In the 1930s and '40s, West Virginia finally started making big progress in building roads. A 1933 law put all public roads under state control, creating over 4,400 miles of main highways and 31,000 miles of smaller roads. The 1944 Federal-Aid Highway Act led to planning for national interstate highways.

In 1947, West Virginia began building the Turnpike, a major multi-lane road. It was finished in 1954, stretching 88 miles from Princeton to Charleston, costing $133 million and paid for with tolls. The Turnpike was considered modern, with some four-lane sections and extra lanes for passing. But over time, the concrete shifted, making the road bumpy, and drivers wanted a full four-lane highway. In 1958, the Turnpike became part of the interstate system, and big upgrades began after 1966, when new laws required all interstates to have at least four lanes.