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56

Pittsburgh to West Virginia, Route?

Driving directions to St Marys, WV

120 mi – about 3 hours 21 mins

Via N State Route 2/WV-2 - remove

Suggested routes


5008 Gem Way

Pittsburgh, PA 15224


1. Head west on Gem Way toward N Millvale Ave

361 ft

2. Turn left at N Millvale Ave

151 ft

3. Turn right at Penn Ave

0.5 mi

4. Turn left at Main St

0.2 mi

5. Continue on Bloomfield Bridge

0.4 mi

6. Turn right at Bigelow Blvd/PA-380

2.4 mi

7. Turn left at 6th Ave

272 ft

8. Turn right to stay on 6th Ave

0.1 mi

9. Continue on Crosstown Blvd

0.1 mi

10. Continue on Liberty Bridge

0.5 mi

11. Continue on W Liberty Ave

3.9 mi

12. Continue on US-19/Washington Rd

Continue to follow Washington Rd


18.5 mi

13. Continue on Murtland Ave/US-19

0.8 mi

14. Turn left at Ridge Ave/US-19

0.4 mi

15. Turn left at N College St/US-19

0.2 mi

16. Turn right at E Chestnut St/US-19

Continue to follow E Chestnut St


1.8 mi

17. Continue on Rte-40/US-40

Continue to follow US-40

Entering West Virginia


24.3 mi

18. Slight left at Bethleham Blvd/WV-88

Continue to follow WV-88


1.9 mi

19. Sharp left at Ridgecrest Rd/WV-88

Continue to follow WV-88


4.2 mi

20. Turn right at Glendale-Sherrard Rd/Grandview Rd/WV-86

Continue to follow WV-86


5.8 mi

21. Turn left at US-250/Wheeling Ave/WV-2

Continue to follow WV-2


37.5 mi

22. Turn left at Elizabeth St/WV-2

272 ft

23. Turn right at Chelsea St/WV-2

Continue to follow WV-2


16.2 mi


St Marys, WV


Is this do-able? I don't drive,and don't know some of the roads.


ncbt
2009-07-03 00:49:34

Are you talking by car? Or by bike?


I've gone to St Marys by car before and I did I79 -> I70 -> WV2. (Google recoomends crossing to Ohio, taking OH 7, then crossing again at St M)


On a bike, I thing your route would work.


Here's a Road route I'd consider.


1) Use Oscar Swan's Potato Run Rt to get west of the city


(West end circle -> Steubens treet. Up and over Baldwin Rd to Campbell run. Right on campbell Run up to 22-30. Left on the shoulder of 22-30 for 1/4 mile or so - it's ridable - to the exit for Old Steubenville Pike. Stuebenville Pike to Robinson Hwy, AKA PA 980, AKA PA Bike Rt A, make a left to follow it south. Swans' Potato Run makes a right here.)


2) Stay on PA Bike Route A until you get to Waynesburg


ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/bikes/state_mapA.pdf


3) From Waynesburg, take PA 18 (haven't ridden it, but it is famously good for bikes) South to the WV border where it becomes WV 69.


4) Somewhere around a town in WV called "Hundred," 69 Joins up with WV 7. Take that to WV 2 and go south to St Marys.


I'd take several good maps of SW PA and northern WV with you. I'm not sure how many trucks you's have to deal with on any of these roads, but I'd be concerned about WV 2 - lots of industrial plants along the river and big trucks.


Or, a Rail-Trail heavy Route.


http://www.wvrtc.org/trails/index.html


Get to Point Marion, PA, Dirt Road south along the railroad track and the Mon to the WV North Mon trail. Follow the Mon trail to Fairmont, then the North Fork *River* Trail (different rail from the North Fork Trail.) to Shinnston.(about 30-35 miles on the trails)


Roads from Shinnston to Wolf Summit/Bristol (probably WV 20, Bean Run Rd, and Old US 50) then take the North Bend Trail about 20 more miles to Ellenboro


Then take WV 16 north-west to St Marys.


There might also be a way to use the Panbhandle trail west, then head south.


Mick


mick
2009-07-03 02:49:23

There was a very thorough thread a bit back about a trip to Morgantown.


alankhg
2009-07-03 02:51:07

Yeah. The Morgantown trip was me. I took the T out to the end (which is an option for St Marys, too) and went to Rt A to get down to WV.


I came back through Point Marion. You could basically reverse follow that trip to get to Point M. Lot of odd twists and turns and I'm nto srue I described them all.


Mick


mick
2009-07-03 03:10:17

The t to washington?


ncbt
2009-07-03 03:57:45

I start in PGH, Catch a T or bus with rack to, (where), the pat site doesn't have a route map.


I have a pick up at the trail end of the North Bend Trail, I heard that WV16 was dangerous.


I usually ride public transit to the end, the if possible a trail. I did this on greydog to Kalamazoo and rode to south haven and south bend indiana.


Hahah on an old Dyno Bmx. I wrapped it in a army surplus half man tent, stuck it under the bus, whole.


ncbt
2009-07-03 04:25:30

ok, overlapping comments....

Any way, take the t to Library PA.


ncbt
2009-07-03 04:32:50

I get lost in the links on that trip to morgantown post.


Where do I go for pa trail info?


ncbt
2009-07-03 04:42:10

Yeah, a lot of those links don't work anymore (shrug).


You pretty much have to get a couple of good maps and sweat it out.


Take either one of my routes or Hooties route to PA 519 (Which is also Rt A) then south of Waynesburg Kirby-Girard'sFort-Mapletown Rd to Rt 88 to Point Marion, if you want to do the WV trails.


Good luck


Mick


mick
2009-07-03 05:35:47

This will take a while to map out, every section has a different link, etc etc ..Thanks, Mick you should be a trail guide...


ncbt
2009-07-03 05:45:50

I read about a trail that forks off the Yough trail,I believe around Dawson or Connellsville.It's suppose to go all the way to Point Marion, but not finished yet.I can't remember the name of the trail because I read about it more than a year ago and haven't heard or read anything since,(so what else is new).Maybe someone knows more about this trail and help you get to your destination.


lenny
2009-07-03 12:06:54

I just found out the name of the trail that forks off the Yough trail.It's called the Sheepskin trail in Dunbar Pa. It's only a few miles long,but once you get off the Sheepskin trail you're only 30 miles away from Point Marion,W.V. Eventually the trail is suppose to be extended another 30 more miles into Point Marion.I know someone from WPW that just did this ride and told me it's the best route to get there from Pittsburgh. Good luck!!


lenny
2009-07-06 13:58:12

Ok, I'm confused.


ncbt
2009-07-07 03:35:33

I would just take Noblestown all the way to WV then figure it out from there with a local map.


scott
2009-07-07 19:56:02

Scott, to resurrect this old thread, can you provide details on Noblestown to WV?


I am going to take 19 the whole way after little Washington, but I am trying to figure out how to get to WA from pittsburgh in one piece.


sarah_q
2011-05-06 19:05:45

Sarah, look at PA Bike route A. It goes a lot on Rt 19, but with at least one important detour.


Also Noblestown takes you west towards the WV panhandle, not South Towards Mo-town


Tehre's one route to Little Washington in this thread


http://bike-pgh.org/bbpress/topic/any-interest-in-riding-to-a-wild-things-game


I'm not sure it's the best. I would also consider:


Glenwood Bridge -> Streets Run-> Brownsville -> Venetia ->Linden ->Thomas-84 -> Rt519(AKA Bike Rt A).


I'd also take a look at Oscar Swan's book for some toutes down tehre.


mick
2011-05-06 19:19:24

Thanks

Where is streets run btwn glenwood brdge and broville?


sarah_q
2011-05-06 19:32:21

Sarah, if you go straight across the Glenwood Bridge, then exit to the right (the sign is for Baldwin Rd, IIRC) after the exit for Glass Run/837, you're on Streets Run. Nice gentle extended climb, with several sets of fairly crappy RR tracks to cross.


reddan
2011-05-06 19:39:11

I've biked to Washington PA a few times. The route I took (chosen to be as flat as I could make it) started with a ride on the trolley down to West Library, then getting on the Montour Trail. Then it went like this, incorporating parts of two PA bike routes.


steven
2011-05-06 19:41:11

Thanks, Dan.


Steven, how is the montour trail on a road bike? I've run on parts of it before but I haven't ridden it.


sarah_q
2011-05-06 19:44:45

I've ridden the Montour with 25's with no problem, at least when it's dry.


marko82
2011-05-06 20:16:46

Actually I think I've been on that trail on 700x23's on a 200k route...


Thanks! I work at WVU so I thought I might try to "bike to work" on May 20.


sarah_q
2011-05-06 20:35:57

I don't have a road bike, but FWIW, I think more than half of that section of the Montour is asphalt. (The paved part runs from where the Bethel Park segment branches out, to where the trail crosses Route 19.)


If you go that way and you haven't entered the Montour at Library before, use the directions on the trail web site. Google's bike directions are currently routing over an unbuilt section of future trail.


steven
2011-05-06 21:33:19

sweet. thanks for the info.


sarah_q
2011-05-06 22:44:07

Wow, bike to work from PGH to Morgantown, I am impressed!!!


pseudacris
2011-05-06 23:16:58

Dang, I feel like a slacker now! Kudos to you---go go go!


greenbike
2011-05-07 00:19:38

@greenbike.


I made it to Morgantown and back, barely compromising my slacker ethos.


2 days down. 1 day rest (with a surprising find at about 4:20 in the afternoon) 2 days back.


Both ways, a leisurely ride on the T out or from to the end.


I *KNOW* slacker.


mick
2011-05-07 00:29:55

I'm planning to do one-way one-day, but I'll get a ride home. I'm not riding it RT. I think if it's 70 miles it'll take me 5-6 hours given how hilly it is.


sarah_q
2011-05-07 02:44:45

Also: does anyone have an easier to read PA bicycle A route map other than the one online?


sarah_q
2011-05-07 10:08:31

Exactly what I needed. Thank you!


Now if I can just figure out the best way to get from the east end to the bike route in one piece. Currently considering Mick's suggestion of


Glenwood Bridge -> Streets Run-> Brownsville -> Venetia ->Linden ->Thomas-84 -> Rt519(AKA Bike Rt A).


but am open to other ideas. I need to dig up Oscar's book.


sarah_q
2011-05-07 20:49:13

BTW, most of the fudging is for the Montour Trail. Bikely doesn't show the route, and so I roughed it on. The road portions should match the 'official' route on the map.


thehistorian
2011-05-08 18:11:05

North of I-70, Rt A is nothing special - trafficy roads with little in the way of accommodations for cyclists. South of I-70, it is a delight.


South of Waynesburg, Rt A for the most part follows Route 19. There is one turnoff from Rt 19., on Lemley Rd, that you don't want to miss, like I did.


Here's Streetview of the view I had going up Rt 19 (where it isn't Rt A) about halfway up Mt Morris.


http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Mt+Mrris+and+lemley+Rd,+Waynesburg,+PA&aq=&sll=40.434813,-79.952402&sspn=0.006304,0.010664&ie=UTF8&hq=Mt+Mrris+and&hnear=Lemley+Rd,+Waynesburg,+Greene,+Pennsylvania+15370&ll=39.820107,-80.120662&spn=0,0.002666&z=18&layer=c&cbll=39.820016,-80.120639&panoid=bh3f8SUD7scbXyiZd7DsKA&cbp=12,86.7,,0,0


Lemley Rd (rt A) is that small, low-traffic roadway, down in the valley towards the East. Notice that , at this part of Rt 19, it looks like the top of the hill is a few hundred feet to the south. It's not.


Also,

When I got to WV, I decided to take Rt 100 to the Star City Bridge. It was one of the loveliest roads I've been on, UNTIL! It got to the river and it became a filthy little high-speed coal truck-fest, leading to a 2 mile uphill detour to get onto the Star City bridge. You may want to just stay on Rt 19.


mick
2011-05-09 15:40:55

FWIW, if I were riding to Morgantown, I'd probably do something like this (google maps). (Ginger Hill Rd is kind of a gnarly climb. It can be bypassed by going through Mingo but that adds several miles.)


johnwheffner
2011-05-09 16:03:45

@JohnWeffner,

I went a route similar to that one coming back from Morgantown. It was pretty good.


GingerHILL road is a bear and I suspect there is a good route to the west of that, through Mingo Park, but it would not be simple.


Between Deemston and Millsboro, I took Crawford Rd between Morey Rd and Rt 88, but later thought of Ridgewood ->Hastings-> Ridgewood (Follows a stream), to avoid a hill. (Your route hits that hill, but I'm not sure that Ridgewood avoids it completely).


Your route takes "Black Dog Hollow Rd." It would be hard to beat that for a road name!


I did the trail between Rices Landing and Rt 88, and complicated backroads between Rice's Landing and Carmichaels . It was fun, but I leaned HEAVY on the DeLorme Gazeteer maps and still got a little lost. And took a "hill" road with all that implies.


South of Carmichael, the drivers on Rt 88 were all decent. Farther north, I got shouts and something heavy thrown in my direction. Lucky miss. I think it was a tin can used as a spittoon. Lovely.


mick
2011-05-09 16:41:02

I'm starting to think this might just be too hard to do. :(


I used to live in Morgantown. Rte 100 is nice but yes there is the coal plant up Ft Martin Rd that makes the stretch along the river (whilst flat) very hairy.


sarah_q
2011-05-09 19:47:33

Sarah, I think you can do it. When I did the 2-day trip, it was my very first bike workout of the year. I don't believe I had even done the "Let's-ride-to-Riverview-Park-and-find-out-how-out-of-shape-we-are," ride that is usually my formal start.


mick
2011-05-09 20:05:55

Oh, I'm probably in ok-enough shape -- may have to do the walk of shame up a hill or three. I'm afraid I'll get lost in "got a pretty mouth" ville. I'm not the best at cue sheets/directions.


Can you take a look at my proposed route?

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/406368


Also, that elevation profile does scare me a bit.


sarah_q
2011-05-09 20:43:50

Well, I would leave Rt 19 for Lewley Rd (also known as Miller lane) where Rt A does that. Otherwise, it looks good.


It's a nice view from that hill on Rt 19.


It's a "dignified stroll," not a "walk of shame". Think of it this way - your bike riding muscles will get enough exercise that day. You need a little walking training. ;)


As far as hassle? I've found that the rural areas and small towns are sweet - its the borderline suburb-exurb that is a problem.


mick
2011-05-09 21:23:00

What has a prettier mouth than one dorky looking triathlete in spandex on aero bars riding through the sticks in BFE, WV?


Two dorky triathletes in spandex!


I think I recruited a friend to ride with me. I hope I can keep up with him. :)


sarah_q
2011-05-10 12:13:56

@Sarah: in terms of "squeal-like-a-pig" avoidance, the key is to recruit a friend who is SLOWER than you are.


Actually, if I can work the schedule, I may take May 20th as a Bike Instead Of Work day...want more company on your trip? ;-)


reddan
2011-05-10 13:09:09

@sarah Good call. You even warned me earlier about that.


It's easy to miss. The turnoff is at the bottom of a slope, right before a curve and bridge, with no signage.


But you can see the intersection in Google streetview - and it's worth backtracking a half mile if you need to.


mick
2011-05-10 16:16:09

Dan, I would be totally stoked if you came too. That would be fantastic. The more the merrier (and the better my odds of not getting pecked to death by a rabid turkey!).


How many bikes can I fit in Conrad's minivan? :)


sarah_q
2011-05-11 00:10:19

Conrad's minivan? You mean you're not planning to ride there and back? ;-)


I'll see what I can do, and drop ya an email when I know.


reddan
2011-05-11 09:46:56

You can ride back. I am doing a one-way. I can't handle 170 miles and 13,000' of climbing in one day right now.


Nothing to stop you from riding RT tho. I know how much you love that crazy stuff. But me and my tri buddies are getting to Mo'town at beer thirty and then getting a ride back.


sarah_q
2011-05-11 11:02:36

mission accomplished! I highly recommend this route.


sarah_q
2011-05-21 04:00:32
mick
2011-05-21 04:45:37

The climb just outside of Mt Morris was by far the worst on the trip. My triathlete friend and I were complaining incessantly about it, to the point where Dan B asked us "do all triathletes complain this much?" :)


All in all great, roads, the weather held out all day, and I would definitely ride that route again. Not sure I could muster a round trip.


Did you return via the same route? How was it on the way back?


sarah_q
2011-05-21 13:03:37

* correction, Waynesburg. Just south of Waynesburg on Mt Morris Rd was the climb from Hell that turned me into Mrs. Whineypants.


sarah_q
2011-05-21 13:04:25

@ Sarah Dan B asked us "do all triathletes complain this much?" :)


I've never heard any whining when I work out with you guys! (in the river...)


Maybe you should have had lower gears?


I came back a different route - similar to the one JohnWheffner posted a map for in the thread above. Both directions are pretty gratifying.


I somehow find it hard imagine going THERE by the route I came back on, but I'm not sure why that is. Maybe because the sucky traffic parts were at the end each direction I went.


mick
2011-05-21 21:58:36

Oh it was all in good fun... anyone who rides with me has to hear me whine about hills. I grew up in FL and I am def a flatlander at heart.


But my suck-it-up-ed-ness is getting stronger. I didn't walk the bike until we all had to portage over a closed section of trail, less than a mile from our destination.


I ride a triple, so I can't blame it on gearing. Just general wussiness. :)


sarah_q
2011-05-22 02:15:52

I ride a triple, so I can't blame it on gearing. Just general wussiness. :)


Sarah, wusses don't ride from Pittsburgh to Morgantown.


Just sayin'. :)


reddan
2011-05-22 15:27:26

Pedal Pittsburgh put the final nail in the "my ass hurts" coffin. I rode with my kid (35 mi); since this was his longest ride to date we took it slow to ensure he'd finish. Ugh ugh ugh.


sarah_q
2011-05-22 20:03:21

I live having a lowest gear that considerably lower than the standared 28:32 F:B you see on most triple rings, myself - most folks here differ, but for me having an whole extra gear below that reduces the number of muttered (or not) curses on a cruse through Pennsyvania Appalachia.


Reddan is mostly right aabout the Morgantown ride. Mostly. But us certified wusses do it in two days.


mick
2011-05-22 22:12:26