<VV> Grades

[Ken Wildman]

At 04:44 PM 8/16/2005, WadeHalsey wrote:
>The design limit is 6% but exceptions are granted. Many truckers (my son 
>is one) consider Sandstone Mountain on I-64 near my hometown of Beckley 
>WV  to be one of the hardest to negotiate. Watch your rear-view mirror for 
>fast approaching trucks with smoking brakes on this stretch of interstate. 
>Following is an exchange I copied from a trucker website.
>Wade Halsey
>
> > > What is the steepest grade on an Interstate?
> >
> > The steepest 'Interstate' grade which I know of is in West Virginia.
> > Sandstone Mountain on I-64 east of Beckley, WV. Five miles of 7%
> > grade.
> >
> > Truck wrecks are a regular occurrence. The nastiest wreck I know of is
> > when a runaway tractor-trailer attempted to use an escape ramp which
> > was already occupied by another tractor-trailer. That one took a while
> > to pick apart.
> >
> > WVDOT installed a mandatory truck brake inspection area at the top of
> > the mountain, but there is no information about the grade ahead. Just
> > a sign indicating that trucks ought to inspect their brakes and "Hope
> > you make it down alive!"
>
> >I have heard of quite a few accidents occuring on Sandstone Mountain
> >since it opened in 1988. I believe the length of the downgrade is
> >seven miles but five or six of those are straight 7% grade. Certaintly
> >a qualifier as one of the longest and steepest interstate grades in
> >the nation beacuse it was through a design exception that the 7% was
> >allowed.

The truck drivers are supposed to stop and check their slack adjusters at 
indicated locations.

We've driven I-64 many times and it has the steepest long grades I've ever 
seen.  On the other hand, several Ultra Vans had no trouble taking the 10% 
grade leaving Laurel Hills State Park in Pennsylvania.  It was about a mile 
long.

My wife says it was "only" 9%.    :)

Ken