New 50 MPH Limit, Grippier Pavement Coming to Charleston's I-64/I-77 Split After 8 Deaths
WVDOT has lowered the speed limit to 50 mph, added chevron signs and begun laying high-friction pavement at the I-64/I-77 split in Charleston after six crashes killed eight people since May 2025.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — If your daily drive takes you through the I-64/I-77 split in the heart of Charleston, it's time to ease off the gas. The West Virginia Department of Transportation has rolled out a set of new safety measures at one of the busiest and most talked-about stretches of road in the Mountain State, and more work is underway this week.
The changes come after a heartbreaking run of crashes. Since May 2025, six crashes at the split have claimed eight lives, and each one happened the same way: a vehicle went up and over the barrier wall on the sharp curves through the interchange.
A new 50 mph limit
New speed limit signs went up last Thursday, dropping the limit to 50 mph through the corridor. The lower limit covers:
- Northbound/westbound I-77 and I-64, starting at the 35th/36th Street bridges
- Southbound I-77, starting at Westmoreland Road
- Eastbound I-64, between Montrose Drive and Oakwood Road
West Virginia State Police and Charleston Police are stepping up enforcement of the new limit, so drivers who are used to the old speeds will want to adjust quickly.
Grippier pavement on the way
Contractors started milling the road Wednesday morning and are expected to spend the next seven to 10 days laying a high-friction surface treatment around the split. That special surface is designed to give tires more grip on the curves. The work is happening during daytime hours, weather permitting, and drivers should plan on minor delays while crews are out there.
WVDOT spokesman Brent Walker described the treatment as an added safety feature for drivers heading into the city.
New signs at the sharpest curves
Bright chevron signs now mark the sharp curves at the split, giving drivers a clear heads-up before the road bends. According to WVDOT, the changes are a direct response to what the public asked for: slower speeds, better signs, and flashing lights and arrows warning of the tight turn.
More could be coming
The work may not stop here. WVDOT says it is also studying whether to raise the height of the barrier wall and is launching a full traffic study of the corridor.
In the meantime, the department is asking everyone to do their part: drive the posted limit, stay off your phone, and expect a slower trip through the capital city.
Plenty of West Virginians know that interchange like the back of their hand, and plenty more have white-knuckled their way through it for the first time. Either way, a few extra minutes on the commute is a small price if it means everybody makes it home. Take it slow out there, neighbors.
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