Origin
Terra Alta, WV
Morning in Terra Alta on Sunday
Local time
10:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Terra Alta, WV to Fairmont, WV
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 8m
Distance
46.6 mi
75 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 20m
10 AM
1h 13m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Terra Alta, WV
Jason Sherrod
Fairmont, WV
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Terra Alta to Fairmont is 46.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 8 minutes via Senator Jennings Randolph Highway and State Route 7, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within West Virginia, moving from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. Expect a route with frequent turns, typical of local travel, rather than a high-speed highway experience. With a recommended one-day duration and a short mileage, this trip offers flexibility for leisurely exploration or a quick transit.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Senator Jennings Randolph Highway | 9.3 mi | 9m |
| State Route 7 | 9.3 mi | 13m |
| Morgantown Street | 6.3 mi | 9m |
| Gladesville Road | 5.2 mi | 8m |
| Grafton Road | 5.1 mi | 5m |
| Goshen Road | 3.6 mi | 6m |
| South Robert Stone Way | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| Flat Rocks Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Senator Jennings Randolph Highway
— 9.3 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Terra Alta, WV and Fairmont, WV.
1
Start on CR 53
28 ft
·
4 sec
·
North Main Street
2
Turn left onto WV 7
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West State Avenue
3
Continue on WV 7
9.3 mi
·
13 min
·
State Route 7
4
Continue on WV 7
6.3 mi
·
9 min
·
Morgantown Street
5
Continue on WV 7
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Veterans Memorial Highway
6
Continue on WV 7
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Kingwood Pike
7
Turn sharp left onto WV 92
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
South Robert Stone Way
8
Turn right onto CR 29
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Gladesville Road
9
Continue on CR 29
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Flat Rocks Road
10
Continue on CR 29
4.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Gladesville Road
11
Turn right onto US 119
5.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Grafton Road
12
Turn left onto CR 77
3.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Goshen Road
13
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
14
Merge onto I 79
9.3 mi
·
9 min
·
Senator Jennings Randolph Highway
15
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward WV 273 North: Downtown, Fairmont
16
Turn left onto WV 273
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
Fairmont Gateway Connector
17
Enter roundabout onto WV 273
122 ft
·
2 sec
·
Fairmont Gateway Connector
18
Continue on WV 273
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Fairmont Gateway Connector
19
Enter roundabout onto WV 273
128 ft
·
3 sec
·
Fairmont Gateway Connector
20
Continue on WV 273
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Fairmont Gateway Connector
21
Continue on Jefferson Street
0.3 mi
·
57 sec
·
Jefferson Street
22
Arrive at destination
Jefferson Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.3 miles from Terra Alta, WV, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 17.6 and 46 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
17.6 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
WV 92 / South Robert Stone Way
Turn sharp left onto WV 92 / South Robert Stone Way
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
4
26.7 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
US 119 / Grafton Road
Turn right onto US 119 / Grafton Road
Navigation decision point
4
31.7 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
CR 77 / Goshen Road
Turn left onto CR 77 / Goshen Road
Navigation decision point
5
44.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
Take the exit toward WV 273 North: Downtown, Fairmont
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward WV 273 North: Downtown, Fairmont
5
46 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
|
WV 273 / Fairmont Gateway Connector
Enter roundabout onto WV 273 / Fairmont Gateway Connector
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.29 one way
$14.57 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $7.97 | $15.94 |
| premium | $4.70 | $8.62 | $17.25 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.29 | $20.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14 | 0 | $4.89 | $2.24 |
| Efficient EV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.08 | $1.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.6 | 0 | $6.52 | $2.98 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Fairmont, WV
Morning in Fairmont on Sunday
Local time
10:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
24 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 8m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This is a turn-heavy local drive, so be prepared for a more engaged experience behind the wheel. Only about 20% of the route is on highways, with the majority taking you along local roads like Senator Jennings Randolph Highway and Morgantown Street. The longest stretch without a turn is 9.3 miles on Senator Jennings Randolph Highway, so you'll be navigating various road types and directions throughout the 1 hour 8 minute journey. This kind of drive is less about speed and more about experiencing the local landscape as you transition between towns.
Only 20% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.3 mi on Senator Jennings Randolph Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 17.6 miles in near WV 92 / South Robert Stone Way.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 8m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 17.6 miles (WV 92 / South Robert Stone Way): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 26.7 miles (US 119 / Grafton Road): Navigation decision point; at 31.7 miles (CR 77 / Goshen Road): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Arriving in Fairmont, WV
Full guide →Fairmont, nicknamed the "Friendly City", is a city of 18,313 people (as of 2020) in West Virginia, and the county seat of Marion County (pop. 56,000). It was established in 1820 as Middletown, and changed in 1843 to Fairmont, short for "Fair Mountain". The city is located on the Monongahela River at its origin at the confluence of the Tygart Valley River flowing northwest from Grafton, and the West Fork River flowing north from Clarksburg. Fairmont claims to be the origin of the Pepperoni Roll, West Virginia's official state food. Mary Lou Retton — a gold-medalist gymnast in the 1984 Olympics, who was highly popular around the country and particularly in West Virginia — came from Fairmont.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 8m. Total distance: 46.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (20%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.3 miles on Senator Jennings Randolph Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through WV can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: at 17.6 miles (WV 92 / South Robert Stone Way): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 26.7 miles (US 119 / Grafton Road): Navigation decision point; at 31.7 miles (CR 77 / Goshen Road): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fairmont, WV before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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