Driving Help: KY/WV/NC

[David Pendleton]

My wife and I are driving to Charlotte (from St. Paul) over the Holidays.



We do this trip every year, and I'm looking to get out of the mountains in E. Tennessee.



Our route usually brings us S. on I-75 through Lexington on to Knoxville, where we then pick up I-40.



I-40 is what I want to avoid.



What I'm thinking about is picking up I-64 out of Lexington, then I-77 at MacArthur, WV.



I don't like driving in the mountains. Does anyone have any experience with I-64? Is it any better than I-40? The difference in distance is negligible; I'm going for speed and ease.



Thanks all.



David

 

[RCapehart]

You will be in the mountains going this route. Lexington to Charleston WV on I-64 is not bad. You pick up I-77 South in Charleston for the next 100 miles till Princeton this is also called the WV Turnpike. It is a toll road and is the worst part of the trip.

It is winding and in the mountains. There is about a 30-40 mile strech that the speed limt reduces to 60 MPH becase of the mountains. You will also go through VA and NC while on I-77 going this way. They have some pretty good mountains and a couple tunnels but not as winding.



I use this route when I go to Florida. Again the worst part is the WV Turnpike.



I have been on I-40 from Knoxville to Ashville and it is about like the WV Turnpike.



Hope this helps!



Ron

 

[David Pendleton]

It does help. Thanks.



I'll probably take the same route I always take...

 

[Clinton]

Yeah, stick with the I-75 to I-40 route. I believe it is shorter overall and much less demanding for the driver. The mountain stretch on I-40 is shorter and less severe than the WV Tpk by a long shot. I-75 between Lex and Knox has also been improved big-time in several places.

 

[fest3er]

My tuppence:

Yeah, that stretch of the WV green stamp is twisty and curvy, but I'm usually running 70-75 on it (when traffic allows - left-laners are becoming more prevalent there, too).

If you can stand driving through Windy, the easiest route is probably:
I-94 > I-90 (Skyway) > I-65
> I-465 (through or around Indy)
> I-74 > I-275 (around Cinci) > OH-32
> US-35 > WV-34 > I-64 > I-77

Take I-94 off, and change I-77 to VA-311, and that's the route I nearly always use between here and Elgin, IL - about 710 miles, 10-12 hours.

The only two-lane roads in that route are US-35/WV-34 in WV, and that's only about 30 miles or so. OH-32 is four-lane, and very little traffic one you get east of Batavia (where the ZF plant is). Charleston is easily negotiated; traffic moves through there pretty well, too.

I-275, north side of Cinci, is under construction, but traffic moves along quite well. There are patches of construction on I-65. There's construction on I-77 from I-85 to maybe 10 miles north.

The twisty, curvy stretch of the WV green stamp is only about 20 miles long; it's not that bad, even when raining.

To get to Charlotte, you have no choice but to drive through mountains - you have to cross the Appalachian range.

N

 

[Hammer]

Well I guess I'll add my . 02 worth now. .

There is NO direct way to avoid any of the mountain regions from St. Paul to Charlotte without adding major milage to your trip. The way Neal has described above is time consuming and a PIA. Many 2 lane roads and Buckeye cops are not the most cordial. You will find now alot of the traffic thru the "Gorge" is gone with the opening of I-26 from Below Bristol,VA to Asheville,NC. Lot of the truck traffic is running over the mountains and not into the gorge now..... Andy