State Route 160 (SR 160) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. Known as the Trail of the Lonesome Pine, the state highway runs 8.02 miles (12.91 km) from the Kentucky state line on top of Black Mountain, where the highway continues north as Kentucky Route 160 (KY 160), east to SR 68 in Appalachia. Due to the mountainous terrain and numerous tight bends, Virginia State Route 160 and its Kentucky State Route 160 counterpart are signposted closed to tractor-trailers between Lynch, KY and Appalachia, VA.
View east at the west end of SR 160 at KY 160 at the Kentucky state line on Black Mountain
SR 160 begins on top of Black Mountain at the Kentucky state line, which follows the Tennessee Valley Divide. The highest elevation in Kentucky can be accessed by following Black Mountain Ridge Road, which intersects KY 160 just west of the state line, to the summit of the mountain. SR 160 has a winding descent featuring several hairpin turn to the valley of Looney Creek, which the highway follows east toward Appalachia. The state highway enters the town shortly before reaching its eastern terminus at its intersection with SR 68 (Exeter Road), which itself reaches its terminus at U.S. Route 23 Business (Main Street) at the southern edge of downtown Appalachia.[1][2]
Historyedit
SR 160 was initially numbered State Route 115 in the 1923 renumbering as a spur from State Route 11 in Appalachia. This road, known as the Lynch Highway (as it led to Lynch, Kentucky), was added to the state highway system in early 1923.[3] However, it was soon removed pending investigation of a conflicting contract for a turnpike company to build the road,[4] but almost immediately reinstated, with the turnpike's right-of-way deed transferred to the state.[5] In the 1928 renumbering, the road was renumbered as part of State Route 106 (which also continued south from Appalachia along SR 11 to Big Stone Gap and then to State Route 10 at Clinchport, replacing State Route 116), and it became State Route 67 in the 1933 renumbering. For a few years in the early 1930s, SR 106 carried U.S. Route 23 from Appalachia to Kentucky, but US 23 was soon realigned to its current route; the piece of SR 106 south of Big Stone Gap continued to carry US 23 and was thus eliminated in 1933. The final change came in the 1940 renumbering, when it was renumbered to State Route 160 to match Kentucky Route 160.[6]
virginia, state, route, former, state, route, state, route, virginia, 1933, 1940, state, route, primary, state, highway, state, virginia, known, trail, lonesome, pine, state, highway, runs, miles, from, kentucky, state, line, black, mountain, where, highway, c. For the former State Route 160 see State Route 160 Virginia 1933 1940 State Route 160 SR 160 is a primary state highway in the U S state of Virginia Known as the Trail of the Lonesome Pine the state highway runs 8 02 miles 12 91 km from the Kentucky state line on top of Black Mountain where the highway continues north as Kentucky Route 160 KY 160 east to SR 68 in Appalachia Due to the mountainous terrain and numerous tight bends Virginia State Route 160 and its Kentucky State Route 160 counterpart are signposted closed to tractor trailers between Lynch KY and Appalachia VA State Route 160Trail of the Lonesome PineRoute informationMaintained by VDOTLength8 02 mi 1 12 91 km Existed1940 presentTouristroutesVirginia BywayMajor junctionsWest endKY 160 on Black MountainEast endSR 68 in AppalachiaLocationCountryUnited StatesStateVirginiaCountiesWiseHighway systemVirginia RoutesInterstate US Primary Secondary Byways History HOT lanes SR 159 SR 161 Contents 1 Route description 2 History 3 Major intersections 4 References 5 External linksRoute description edit nbsp View east at the west end of SR 160 at KY 160 at the Kentucky state line on Black MountainSR 160 begins on top of Black Mountain at the Kentucky state line which follows the Tennessee Valley Divide The highest elevation in Kentucky can be accessed by following Black Mountain Ridge Road which intersects KY 160 just west of the state line to the summit of the mountain SR 160 has a winding descent featuring several hairpin turn to the valley of Looney Creek which the highway follows east toward Appalachia The state highway enters the town shortly before reaching its eastern terminus at its intersection with SR 68 Exeter Road which itself reaches its terminus at U S Route 23 Business Main Street at the southern edge of downtown Appalachia 1 2 History editSR 160 was initially numbered State Route 115 in the 1923 renumbering as a spur from State Route 11 in Appalachia This road known as the Lynch Highway as it led to Lynch Kentucky was added to the state highway system in early 1923 3 However it was soon removed pending investigation of a conflicting contract for a turnpike company to build the road 4 but almost immediately reinstated with the turnpike s right of way deed transferred to the state 5 In the 1928 renumbering the road was renumbered as part of State Route 106 which also continued south from Appalachia along SR 11 to Big Stone Gap and then to State Route 10 at Clinchport replacing State Route 116 and it became State Route 67 in the 1933 renumbering For a few years in the early 1930s SR 106 carried U S Route 23 from Appalachia to Kentucky but US 23 was soon realigned to its current route the piece of SR 106 south of Big Stone Gap continued to carry US 23 and was thus eliminated in 1933 The final change came in the 1940 renumbering when it was renumbered to State Route 160 to match Kentucky Route 160 6 Major intersections editThe entire route is in Wise County Locationmi 1 kmDestinationsNotesBlack Mountain0 000 00 nbsp nbsp KY 160 northKentucky state line western terminusAppalachia8 0212 91 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp SR 68 Exeter Road to US 23 Bus KeokeeEastern terminus1 000 mi 1 609 km 1 000 km 0 621 miReferences edit a b c 2010 Traffic Data Virginia Department of Transportation 2010 Retrieved 2011 11 16 Wise County and City of Norton PDF Google 2011 11 16 Virginia State Route 160 Map Google Maps Google Retrieved 2011 11 16 Minutes of the Eighth Meeting of the State Highway Commission Held on January 15 16 and 17 1923 PDF 133 KiB page 7 Minutes of the Ninth Meeting of the State Highway Commission Held on March 1st 2nd amp 3rd 1923 PDF 273 KiB page 12 Minutes of the Tenth Meeting of the State Highway Commission Held in Richmond Va March 26th 27th and 28th 1923 PDF 321 KiB page 13 Minutes of the Meeting of the State Highway Commission of Virginia Held in Richmond October 10 1940 PDF 332 KiB page 15External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Virginia State Route 160 KML file edit help Template Attached KML Virginia State Route 160KML is from Wikidata Virginia Highways Project VA 160 lt SR 114 Spurs of SR 111923 1928 SR 116 gt Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Virginia State Route 160 amp oldid 1072052858, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
