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I'd head down 79 to 19 to 77. Although a bit congested between Pittsburgh and Washington, PA, 79 isn't a bad drive. Once you hit WV it goes to 70mph (with a few 65mph zones around the cities). US19 is a speed trap, but it is mostly 4 lane highway with a 65mph speed limit -- just make sure you slow down around the cities (where there are traffic lights). Most of the traffic stops occur in those 50mph zones around the cities. Once you hit 77, its 70mph as well.
Although it doesn't seem much longer on a map to go thru Ohio, once you get past Erie, it is an incredibly boring and flat drive without much to look at. If you go thru WV, at least there is some great scenery.
Once you leave Wytheville, VA going down 77 be prepared for a bunch of frustrating traffic. The traffic isn't ever that dense, but you end up with a bunch of situations where someone is driving 10 under the speed limit in the left hand lane and no way to go around them because trucks are in low gears in the right lane (you are heading down a mountain).
the Beckley rt through alt19 is quick, take it. I have run that route dozens of times. I take the route via, Erie, Pittsburg, Beckley, Charolette, Columbia, Savannah, etc...If you are headed to anywhere in Florida other than Jacksonville stay off the 301 if it all possible. It will make you miserable...I promise
I moved from WNY to Florida 3 plus years ago and the above route is the best ....Erie, Pittsburgh , Beckley etc ...
It's 100 miles further but if you like to open up I know some people who just go to Cincinnati and pick up I-75. West Virginia is a lot more dicey during winter than Ohio Interstates. Ohio is 70 mph now so you can go pretty fast the whole way without a problem.
someone revived a 3 year old post to ask a distance question. The last 2 responses may help future finds of this post but the original poster likely made it to Florida by now
I have travelled the I-79, 19, 77/64 26; 95 to florida many times since 2006. I-19 is a speedtrap, but stick to the speed limit and no one will bother you. Only speeders have to be aware that there are cops everywhere waiting to give a ticket.
It's the quickest route to florida.
Google map shows splitting of and taking hwy 19 down to I-77 meets just above Beckley. This supposedly cuts 43 miles and about 30 minutes off the trip.
Looks like hyw 19 is about 75 mile trip to where it meets I-77 any idea what this route is like? Doesn't show many towns but could be just 2 lanes, sometimes better to take the better route but 43 miles is a lot to make up unless 19 runs real slow.
I read somewhere that you had to keep to posted speed on 19 or risk getting nabbed.
Made the trip more times than I can remember. I made the trip when 19 was 2 lanes. Made the trip during all the construction a couple years in a row. It is by far the best way to go. Not to mention it has really been built up commercially over the years making it a perfect pit stop along the way for anything you need. I will be doing it again in March!
Interstate 79 winds around too many mountains for me, and US 19 goes through small towns with justified lower speed limits to account for the safety of pedestrians, bicycles, school buses, and stoplights. Going that route will still take you as far west as Cleveland. Personally, I've always run I 90 West to 271 Express South to I 77 South from near Richfield Ohio. I 77 takes a straighter course than 79 and you'll stay on it all the way to just east of Columbia, South Carolina. From there it's roughly an hour east on I 26 to 95 (just past Orangeburg, SC). 95 south the rest of the way.
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