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Highway in the United States From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Corridor Q is a highway in the U.S. states of Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia. It is part of the Appalachian Development Highway System and U.S. Route 460. Corridor Q runs from Corridor B (US 23/US 119) near Pikeville, Kentucky, easterly to Interstate 81 in Christiansburg, Virginia.[1]
 | This article needs to be updated. The reason given is: Portions of this article are clearly outdated due to future tense references to 2016, and it is unclear whether other portions are outdated because references to construction that "began in 2009" (or similar) do not tell the reader anything about whether construction was completed, is still in progress, etc.. (July 2023) |
Corridor Q | |
|---|---|
| Major junctions | |
| West end |   US 23 / US 119 (Corr. B) near Pikeville, KY |
 US 19 near Richlands, VA US 52 in Bluefield, WV I-77 near Princeton, WV | |
| East end |  I-81 in Christiansburg, VA |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| Highway system | |
Corridor Q does not meet any ADHS Corridors other than B, but it meets the planned Coalfields Expressway (U.S. Route 121) near Grundy, Virginia, the King Coal Highway (U.S. Route 52) in Bluefield, West Virginia, and Interstate 77 just to the east near Princeton. At its west end, traffic can continue northwesterly along Corridor B, Corridor R, Corridor I, and Interstate 64 to reach Lexington, Kentucky. The part of Corridor Q east of Bluefield is part of the I-73/74 North-South Corridor.
Corridor Q in Kentucky exists between Corridor B/US 23/US 119 at Yeager to the VA 80 near Breaks, Virginia. The corridor is expected to continue southeastward to the Coalfields Expressway approximately five-miles from the Kentucky state line.[2] The new four-lane relocation of US 460 will include interchanges at US 23, Greasy Creek Road, KY 195 and at KY 80.[2] An eight-mile segment of the new US 460 realignment opened from US 23 to Wolfpit Branch Road on December 18, 2014.[3]
In the early 1970s, the former Virginian Railway right-of-way along the north bank of the New River eastward from a point near the VA-WV state line near Glen Lyn to Narrows was acquired by VDOT's predecessor agency from the Norfolk and Western Railway to enable four-laning of the highway through the narrow space between the river and rocky bluffs. (The N&W main line follows the south bank through this area).[5] Along this stretch of highway (From the WV-VA state line until Pearisburg, VA.) the speed limit fluctuates multiple times, with posted limits quickly dropping to as low as 40 miles per hour. Police presence along the highway is especially high in the town of Narrows, VA. (Where the speed limit is 40 miles per hour).
Traveling further east, U.S. 460 climbs the mountain. After leaving Giles County and entering Montgomery County, views of the Blacksburg countryside are visible on the south side of the mountain. As the highway begins the long descent down the mountain, travelers enter Blacksburg's limits. There are several ways to access Downtown Blacksburg from U.S. 460 (Listed in order as if traveling Eastbound).
After passing the South Main Street exit, U.S. 460 travelers are now in the vicinity of Christiansburg.
Presently,[when?] U.S. 460 Business (South Main Street, but becomes North Franklin Street upon entering Christiansburg) runs through downtown Christiansburg and U.S. 460 Bypass runs just outside the town.
Future plans include converting the Smart Road into a 5.7-mile limited-access highway, connecting Blacksburg directly to I-81.[6] The VDOT Projects and Studies website for the Smart Road project states under Phase 1, "Western end has large turnaround for normal-speed turns by test vehicles.[6] Will link with Route 460 Business and Bypass and new Blacksburg interchange for 460 Bypass (under construction) for regular traffic when phase 3 completed".[7] At this point in time,[when?] ramps are partially complete, but inaccessible.
Corridor Q in West Virginia comprises US 19, US 52 and US 460 all within Mercer County.
The section from the Virginia state line east to US 19/WV 112 opened in 1977 at a distance of 5.38 miles (8.66 km).[8] It forms a southern bypass of Bluefield and features a small concurrency with US 52; it is signed as US 460 otherwise. During the same year, the section of US 19 and US 460 that run concurrent between WV 112 and CR 19-33 at Maple Acres opened (MP 5.38 to MP 8.68). The segment between Maple Acres and the US 19 intersection southwest of Princeton opened in 1967 (MP 8.68 to 10.70). The corridor between WV 112 and the northern US 19 intersection is signed both US 19 and US 460 (MP 5.38 to 10.70).
In 1978, a southern bypass of Princeton opened from the northern US 19 intersection southwest of the city to the WV 104 intersection just west of Interstate 77 (MP 10.73 to MP 15.35).[8] The four-lane road at the Interstate 77 junction opened nine-years prior (MP 15.35 to MP 15.84).
The remainder of the highway between the Interstate 77 junction and the Virginia state line at Glen Lyn opened in 1972 and 1973 (MP 15.84 to 27.06).[8]
The only modification to the highway, with the exclusion of various traffic signal additions between Bluefield and Princeton, is an incomplete interchange with the King Coal Highway at the eastern US 52 junction east of Bluefield. The $27 million interchange opened in the early 2000s with the four-lane upgrade of US 52 between US 460 and Interstate 77.[9]
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