| West Virginia Route 9 | ||||
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| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by WVDOH | ||||
| Length: | 74.0 mi[1] (119.1 km) | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end: | MD 51 near Paw Paw | |||
| WV 29 near Pin Oak US 522 in Berkeley Springs I-81 near Martinsburg US 11 near Martinsburg WV 45 in Martinsburg WV 480 in Kearneysville US 340 at Charles Town |
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| East end: | VA 9 near Keyes Gap | |||
| Location | ||||
| Counties: | Morgan, Hampshire, Morgan, Berkeley, Jefferson | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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West Virginia Routes
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West Virginia Route 9 is a major east–west state highway located in the eastern extents of West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. The western terminus of the route is at the Maryland state line north of Paw Paw, where WV 9 becomes Maryland Route 51 upon crossing the Potomac River. The eastern terminus is at the Virginia state line at Keyes Gap near Mannings, West Virginia, where WV 9 continues onward as State Route 9.
With no east–west US Highway in the region, WV 9 acts as the major east–west transportation artery between Morgan, Berkeley, and Jefferson counties. WV 9 briefly enters Hampshire County where it intersects with West Virginia Route 29 near Pin Oak.
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West Virginia Route 9 is currently undergoing a major upgrade. There are three distinct sections for which upgrades are planned - the Virginia line to Charles Town, Charles Town to Martinsburg, and Martinsburg to Berkeley Springs. Only the middle stretch has seen significant construction
U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd began securing funding for the projects in the early 1990s. Shortly thereafter, a short portion of the road along the southern edge of Martinsburg was upgraded to four lanes, from Queen Street to Kelly Island Road. In the mid-2000s, a short stretch was also four-laned from I-81 west to Harlan Springs Road
The next significant improvement did not take place until September 2007, when a four-mile (6 km) stretch of the upgraded road opened up from Charles Town, through Bardane to Leetown Road in Kearneysville.
In early 2008, the future west-bound lanes of traffic were opened to two-way traffic from Kelly Island Road to, and over, Opequon Creek. This is allowing for the former road surface to be pulled up and the future eastbound lanes to be built. It also allowed for the demolition of the old bridge over the Opequon, which had been the site of several fatal accidents. Work continues on the four-laning from Opequon Creek to Kearneysville, as well.
Construction has also begun on the stretch from the Virginia line to Charles Town. A pair of new bridges span US Route 340 south of Charles Town, and there are closures of Bloomery Road, west of the river, and Hosler Road, east of the river, to facilitate overpass construction.[2] The construction path carries Route 9 away from its current winding route across the Shenandoah River and the Blue Ridge. Instead, it follows a straight path near Cattail Run, connecting to existing Virginia State Route 9 right at Keyes Gap. This plan has met opposition from Virginia residents, who are concerned about increasing traffic along the narrow, winding stretch of Virginia State Route 9 through the town of Hillsboro.
The western leg of Route 9 from Martinsburg to Berkeley Springs has seen even less evidence of progress than the eastern leg.
There has been no discussion of expanding Route from Berkeley Springs to Paw Paw, as it is lightly traveled, across the winding Cacapon River valley.
In April 2009, a short 1.3 mile section of the new Route 9 was opened from the Eastern Regional Jail to the Opequon Creek bridge. Construction is still going on from that point to Charles Town. A 4 mile section of Route 9 from the Eastern Regional Jail to Short Road should be completed by the end of 2009. Construction from Short Road to Route 9's present start point at Leetown Road is under construction now and should be completed in August 2010.
| County | Location | Road | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan | Maryland state line | MD 51 | Western terminus |
| Hampshire | Paw Paw | WV 29 (National Pike) | Northern terminus of WV 29 |
| Morgan | Berkeley Springs | US 522 north (Washington Street) | West end of US 522 concurrency |
| US 522 south (Washington Street) | East end of US 522 concurrency | ||
| Berkeley | Hedgesville | WV 901 (Mary Street) | Western terminus of WV 901 |
| Martinsburg | I-81 | Interchange, exit 16 | |
| US 11 north | West end of US 11 concurrency | ||
| WV 45 east (Moler Avenue) | West end of WV 45 concurrency | ||
| US 11 south (King Street) | East end of US 11 concurrency | ||
| WV 45 west | East end of WV 45 concurrency | ||
| Jefferson | Kearneysvile | WV 480 | Southern terminus of WV 480 |
| Charles Town | US 340 north | Interchange, west end of US 340 concurrency | |
| US 340 south | Interchange, east end of US 340 concurrency | ||
| Virginia state line | SR 9 (Charles Town Pike) | Eastern terminus, continues as VA 9 |
In April 2008, a section of the road, which passes by his Gap View Farm home, was named and dedicated in Frank Buckles's honor by then-West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin.[3]