West Virginia Turnpike

[seicer]

I was wondering if it would be for Starbucks but at least looking at the Beckley site plans, it would be for Wendy's (the replacement tenant for Burger King that is there now).

It's interesting to see the revenue figures for the Beckley service area drop, but I think that corresponds to the closure of Quiznos. It was never replaced presumably in preparation for a new service plaza that reportedly has been in the works since pre-COVID (and was delayed for at least 2+ years because of it).

I like the designs, and they remind me of the new designs along the New York State Thruway - but with much more room and capacity. The existing facilities aren't dilapidated but do need mechanical overhauls - and if you are going to spend that much money to shoehorn in trucker lounges and more amenities - along with rebuilt fuel tanks and pumps, you might as well start from scratch.

I wish that the rest area going southbound at mile marker 69 had more room to maneuver. It's practically impossible to find parking there for our RV during the day and night - and car parking has been limited during the peak travel season. Meanwhile, the rest area going southbound at the Bluestone River bridge is practically deserted - but also has no amenities.

[Black-Man]

Speaking of Morton... someone told me years ago the plan was to turn the abandoned rail line across the turnpike into a rail trail and have its access from Morton with a bridge over the Turnpike. This would allow people to bike/hike all the way down to the rest area and beyond where it flips over to the over side of highway enabling access to Paint Creek. Seems like a better use of toll revenue than upgrading service facilities that are in direct competition with private business.

[seicer]

This goes back to the days when the West Virginia Parkways Authority was lumped under a broader agency that was tasked with promoting tourism and other related ventures - including building the Tamarack. In April 2007, the Parkways Authority Board adopted a Resolution refocusing the core mission of the Parkways to the maintenance and upkeep of the Turnpike - and the service plazas are a core (and profitable) function of the Turnpike. While an outside agency could build a connection from the future rail-to-trail to Morton, I'm not sure the Turnpike would be interested in connecting anything else to Rest Area at mile marker 69 because it's already at capacity in terms of parking. (The trail is still in the planning phases but much of the right-of-way was recently cleared out for a new water line and is generally graded and graveled.)

The Bluestone and Morton plazas have no direct competition, and the Beckley plaza only has competition for its food and gasoline offerings - which may be a bit cheaper on Harper Road. Prices recently have been similar. But there are no comparable truck stops for many, many miles in each direction from Beckley - and you have to travel to Covington, Virginia or Rocky Gap, Virginia or north toward Flatwoods, Nitro, or Ripley to find a comparable facility.

[seicer]

Beckley Travel Plaza to undergo renovations from the ground up

"In addition to a complete renovation of the Beckley Travel Plaza, Miller said major renovations will also take place at the Bluestone Travel Plaza and the Morton Travel Plaza near Burnwell totaling $152 million."

"The Beckley and Bluestone travel plazas will be the first to be updated and are being rebuilt from the ground up. Beginning Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023, both with be closed to start the demolition and site redevelopment process."

--

There will be fuel available for passenger cars and trucks, along with temporary restroom facilities. The Tamarack will continue to have food operations, although I've heard that those hours may be expanded during construction.

The Beckley plaza will have Wendy's, Popeyes, and Starbucks, a 24/7 convenience store, outdoor dining, and EV charging stations, along with parking spaces for 286 cars and 65 trucks (up from 78 cars and 35 trucks).

The project is being paid for by revenues from tolls.

[Bitmapped]

Beckley Travel Plaza to undergo renovations from the ground up

"In addition to a complete renovation of the Beckley Travel Plaza, Miller said major renovations will also take place at the Bluestone Travel Plaza and the Morton Travel Plaza near Burnwell totaling $152 million."

"The Beckley and Bluestone travel plazas will be the first to be updated and are being rebuilt from the ground up. Beginning Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023, both with be closed to start the demolition and site redevelopment process."

--

There will be fuel available for passenger cars and trucks, along with temporary restroom facilities. The Tamarack will continue to have food operations, although I've heard that those hours may be expanded during construction.

The Beckley plaza will have Wendy's, Popeyes, and Starbucks, a 24/7 convenience store, outdoor dining, and EV charging stations, along with parking spaces for 286 cars and 65 trucks (up from 78 cars and 35 trucks).

The project is being paid for by revenues from tolls.

I don't understand how replacing three service plazas costs $152 million. Surely Pilot, Love's, and other chains aren't spending $50 million a pop on sites where they already own the property.

The Parkways Authority previously killed projects like a Shady Springs connector because they said they didn't have the money. Something like, even with a couple miles of new roadway, would still be cheaper and more useful than this project.

[GCrites]

Just a McDonald's costs $3 million to build now. I heard a lady who owned a McDonald's talking about how she built a McDonald's in 2000 and it only cost $600,000 to put it up and now it's $3M. American construction costs are insane.

[seicer]

The Buc-ee's location along Interstate 75 in Kentucky cost about $30 million to develop in 2021-22. It included roadway infrastructure, extending water and sewer lines to the site, 120 gas pumps, a 53,000 square-foot building, and plenty of parking - and without the infrastructure to serve trucks, too.

With each of these plazas, it's a complete rebuilding from the ground up, which includes the removal of the old tanks, environmental remediation, and building tear-down in the first phase, and then installing new tanks and construction in the second phase. The lot site seems to be enlarged at the Beckley plaza to accommodate more parking, too. The building itself seems to be a big upgrade over the old one with more glass and premium materials, so I'm sure that adds to the cost. From what the PR said, it looks like this building will be around for a good 50 years or so so it needs to be resilient.

[GCrites]

Demo and hauling the materials away is super expensive these days. That's why at any demo project with a sizeable amount of concrete they crush the concrete into "gravel" right there on site now to sell it to people for their driveways and such.

[hbelkins]

Depending on a state's prevailing wage laws, private entities can often procure labor at cheaper rates than can governmental agencies. If West Virginia has a state law requiring agencies to pay a certain wage, that inflates costs. Kentucky repealed its prevailing wage law for public projects a few years ago. That move alone saved a nearby school district (and the taxpayers) a huge chunk of change on construction costs.

When Kentucky advertises highway projects, prevailing wage applies only for federally-funded projects. if a project is state-funded, the only wage requirement is minimum wage.

I'm not sure how that would apply in West Virginia or to a toll agency, but my guess is that prevailing wage laws are still in effect there.

[Bitmapped]

Depending on a state's prevailing wage laws, private entities can often procure labor at cheaper rates than can governmental agencies. If West Virginia has a state law requiring agencies to pay a certain wage, that inflates costs. Kentucky repealed its prevailing wage law for public projects a few years ago. That move alone saved a nearby school district (and the taxpayers) a huge chunk of change on construction costs.

When Kentucky advertises highway projects, prevailing wage applies only for federally-funded projects. if a project is state-funded, the only wage requirement is minimum wage.

I'm not sure how that would apply in West Virginia or to a toll agency, but my guess is that prevailing wage laws are still in effect there.

West Virginia repealed prevailing wage for state-funded projects several years ago. The legislative majority promised large costs savings which have failed to materialize.

[GCrites]

I'm not pulling off for yet another Wendy's. Popeye's maybe. What I liked about the service plazas back in the old days is that I could get food that was different than at home like Howard Johnson's and Roy Rogers. There's like 5 Wendy's (and their sodium) within 4 miles of me. Probably drive on back to Scamarack and see what they've got. Fast food costs almost as much as the Scamarack food these days so might as well dodge another Wendy's.

[seicer]

It beats Booger King, and that location is about as sad as any fast-food entity that you can find. I wish they would have nabbed Tudors Biscuit World.

[GCrites]

TBW would have been awesome.

[Dirt Roads]

It beats Booger King, and that location is about as sad as any fast-food entity that you can find. I wish they would have nabbed Tudors Biscuit World.

TBW would have been awesome.

Fortunately, there's a Gino's/Tudor's combo restaurant in front of the Walmart in MacArthur just off of Exit 42 west of the Turnpike.  Even better, this Tudor's stays open until 7PM (most of them close at 2PM and leave the rest of the day for Gino's customers).

[GCrites]

I think I've figured out the pattern with TBW hours. TBWs that are close to other TBWs like you see in Huntington and Charleston close at 2 whereas ones that are on their own without other TBWs close by close at 7. So the Xenia Ohio one for example closes at 7.

[SP Cook]

Most Tudor's/Gino's belong to a guy named Oshell Craigo, who is a retired WV politician, or are franchised through his company. Those are the ones that close at 2PM.  However some still belong to the heirs of the Tudor family or were franchised by them before Craigo bought them out, these have more freedom and are often the ones open later.  Also different food items there some times.

Our Supreme Court had a case a couple of years back where there was a slip and fall and the lawyer screwed up and sued the Tudor family company and not the Craigo company, which was malpractice. 

BTW, Tudor's/Gino's used to be the concession the Charleston taxwaste airport, and still in in Huntington's. 

[seicer]

I always find the combination Tudor's/Ginos to be unique and a welcome find after a day of traveling. They are often the only player in town for something other than subs (Subway), but I hate how the hours are so early at the franchised locations. The company-owned locations are open later and offer some good and cheap dinner options.

[GCrites]

I don't like Gino's nearly as much as TBW.

[Dirt Roads]

I don't like Gino's nearly as much as TBW.

Try a "Pizza Bread" sub or their famous "Steak Sandwich" sub instead.  They usually come well toasted, but just in case, I ask for mine "well toasted" just to get the old fashioned effect.  In most parts of West Virginia, they ask for lettuce, tomatoes, onions and mayo on the steak sandwich.  In more recent years, they've switched over to those wimpy sweet onions (in deference to old timers that want onions with a strong taste - kind of like our strong attraction to ramps).

Ooh... I wonder if my Roadgeek tendencies are because West Virginians were supposed to like ramps?   

[seicer]

On a related note, I use the showers at the Beckley service area quite frequently as I am often at or near New River Gorge. The showers are a more recent addition and will be sticking around as part of the trucker amenities in the new plaza. The Beckley service area / Tamarack makes for a great overnight spot to car camp in (in the Subaru) as it's quiet (in the Tamarack lot), legal, and convenient. The showers are cheap $5-7ish, but I've become friendly with the staff and often get it comped.

My question is: where are the nearest public showers? The closest truck stops are 20 minutes south of Bluefield along I-77 or in Covington, Virginia along I-64.

[hbelkins]

In spite of my West Virginia heritage and many trips to that state, I've never eaten at Gino's or Tudor's. There's a Tudor's in Pikeville now and there may be some other Kentucky locations opening up.

[Bitmapped]

I think I've figured out the pattern with TBW hours. TBWs that are close to other TBWs like you see in Huntington and Charleston close at 2 whereas ones that are on their own without other TBWs close by close at 7. So the Xenia Ohio one for example closes at 7.

Nope. Locations in Morgantown and Bridgeport both close at 2pm and they're 30+ miles apart with no other TBWs nearby.

I don't like Gino's nearly as much as TBW.

Try a "Pizza Bread" sub or their famous "Steak Sandwich" sub instead.  They usually come well toasted, but just in case, I ask for mine "well toasted" just to get the old fashioned effect.  In most parts of West Virginia, they ask for lettuce, tomatoes, onions and mayo on the steak sandwich.  In more recent years, they've switched over to those wimpy sweet onions (in deference to old timers that want onions with a strong taste - kind of like our strong attraction to ramps).

The Pubwich is also a good option for Gino's. It's my go-to when I eat there.

[Black-Man]

The Parkways Authority previously killed projects like a Shady Springs connector because they said they didn't have the money. Something like, even with a couple miles of new roadway, would still be cheaper and more useful than this project.

Exactly. Where is the cost/benefit analysis for adding an additional lane to US 19 to Shady Spring vs building this connector? They basically serve the same purpose and adding an additional lane to Eisenhower Dr did nothing to alleviate congestion (hence a bypass being built) nor did widening US19 to Beaver (building Z-way connector to I-64 to bypass Beaver). They just never learn.

[Bitmapped]

The Parkways Authority previously killed projects like a Shady Spring connector because they said they didn't have the money. Something like, even with a couple miles of new roadway, would still be cheaper and more useful than this project.

Exactly. Where is the cost/benefit analysis for adding an additional lane to US 19 to Shady Spring vs building this connector? They basically serve the same purpose and adding an additional lane to Eisenhower Dr did nothing to alleviate congestion (hence a bypass being built) nor did widening US19 to Beaver (building Z-way connector to I-64 to bypass Beaver). They just never learn.

I don't think the Shady Spring connector would eliminate the need for improvements along US 19 as there is a lot of traffic to places along the existing corridor, but it would divert some traffic.

The center turn lane construction on Eisenhower Drive was useful and an improvement. The problem is that the road has too much traffic and really needed widening to 5 lanes. WV 7 through the Sabraton section of Morgantown has the same issue - it really needed widening to 5 lanes but WVDOH cheaped out and just put in a center turn lane. IMO, widening Eisenhower Drive to five lanes would have been a more useful project than the bypass that was built.

[seicer]

I think funds would have been better allocated to widening Eisenhower Drive and adding proper infrastructure - sidewalks, lighting, etc. So much of Beckley's roadways lack even the basics for a city of its size, but at least it's now looped with a five-lane boulevard with a useless center turn lane with sidewalks no one will ever use because it's so far out of the city.

Where was the Shady Springs Connector going to connect to? US 19 south of Beckley can be an absolute slog.

I'm still trying to find the ultimate build out for Exit 45. It's designed to connect to Pinewood Drive to the east and Dry Hill Road to the west.