Road Information

Interstate 77 in Virginia    
Total Mileage in State: 66 miles
Northern End: At West Virginia state line
Southern End: At North Carolina state line
Mileage covered in Photos: 66 miles
Counties covered in Photos: Bland, Wythe, Carroll
Major Junctions in Photos: I-81 South, near Wytheville
I-81 North, near Fort Chiswell
Control Cities in Photos: Wytheville, Fort Chiswell

Southbound

Sections:
  • Section 1: West Virginia Border to Wytheville (Exit 77)
  • Section 2: Wytheville (Exit 77) to North Carolina Border

Section 1: West Virginia Border to Wytheville (Exit 77)

   

Virginia welcome sign at Exit 66: US 52 / VA 598. The West Virginia/Virginia border is actually inside the East River Mountain Tunnel, which this photo is taken immediately outside of on the Virginia (south) side of it.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Gore point signage for Exit 66.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South reassurance shield.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South in Virginia starts out in Bland County.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Just south of Exit 66, the speed limit increases to 70 mph from the 55 mph it was through the tunnel and upon the tunnel's immediate exit. 70 mph is the standard speed limit on most rural Interstates in Virginia.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at Exit 64: US 52 / VA 61 - Rocky Gap  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Mileage sign on Interstate 77 South. It's 10 miles to Bland, 21 miles to Wytheville, and 90 miles to Bristol.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at Exit 62: SR 606 - South Gap  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at the Rest Area / Virginia Welcome Center in Bland County.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

The speed limit remains 70 mph.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at mile marker 61.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Take Exit 58 to Wolf Creek Indian Village & Museum.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at Exit 58: US 52 - Bastian  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Mileage sign on Interstate 77 South. It's 5 miles to Bland, 16 miles to Wytheville, and 85 miles to Bristol.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at mile marker 57.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at mile marker 55.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at Exit 52: US 52 / VA 42 - Bland  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at the Weigh Station in Bland County, located at mile marker 51.9.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Mileage sign on Interstate 77 South. It's 10 miles to Wytheville, 78 miles to Bristol, and 89 miles to Roanoke.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Approaching the entrance to the Big Walker Mountain Tunnel, the speed limit decreases to 55 mph.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Trucks are to use the right lane through the tunnel.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Just before entering the tunnel, Interstate 77 South enters Jefferson National Forest.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at the entrance to the Big Walker Mountain Tunnel.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

On the south side of the tunnel, the standard rural speed limit of 70 mph resumes.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at Exit 47: SR 717 - Little Creek Hwy  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South reassurance shield.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

South of Exit 47, Interstate 77 South leaves Jefferson National Forest.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at mile marker 45.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at mile marker 44.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at mile marker 43.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Take Exit 41 to Wytheville Community College.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South approaching Exit 40 - 1 mile.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at Exit 41: SR 610 - Wytheville / Max Meadows  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at Exit 40: Interstate 81 South / US 52 North / To US 21 South - Bristol  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

View on the ramp as Interstate 77 South prepares to join up with Interstate 81 North for a 9-mile concurrency through the Wytheville area.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at mile marker 41.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

The speed limit remains 70 mph during the Interstate 77 South / Interstate 81 North concurrency through Wytheville.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South / Interstate 81 North at Exit 73: US 11 South - Wytheville  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South / Interstate 81 North / US 11 North / US 52 South reassurance shields. That's a significant amount of concurrency we have going on here.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Mileage sign on Interstate 77 South / Interstate 81 North. It's 23 miles to Pulaski, 74 miles to Roanoke, and 143 miles to Charlotte.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South / Interstate 81 North approaching a 60 mph curve to the left.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South / Interstate 81 North at Exit 77: SR F042 / SR F043 - E Lee Hwy / Chapman Rd  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Section 2: Wytheville (Exit 77) to North Carolina Border

   

Take Exit 81, which is 3 miles ahead, to remain on Interstate 77 South toward Charlotte.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Take Exit 80 to Stephen F. Austin Birthplace Memorial.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South / Interstate 81 North at Exit 80: US 52 South / VA 121 North - Fort Chiswell / Max Meadows  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South / Interstate 81 North approaching Exit 81 - 3/4 mile.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

You must stay in the two rightmost lanes to remain on Interstate 77 South via Exit 81.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South / Interstate 81 North at Exit 81: Interstate 77 South - Charlotte  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Gore point signage for Exit 81.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at mile marker 32.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South reassurance shield.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Unlike most rural Interstates in Virginia, this 32-mile stretch of Interstate 77 remaining in VA sees a speed limit of 65 mph.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Mileage sign on Interstate 77 South. It's 21 miles to Hillsville, 92 miles to Statesville, and 135 miles to Charlotte.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at mile marker 31.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at mile marker 29.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at mile marker 28.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Take Exit 24 to Shot Tower State Park and New River Trail Information Center.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at Exit 24: VA 69 - Poplar Camp  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

The speed limit remains 65 mph.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

View on Interstate 77 South.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Take Exit 19 to Twin County Airport.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at Exit 19: SR 620  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Mileage sign on Interstate 77 South. It's 6 miles to Hillsville, 77 miles to Statesville, and 116 miles to Charlotte.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at mile marker 17.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Take Exit 14 to Southwest Virginia Farmers' Market.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Also take Exit 14 to Independence.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at Exit 14: US 58 / US 221 - Hillsville / Galax  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

South of Exit 14, Interstate 77 South enters a fog advisory area.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Variable speed limits are in place for the remaining 12 miles of Interstate 77 South in Virginia at this point.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at mile marker 11.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Take Exit 8 to Blue Ridge Parkway.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Through traffic over 8 tons is prohibited on US 52 South, and Interstate 77 South should be used by these vehicles instead. School buses are exempt from this restriction.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at Exit 8: VA 148 / SR 775 - Fancy Gap  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

When the lights on these signs are flashing, it is a warning that a variable speed limit lower than 65 mph is in effect ahead.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

As these signs warn, Interstate 77 South will traverse a long, steep downgrade for the next 7 1/2 miles with the state line being at the bottom. Trucks should gear down now.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Variable speed limit signs as Interstate 77 South begins to head down the grade. Since there was no fog at the time, the speed limit remained 65 mph.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Mileage sign on Interstate 77 South. It's 66 miles to Statesville and 105 miles to Charlotte.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Warning sign for the steep downgrade, which lasts for the next 7 miles.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

These warning signs state that this stretch of Interstate 77 is subject to high crosswinds.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

The steep grade continues for 6 more miles.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Runaway truck ramp on Interstate 77 South.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

A closer view of the runaway truck ramp.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at mile marker 6.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at mile marker 5, as the downgrade continues.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

A second runaway truck ramp on Interstate 77 South.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

A closer view of the second runaway truck ramp on Interstate 77 South.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

The grade continues for 4 more miles.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at mile marker 4.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at the third and final runaway truck ramp on this downgrade.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

A closer view of the final runaway truck ramp.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

2 more miles remain on the steep downgrade.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at mile marker 2.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at Exit 1: SR 620  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South at mile marker 1.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Trucks should check their brakes before entering the Rest Area / Welcome Center which is immediately across the state line.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).

Interstate 77 South as it prepares to cross the state line.  (Photo taken 11/11/16).