Tennessee|Dandridge]], [[Tennessee]]; its northern terminus is on [[Wellesley Island]], [[New York (state)|New York]] at the [[Canada–United States border|Canadian border]], where the [[Thousand Islands Bridge]] connects it to [[Ontario Highway 137|Highway&nbsp;137]] and ultimately to [[Ontario Highway 401|Highway&nbsp;401]], the main [[Ontario]] freeway connecting [[Detroit]] via [[Toronto]] to [[Montreal]]. The major metropolitan areas along the route of I-81 include the [[Tri-Cities, Tennessee|Tri-Cities]] of Tennessee; [[Roanoke Region|Roanoke]] in [[Virginia]]; [[Hagerstown metropolitan area|Hagerstown]] in Maryland; [[Harrisburg–Carlisle metropolitan statistical area|Harrisburg]] and the [[Wyoming Valley]] in [[Pennsylvania]]; and [[Binghamton metropolitan area|Binghamton]] and [[Syracuse metropolitan area|Syracuse]] in New York.

I-81 largely traces the paths created down the length of the [[Appalachian Mountains]] through the [[Great Appalachian Valley]] by migrating animals, [[Native Americans in the United States|indigenous peoples]], and early settlers. It also follows a major corridor for troop movements during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.millershousemuseum.org/roads|publisher=Miller's House Museum |title = Roads|language=en|access-date=July 16, 2018}}{{dead link|date=March 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> These trails and roadways gradually evolved into [[U.S. Route 11|US Route&nbsp;11]] (US&nbsp;11); I-81 parallels much of the older US&nbsp;11.<ref>{{cite book |title = Interstate 81: The Great Warriors Trace |first = Dianne |last = Perrier |date = 2010 |publisher = University Press of Florida |isbn = 978-0-8130-3481-2 |location = Gainesville |oclc = 502304332 }}{{page needed|date=January 2018}}</ref> Being mostly rural in nature, I-81 is heavily used as a trucking corridor and is often used as a bypass of busier and more congested Interstates to the east such as [[Interstate 95|I-95]]; for this reason, it is also used heavily by [[illegal drug trade|drug]] and [[human trafficker]]s, as it is less monitored by [[law enforcement]] than I-95. This led to the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] (FBI) forming a taskforce to combat the issue in 2017.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Zuckerman |first1=Jake |title=FBI forms human trafficking task force along I-81 |url=https://www.nvdaily.com/news/crime/fbi-forms-human-trafficking-task-force-along-i-81/article_657d7859-0b88-5cdb-9324-61803070bd57.html |access-date=22 June 2020 |work=North Virginia Daily |date=26 January 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Rossi |first1=Isabella |title=Sex trafficking closer to home than most Virginians would think |url=http://www.collegiatetimes.com/news/sex-trafficking-closer-to-home-than-most-virginians-would-think/article_24cd2b06-2d6a-11e9-8dee-23706d3ea3ae.html |access-date=22 June 2020 |work=Collegiate Times |date=12 February 2019}}</ref>

The I-81 Corridor Coalition, a six-state coalition, was organized to handle issues along I-81, such as truck traffic and [[air pollution]]; the commission meets annually.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.i-81coalition.org |title = Corridor Coalition |publisher = I-81coalition.org |access-date = January 29, 2018 }}</ref> I-81 is part of the fastest route between the [[capital city|capital]] of the US ([[Washington, D.C.]]) and the capital of [[Canada]] ([[Ottawa]]).<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.whptv.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=312716f5-fa94-4d47-a1f4-50e610a72191&rss=50 |title = I-81 Safety Conference |publisher = [[WHP-TV]] |location = Harrisburg, PA |access-date = October 4, 2014 }}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>[http://www.witf.org/FM/24934364_New_group_will_focus_on_I-81_Corridor_051212.htm I-81 Corridor group]{{dead link|date= September 2016}}</ref>

== Route description ==
I-81 is part of the [[National Highway System (United States)|National Highway System]], a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by the [[Federal Highway Administration]] (FHWA).<ref>{{FHWA NHS}}</ref>{{lengths table|length_ref=<ref name=fhwa />}}
|-
| [[Interstate 81 in Tennessee|TN]] || {{convert|75.66|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
| [[Interstate 81 in Virginia|VA]] || {{convert|324.92|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
| [[Interstate 81 in West Virginia|WV]] || {{convert|26.00|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
| [[Interstate 81 in Maryland|MD]] || {{convert|12.08|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
| [[Interstate 81 in Pennsylvania|PA]] || {{convert|232.76|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
| [[Interstate 81 in New York|NY]] || {{convert|183.60|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
| '''Total''' || {{convert|855.02|mi|km|disp=table}}
|}

=== Tennessee ===
{{Main|Interstate 81 in Tennessee}}
I-81 begins in Tennessee at [[Interstate 40|I-40]] in [[Dandridge, Tennessee|Dandridge]], a route that connects to [[Knoxville, Tennessee|Knoxville]] to the west and [[Asheville, North Carolina|Asheville]] to the east. I-81 meets [[Interstate 26|I-26]] and [[U.S. Route 23|US&nbsp;23]], which go to [[Kingsport, Tennessee|Kingsport]] and [[Johnson City, Tennessee|Johnson City]]. At milemarker&nbsp;75, I-81 leaves Tennessee and enters Virginia.

=== Virginia ===
{{Main|Interstate 81 in Virginia}}
[[File:2019-07-08 14 24 49 View south along Interstate 81 from the overpass for Carrier Drive in Harrisonburg, Virginia.jpg|right|thumb|I-81 looking southbound near milepost&nbsp;245 in [[Harrisonburg, Virginia]]]]
I-81 in Virginia is largely a rural route with brief concurrencies with [[Interstate 77|I-77]] and [[Interstate 64|I-64]]. The route parallels the Appalachian Mountains for much of its route through Tennessee and Virginia, serving such cities as the [[twin cities]] of Bristol, [[Bristol, Tennessee|Tennessee]] and [[Bristol, Virginia|Virginia]]; [[Wytheville, Virginia|Wytheville]]; [[Roanoke, Virginia|Roanoke]]; [[Christiansburg, Virginia|Christiansburg]]; [[Lexington, Virginia|Lexington]]; [[Staunton, Virginia|Staunton]]; [[Harrisonburg, Virginia|Harrisonburg]]; and [[Winchester, Virginia|Winchester]]. In Harrisonburg, I-81 cuts through [[James Madison University]].<ref name="Fiske Logue 2006">{{cite book |last1 = Fiske |first1 = E.B. |last2 = Logue |first2 = R. |title = The Fiske Guide to Colleges |location = New York |publisher = Times Books |year = 2006 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=sKvSAAAAIAAJ |access-date = February 26, 2018 |via = [[Google Books]] |page = 358 |isbn = 9781402203749 |quote = The university straddles Interstate 81, an outlet to several major East Coast cities. }}</ref> It parallels its older counterpart, [[U.S. Route 11|US&nbsp;11]], for its entire length in Virginia.<ref name="Charles Harbaugh 2015">{{cite book |first1 = Charles IV |last1 = Harbaugh |first2 = Jeff |last2 = Pennington |title = Middletown |location = Charleston, SC |publisher = Arcadia Publishing |series = Images of America |year = 2015 |isbn = 978-1-4671-2242-9 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ooWtBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA10 |access-date = February 26, 2018 |via = Google Books |page = 10 }}</ref>

=== West Virginia ===
{{Main|Interstate 81 in West Virginia}}
[[File:2016-08-24 13 49 39 View north along Interstate 81 just after entering Ridgeway, Berkeley County, West Virginia from Rest, Frederick County, Virginia.jpg|thumb|left|Northbound on I-81 just after entering West Virginia]]
I-81 briefly enters the [[Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia]] for about {{convert|26|mi|km}}, serving the city of [[Martinsburg, West Virginia|Martinsburg]]. The entire routing is in [[Berkeley County, West Virginia|Berkeley County]] and serves the [[Eastern WV Regional Airport]]. The [[West Virginia]] segment was completed in 1966 and there have been no realignments since.

=== Maryland ===
{{Main|Interstate 81 in Maryland}}
[[File:2016-07-29 19 17 29 View north along Interstate 81 just north of Exit 5 (Halfway Boulevard) just southwest of Hagerstown in Washington County, Maryland.jpg|thumb|right|View north along I-81 just north of exit&nbsp;5 at Halfway Boulevard in [[Halfway, Maryland]]]]
In [[Maryland]], the Interstate Highway runs {{convert|12.08|mi|km}} from the [[West Virginia]] state line at the [[Potomac River]] in [[Williamsport, Maryland|Williamsport]] north to the [[Pennsylvania]] state line near [[Maugansville, Maryland|Maugansville]]. I-81 is the primary north–south Interstate Highway in [[Washington County, Maryland|Washington County]], connecting [[Hagerstown, Maryland|Hagerstown]] with [[Chambersburg, Pennsylvania|Chambersburg]] and [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania|Harrisburg]] to the north and [[Martinsburg, West Virginia|Martinsburg]], [[Winchester, Virginia|Winchester]], and [[Roanoke, Virginia|Roanoke]] to the south.<ref name=":2">{{Maryland HLR|year=2013|county1=Washington|pages1=13–19|access-date=February 3, 2018}}</ref> It is the shortest mainline Interstate in Maryland and contains the shortest portion of I-81 of all six states through which the Interstate highway passes. The Interstate was dedicated as Maryland Veterans Memorial Highway in 1987.<ref name=":3" /> I-81 passes through the state of Maryland at one of its narrowest points, the "Hub City" of [[Hagerstown, Maryland|Hagerstown]] where it intersects with a large number of other routes, most notably [[Interstate 70|I-70]]. [[Hagerstown Regional Airport]] is served by this Interstate Highway.<ref name=":2" />

=== Pennsylvania ===
{{Main|Interstate 81 in Pennsylvania}}
[[File:Interstate 78 and 81 junction, northbound.jpg|thumb|left|I-81 northbound at western terminus of [[Interstate 78|I-78]] in [[Lebanon County, Pennsylvania]]]]
I-81 forms a major north–south corridor through the state of Pennsylvania, serving the boroughs of [[Chambersburg, Pennsylvania|Chambersburg]] and [[Carlisle, Pennsylvania|Carlisle]], where it meets the [[Pennsylvania Turnpike]] ([[Interstate 76 (Ohio–New Jersey)|I-76]]) but does not directly interchange with it (motorists must use US&nbsp;11 to connect). Around the state capital of [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania|Harrisburg]], the route forms the northern section of Pennsylvania's [[Capital Beltway (Harrisburg)|Capital Beltway]]. The route then travels northeast toward the [[Wyoming Valley]], where it serves the cities of [[Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania|Wilkes-Barre]] and [[Scranton, Pennsylvania|Scranton]](as well as meeting the PA Turnpike's Northeast Extension), then heads north through the [[Endless Mountains]] region toward the state line.

=== New York ===
{{Main|Interstate 81 in New York}}
[[File:Syracuse Interstates.jpg|thumb|right|I-81 at [[Interstate 690|I-690]] in downtown Syracuse]]
In New York, I-81 crosses the [[New York–Pennsylvania border|Pennsylvania state line]] southeast of [[Binghamton, New York|Binghamton]]. The freeway runs north–south through [[Central New York]], serving the cities of Binghamton, [[Syracuse, New York|Syracuse]], and [[Watertown, New York|Watertown]]. It passes through the [[Thousand Islands]] in its final miles and crosses two bridges, both part of the series of bridges known as the [[Thousand Islands Bridge]]. South of Watertown, I-81 closely parallels [[U.S. Route 11|US&nbsp;11]], the main north–south highway in Central New York prior to the construction of I-81. At Watertown, US&nbsp;11 turns northeastward to head across New York's [[North Country (New York)|North Country]] while I-81 continues on a generally northward track to the Canadian border. From there, the road continues into the province of [[Ontario]] as [[Ontario Highway 137|Highway&nbsp;137]], a short route leading north to the nearby [[Ontario Highway 401|Highway&nbsp;401]].<ref>{{google maps |date = April 16, 2012 |url = https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=I-81+N&daddr=I-81+N&hl=en&ll=43.329174,-75.822144&spn=3.004846,7.13562&sll=44.346701,-75.982111&sspn=0.00577,0.013937&geocode=FX7WgAIdmh58-w%3BFZavpAIdn5Z4-w&t=h&mra=me&mrsp=1,0&sz=17&z=8 |title = Overview Map of I-81 in New York |access-date = February 3, 2018 }}</ref>

== History ==

I-81 roughly parallels the [[Great Indian Warpath]], an old Indian trail that connected New York to the [[Piedmont (United States)|Piedmont]] region of the southeastern United States via Virginia and West Virginia.<ref>{{cite book |last1 = Rice |first1 = Otis K. |last2 = Brown |first2 = Stephen W. |year = 1993 |url = https://archive.org/details/westvirginiahist00rice_0 |url-access = registration |title = West Virginia: A History |location = Lexington |publisher = [[University Press of Kentucky]] |page = [https://archive.org/details/westvirginiahist00rice_0/page/10 10] |isbn = 978-0-8131-1854-3 |access-date = February 2, 2018 }}</ref> A series of roads linking Virginia to Maryland through Martinsburg were present on maps as early as 1873.<ref>{{cite map |last = White |first = M. Wood |map-url = http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~28412~1120347:White-s-topographical,-county-&-dis?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No |title = White's Topographical, County & District Atlas of West Virginia |map = Counties of Morgan, Berkeley, Jefferson |scale = 1:310,000 |publisher = M.W. White. |year = 1873 |page = 22 |access-date = February 2, 2018 |oclc = 62726043 |via = David Rumsey Map Collection }}</ref> New York was originally served by [[New York State Route 2 (1924–1927)|New York State Route&nbsp;2]] (NY&nbsp;2), a road built in 1924;<ref>{{cite news |title = New York's Main Highways Designated by Numbers |work = [[The New York Times]] |date = December 21, 1924 |page = XX9 }}</ref> NY&nbsp;2 was replaced by [[U.S. Route 11|US&nbsp;11]] in 1927. A highway that largely followed the path of US&nbsp;11 was built and became known as the [[Penn-Can Highway]].<ref>{{cite news |url = http://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper4/Binghamton%20NY%20Press%20Grayscale/Binghamton%20NY%20Press%20Grayscale%201957.pdf/Binghamton%20NY%20Press%20Grayscale%201957%20-%200247.pdf |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220130215742/https://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper4/Binghamton%20NY%20Press%20Grayscale/Binghamton%20NY%20Press%20Grayscale%201957.pdf/Binghamton%20NY%20Press%20Grayscale%201957%20-%200247.pdf |url-status = dead |archive-date = January 30, 2022 |title = Penn-Can Road Vital to Broome, Majority at Hearing Says |date = January 9, 1957 |newspaper = [[The Binghamton Press]] |access-date = February 3, 2018 |page = 3 |via = Fulton County Historical Society }}</ref> On August 14, 1957, the highway was redesigned as I-81.<ref>{{cite map |url = http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Interstate_Highway_plan_August_14,_1957.jpg |title = Official Route Numbering for the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways |author = American Association of State Highway Officials |author-link = American Association of State Highway Officials |scale = Scale not given |location = Washington, DC |publisher = American Association of State Highway Officials |date = August 14, 1957 |via = [[Wikimedia Commons]] }}</ref> In New York, the first segments of what would become I-81 were begun in 1954.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title = Interstate 81: The History |publisher = New York State Department of Transportation }}{{full citation needed|date=February 2018}}</ref> In Maryland, the Interstate was begun with the Hagerstown Bypass in the mid-1950s.<ref>{{Maryland SRC report |year = 1958 |page = 82 |access-date = November 15, 2010 }}</ref> After several bouts of expansion, the freeway was completed from US&nbsp;40 (now [[Maryland Route 144]] [MD&nbsp;144]) to the Pennsylvania state line in 1958<ref>{{Maryland road map |year = 1958 |sections = }}{{full citation needed|date=February 2018}}</ref> and marked as I-81 in 1959.<ref>{{Maryland road map |year = 1959 |sections = }}{{full citation needed|date=February 2018}}</ref> Bidding on contracts in West Virginia opened in July 1958.<ref>{{Cite news |title = Bids Opened on Parts of Interstate 81 |date = July 29, 1958 |work = [[Charleston Daily Mail]] }}{{page needed|date=February 2018}}</ref> In Virginia, the first Interstate hearing was held in February 1957. At the end of 1957, construction began on a {{convert|1|mi|km|spell=in|adj=on}} stretch near [[Buchanan, Virginia]]. A {{convert|4|mi|km|spell=in|adj=on}} section of the Interstate opened in 1959. A stretch in [[Harrisonburg, Virginia|Harrisonburg]] was opened as well. By late 1963, {{Convert|85|mi|km}} in Virginia were open.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |url = http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/constSTAN-I81-history.asp |title = I-81 History |publisher = Virginia Department of Transportation |access-date = January 29, 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071113221553/http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/constSTAN-I81-history.asp |archive-date = November 13, 2007 |url-status = dead |df = mdy-all }}</ref>

The first statewide segment to be completed was that of West Virginia, which was finished in 1966. The section opened on October 19, 1966.<ref>{{Cite news |title = Interstate Hwy 81 Opens Soon |date = October 6, 1966 |work = Morgantown Dominion News }}{{page needed|date=February 2018}}</ref> In western Maryland, various parts of I-81 were built in the early 1960s, and the remainder of the highway south to the Potomac River was under construction by 1965<ref>{{NBI |structurenumber = 100000210078011 |datakey = 275455 |access-date = February 3, 2018 }}</ref> and opened in 1966.<ref name=":3">{{cite web |url = https://highways.dot.gov/highway-history/interstate-system/50th-anniversary |title = Previous Interstate Facts of the Day |work = Eisenhower Interstate Highway System Home Page |at = See June 8, 2010 |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20060426084506/http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/interstate/previousfacts.cfm|archive-date =April 26, 2006|url-status =live|access-date = February 3, 2018 }}</ref> Since then, I-81 in Maryland has remained largely unchanged. In Tennessee by 1965, {{Convert|336|mi|km|abbr=values}} of the {{Convert|997|mi|km}} of Interstate Highways were completed. Construction was expected to be finished in 1969,<ref>{{Cite news |title = Where Do We Stand On The Interstate? |date = May 2, 1965 |work = Kingsport Times-News }}{{page needed|date=February 2018}}</ref> but a large portion of the work would not be completed until 1974, and most of the road was open by December 1974.<ref>{{Cite news |title = East Tennessee's Christmas Present |date = December 10, 1974 |work = [[Kingsport Times]] }}{{page needed|date=February 2018}}</ref> The final major segment of the Interstate in the north to be built was a {{convert|17|mi|km|adj=on}} section in New York, opened in October 1968.<ref>{{Cite news |title = Final Links of Interstate 81 to Be Opened with Friday Rites |date = October 14, 1968 |work = [[Syracuse Post Standard]] }}{{page needed|date=February 2018}}</ref> That same year, work in Pennsylvania was completed.<ref>{{Cite news |title = Interstate Highway Construction |date = October 22, 1968 |work = Somerset Daily News }}{{page needed|date=February 2018}}</ref> The road would not be completely built in Tennessee until August 1975.<ref>{{Cite news |title = Interstate 81 Four-Lane Opens |date = August 28, 1975 |work = Kingsport News }}{{page needed|date=February 2018}}</ref> Construction on parts in Virginia dragged on until it was finished in July 1987.<ref name=":1" /> The segment in New York cost $270&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|270000000|1987}}}} in {{Inflation/year|index=US-GDP}}{{Inflation/fn|index=US-GDP}}) to build.<ref name=":0" />

== Major intersections ==
;Tennessee
* {{jct|country=USA|I|40}} near [[Dandridge, Tennessee|Dandridge]], northeast of [[Knoxville, Tennessee|Knoxville]]
* {{jct|country=USA|I|26|US|23}} between the [[Tri-Cities, Tennessee|Tri-Cities]]
;Virginia
* {{jct|country=USA|I|381}} in [[Bristol, Virginia|Bristol]]
*{{jct|country=USA|US|11}} several times
* {{jct|country=USA|I|77}} in [[Wytheville, Virginia|Wytheville]]; concurrent from Wytheville to [[Fort Chiswell, Virginia|Fort Chiswell]].
* {{jct|country=USA|Future|73|I|581|US|220}} in [[Roanoke, Virginia|Roanoke]]
* {{jct|country=USA|I|64}} in [[Lexington, Virginia|Lexington]]; concurrent through [[Staunton, Virginia|Staunton]].
* {{jct|country=USA|US|33}} in [[Harrisonburg, Virginia|Harrisonburg]]
* {{jct|country=USA|I|66}} in [[Middletown, Virginia|Middletown]]
* {{jct|country=USA|US|17|US|50|US|522}} in [[Winchester, Virginia|Winchester]]
;Maryland
* {{jct|country=USA|I|70}} in [[Hagerstown, Maryland|Hagerstown]]
* {{jct|country=USA|US|40}} in Hagerstown
;Pennsylvania
*{{Jct|state=PA|US|11|I-Toll|76|PATP}} in [[Middlesex Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania|Middlesex Township]] (near [[Carlisle, Pennsylvania|Carlisle]])
* {{jct|state=PA|PA|581}} in [[Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania|Mechanicsburg]]
* {{jct|country=USA|US|22|US|322}} in [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania|Harrisburg]]. I-81/US 322 concurrent throughout Harrisburg.
* {{jct|country=USA|I|83|US|322}} in Harrisburg
* {{jct|country=USA|I|78}} near [[Jonestown, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania|Jonestown]]
* {{jct|country=USA|I|80}} near [[Hazleton, Pennsylvania|Hazleton]]
* {{jct|country=USA|I|476}} in [[Dupont, Pennsylvania|Dupont]] (near [[Pittston, Pennsylvania|Pittston]])
* {{jct|country=USA|I|84|dab1=Pennsylvania–Massachusetts|I|380|dab2=Pennsylvania|US|6}} in [[Dunmore, Pennsylvania|Dunmore]] (near [[Scranton, Pennsylvania|Scranton]])
* {{jct|country=USA|I|476|US|6|US|11}} in [[Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania|Clarks Summit]]
;New York
* {{jct|state=NY|I|86|SR|17|dab1=Pennsylvania–New York}} in [[Binghamton, New York|Binghamton]]
* {{jct|country=USA|I|88|dab1=New York}} in Binghamton
* {{jct|country=USA|I|481}} in [[Syracuse, New York|Syracuse]]
* {{jct|country=USA|I|690}} in downtown Syracuse
* {{jct|country=USA|I|90}} in [[North Syracuse, New York|North Syracuse]]
* {{jct|country=USA|I|781}} in [[Watertown, New York|Watertown]]
* {{jct|province=ON|ON|137|ON|401|to2=yes}}; freeway ends at Canada–US border ([[Thousand Islands Bridge]])
<ref name=randmcnally>{{cite book |author = Rand McNally |year = 2014 |title = The Road Atlas |edition = Walmart |location = Chicago |publisher = Rand McNally |pages = 46, 71, 87–89, 95, 106–107, 112|isbn = 978-0-528-00771-2}}</ref>

== Auxiliary routes ==
I-81 has six related, [[auxiliary Interstate Highway]]s that connect the main freeway to downtowns and other cities. [[Interstate 381|I-381]] runs {{convert|1.5|mi|km}}, connecting [[Bristol, Virginia]], to I-81.<ref>{{Cite web |author = Virginia Department of Transportation |url = http://www.virginiadot.org/travel/exit-numbers-381.asp |title = Virginia Interstate Exits |publisher = Virginia Department of Transportation |access-date = February 3, 2018 }}</ref> [[Interstate 581|I-581]] is a {{Convert|6.35|mi|km|-long|adj=mid}} spur that connects [[Roanoke, Virginia]], to I-81. It is proposed to be overtaken by [[Interstate 73|I-73]].<ref>{{Cite web |author = Virginia Department of Transportation |year = 2013 |url = http://www.virginiadot.org/info/resources/Traffic_2012/AADT_080_Roanoke_2012.pdf |title = 2012 Virginia Department of Transportation Daily Traffic Volume Estimates Including Vehicle Classification Estimates |publisher = Virginia Department of Transportation }}</ref> [[Pennsylvania Route 581]] (PA&nbsp;581) connects [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania]], to I-81. It runs {{convert|7.36|mi|km}}. [[Interstate 481|I-481]] serves as an eastern bypass of [[Syracuse, New York]]. [[New York State Route 481|NY&nbsp;481]] is a northwestern extension of I-481 that ends in [[Oswego, New York|Oswego]].<ref>{{cite map |author = State of New York Department of Transportation |author-link = State of New York Department of Transportation |date = January 1, 1970 |url = http://www.greaternyroads.info/pdfs/state70.pdf |title = Official Description of Touring Routes in New York State |location = Albany |publisher = New York State Department of Transportation |access-date = February 3, 2018 }}{{full citation needed|date= February 2018}}</ref> [[Interstate 781|I-781]] extends for {{convert|4.9|mi|km}}, that connects [[Fort Drum, New York]], to the Interstate.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://watertown.ynn.com/content/top_stories/619597/fort-drum-connector-road-officially-open/ |archive-url = https://archive.today/20130210081736/http://watertown.ynn.com/content/top_stories/619597/fort-drum-connector-road-officially-open/ |url-status = dead |archive-date = February 10, 2013 |title = Fort Drum connector road officially open |publisher = [[YNN Central New York]] |location = Syracuse, NY |date = December 6, 2012 |access-date = February 2, 2018 }}</ref> [[New York State Route 281|NY&nbsp;281]] is a north–south [[state highway]] in [[Central New York]] in the US that extends for {{convert|16.56|mi|km}} across [[Cortland County, New York|Cortland]] and [[Onondaga County, New York|Onondaga]] counties, roughly paralleling I-81 and connecting at both ends.<ref>{{cite web |author = Highway Data Services Bureau |url = https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/hds-respository/NYSDOT_Traffic_Data_Report_2014.pdf |title = 2014 Traffic Volume Report for New York State |location = Albany |publisher = New York State Department of Transportation |access-date = February 2, 2018 }}</ref>

[[Interstate 181|I-181]] was a {{convert|23.85|mi|km|adj=on}} offshoot of I-81, linking to [[Kingsport, Tennessee]]. It was decommissioned in August 2005 when [[Interstate 26|I-26]] took over I-181's entire length.<ref>{{cite news |last = Allen |first = Calvin |date = July 16, 2003 |url = http://www.mountainx.com/article/11472/The-political-history-of-I-26 |title = The Political History of I-26 |work = Mountain Xpress |location = Asheville, NC |access-date = February 2, 2018 }}</ref> I-281 was replaced in January 1970 by [[Interstate 481|I-481]]. I-81E was replaced by the current [[Interstate 380 (Pennsylvania)|I-380]].<ref>{{Cite map |url = https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Interstate_Highway_plan_June_27,_1958.jpg |title = Official Route Numbering for the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways as Adopted by the American Association of State Highway Officials |date = June 27, 1958 |author = American Association of State Highway Officials |scale = Scale not given |location = Washington, DC |publisher = American Association of State Highway Officials |access-date = February 7, 2018 |via = Wikimedia Commons }}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
{{AttachedKML|display=title,inline}}
* {{osmrelation-inline|303868}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150924000235/http://www.empirestateroads.com/week/week65.html Thousand Islands Bridge System], showing the bridges and connections at the northern terminus
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080311002326/http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/econDev/i81va.htm Economic Development History of Interstate 81 in Virginia], a Federal Highway Administration report.

{{interstates}}
{{I-81 aux}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Interstate 81| ]]
[[Category:Interstate Highway System|81]]