State Route 68 marker

State Route 68

Route information
Maintained by VDOT
Length6.13 mi[1] (9.87 km)
Existed1933–present
Tourist
routes		 Virginia Byway
Major junctions
West end SR 606 near Keokee
East end
 US 23 Bus. in Appalachia
Location
CountryUnited States
StateVirginia
CountiesWise
Highway system
← SR 67→ SR 69

State Route 68 (SR 68) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. Known for most of its length as Exeter Road, the state highway runs 6.13 miles (9.87 km) from the Lee–Wise county line near Keokee, where the highway continues west as SR 606, east to U.S. Route 23 Business (US 23 Business) in Appalachia.

Route description

View east along SR 68 just west of Appalachia

SR 68 begins at the Lee County line, which is formed by the drainage divide between Craborchard Creek to the west and Pigeon Creek to the east. The roadway continues west into Lee County as SR 606 through Keokee toward Pennington Gap. SR 68, which is named Exeter Road, descends into the valley of Pigeon Creek and passes through the communities of Exeter, Lower Exeter, and Imboden. East of Lower Exeter, the state highway parallels a rail line that serves the coal mines in the valley. At Pigeon Creek's confluence with Looney Creek, where the streams enter the Powell River, SR 68 curves north across the rail line, crosses the rail line that parallels Looney Creek, and meets the eastern end of SR 160 (Inman Road). The state highway continues into the town of Appalachia as Inman Street, which crosses over Norfolk Southern Railway's Appalachia Division before reaching its eastern terminus at US 23 Business (Main Street).[1][2]

History

The whole length of SR 68, west from State Route 11 (now US 23 Business) near Appalachia to the county line, was added to the state highway system in 1928 as State Route 119.[3] It was renumbered as SR 68 in 1933.

Major intersections

The entire route is in Wise County.

Locationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
​0.000.00 SR 606 – KeokeeLee–Wise county line; western terminus
Appalachia
 SR 160 west (North Inman Street)		Eastern terminus of SR 160
6.139.87
 US 23 Bus. (West Main Street) – Appalachia, Big Stone Gap		Eastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. 1 2 3 "2009 Traffic Data". Virginia Department of Transportation. 2009. Retrieved 2011-09-10.
  2. ↑ Google (2011-09-10). "Virginia State Route 68" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2011-09-10.
  3. ↑ State Highway Commission of Virginia (August 9–10, 1928). "Minutes of Meeting" (PDF) (Report). Richmond: Commonwealth of Virginia. p. 13.
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