Traffic volume is not evenly distributed along Route 9. It is highest at locations closer to Martinsburg and I-81. Due to Route 9's location with respect to Martinsburg and I-81, this pattern is expected to continue. As traffic volume grows, capacity problems will arise along the route. Thousands of employees of major businesses in the county use Route 9 daily to get to and from work.
Traffic is heavy and major tie-ups are commonplace.
The accident rate between Charles Town and Martinsburg is higher than the statewide average. Currently, engineers are looking at possible alternative routes around Kearneysville to avoid taking any historic property in this area. The effects report was sent to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation in May of 2000. Martinsburg Bypass One of the key elements of improving highway travel in the Eastern Panhandle is a new Martinsburg Bypass. The West Virginia Division of Highways proposes to relocate an approximately five-mile section of WV Route 9 around Martinsburg in Berkeley County.