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Corridor H

Started by CanesFan27, September 20, 2009, 03:01:17 PM

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CanesFan27

I completed a rewrite and update of the Corridor H in WV page - moving it from the old site and over to the blog. The new information includes Corridor H's progress to date and some information on the towns and features along the route.

http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/02/conflict-in-mountains-story-of-corridor.html


cpzilliacus

Quote from: CanesFan27 on February 12, 2017, 09:11:42 PM
I completed a rewrite and update of the Corridor H in WV page - moving it from the old site and over to the blog. The new information includes Corridor H's progress to date and some information on the towns and features along the route.

http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/02/conflict-in-mountains-story-of-corridor.html

Nicely done! 

Interesting that the Corridor H Alternatives site is still operable after all these years though it appears to have been left untouched since 2001.
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

noelbotevera

I'll be clinching Corridor H on the way to the NRG meet. I can update on what's new once I get home, and will be able to take pictures. Sorry, but I only have a phone camera.

cpzilliacus

#928
Drove Corridor H eastbound from Buckhannon all the way to Wardensville, including sections of U.S. 219 and WV-32 between the western and eastern sections.

A few observations:

(1) I saw no U.S. 48 shields between Buckhannon and Davis.  Not one, not on western Corridor H, not on U.S. 219, not on WV-32.  The first one eastbound is a short distance after the western end of eastern Corridor H near WV-32, after a new BYS that warns of possible foggy conditions for the next 15 miles east of WV-32.

(2) Not much action where western Corridor H ends at Kerens.  A large number of orange construction trailers have been placed on the unopened section near the bridges over Lazy Run, but no heavy construction equipment was visible (though it is possible that the contractor has parked any such machines elsewhere).  Some of the hill at the dead-end at Kerens has been removed, but otherwise not much  appeared to be happening there.  No evidence of construction work at the other end of the segment in Tucker County between the crest of Pheasant Mountain and the Kingsford charcoal plant.

(3) Several new windmills have gone up on the ridgetop to the east of the Allegheny Front (where Nedpower has had a chain of them for several years now).  According to the topo map I consulted, this is New Creek Mountain, which runs roughly N-S and parallel to the Laurel Dale Road part of WV-93 north of Scherr.  It appears that a haul road from the westbound side of Corridor H was used to transport the windmill components to the top of the mountain (this is a logical place for windmills because of the relatively high elevations, and because there is easy access to transmission lines (built for Dominion Virginia Power's  coal-fired Mount Storm Generating Station, actually located in Bismarck) to send the generated power to market on the PJM Interconnection grid).

On my way west, I stopped at the Sheetz in Haymarket, Virginia at the intersection of U.S. 15 and VA-55 and ordered an MTO.  I got to talking with another customer, and it turned out that he had an interest in Corridor H for reasons not clear to me, and was especially interested in the missing sections between Kerens and Davis, and  between Wardensville and I-81.  He felt that Corridor H should be re-routed to have a straight connection to I-81 at the I-66 interchange - I told him I was not aware of any discussion in Virginia to change the routing, though it might be possible, since there has been no preliminary engineering done for Corridor H in Virginia.
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

hbelkins

If Virginia ever does decide to build its portion of Corridor H and ties it in to I-81 at the end of I-66, that might provide the opportunity to do away with the left lane merge for southbound I-81 traffic.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

oscar

Quote from: cpzilliacus on February 23, 2017, 01:07:53 AM
(1) I saw no U.S. 48 shields between Buckhannon and Davis.  Not one, not on western Corridor H, not on U.S. 219, not on WV-32.  The first one eastbound is a short distance after the western end of eastern Corridor H near WV-32, after a new BYS that warns of possible foggy conditions for the next 15 miles east of WV-32.

How close was that first US 48 sign to the WV 32 junction? Also, is there still WV 93 (co-)signage all the way to WV 32?
my Hot Springs and Highways pages, with links to my roads sites:
http://www.alaskaroads.com/home.html

Bitmapped

Quote from: oscar on February 23, 2017, 03:08:47 PM
Quote from: cpzilliacus on February 23, 2017, 01:07:53 AM
(1) I saw no U.S. 48 shields between Buckhannon and Davis.  Not one, not on western Corridor H, not on U.S. 219, not on WV-32.  The first one eastbound is a short distance after the western end of eastern Corridor H near WV-32, after a new BYS that warns of possible foggy conditions for the next 15 miles east of WV-32.

How close was that first US 48 sign to the WV 32 junction? Also, is there still WV 93 (co-)signage all the way to WV 32?

The signage is by where the 4-lane part starts. WV 93 is still co-signed the entire way.

cpzilliacus

Quote from: oscar on February 23, 2017, 03:08:47 PM
Quote from: cpzilliacus on February 23, 2017, 01:07:53 AM
(1) I saw no U.S. 48 shields between Buckhannon and Davis.  Not one, not on western Corridor H, not on U.S. 219, not on WV-32.  The first one eastbound is a short distance after the western end of eastern Corridor H near WV-32, after a new BYS that warns of possible foggy conditions for the next 15 miles east of WV-32.

How close was that first US 48 sign to the WV 32 junction? Also, is there still WV 93 (co-)signage all the way to WV 32?

Bitmapped has it right.

I will add that there are no signs at all for U.S. 48 on WV-32 approaching the intersection at WV-93 (and presumably U.S. 48).  At least not yet.  WV-93 used to have a street name of Synergy Highway, and before that (at least in Grant County), Power Station Highway or Power Plant Highway
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

Bitmapped

The installed signage on the 4-lane part was done as part of the construction contract for the 4-lane section. The signage on I-79 was done by the I-79 maintenance crew. The regular DOH county maintenance crews haven't installed anything on their own.

The installed signage on Corridor H westbound as of the earlier this month was that US 48 westbound ended at the end of the 4-lane section.

hbelkins

Perhaps someone should contact WVDOH, cite the correspondence from the legislator that was posted somewhere in this thread, and ask about the status of the signing of US 48 between Weston and Davis.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

noelbotevera

Some questions before I start traversing Corridor H next month:

1. So Corridor H has a gap between Kerens and Davis, am I correct? (used GMaps to plot my course, and it doesn't clearly show Corridor H ending there)
   1a. If so, do I use WV 32 and US 219 to bridge the gap?

2. Am I forced onto WV 93 at the end of the four lane section of US 48?

3. Where's the end of Corridor H? Is it at I-79, or is it at US 19 at Weston? (Wikipedia lists it at I-79, but I'm skeptical)

4. At this point in GMaps, directions tell me to fork right onto WV 93? Is it outdated and I can continue on the four lane section (where what's actually mapped) or is the written directions right?

hbelkins

Quote from: noelbotevera on February 24, 2017, 04:30:27 PM
Some questions before I start traversing Corridor H next month:

1. So Corridor H has a gap between Kerens and Davis, am I correct? (used GMaps to plot my course, and it doesn't clearly show Corridor H ending there)
   1a. If so, do I use WV 32 and US 219 to bridge the gap?

Yes. Turn right at the end of WV 93, go through the town of Thomas (WV 32 has an interesting one-way split there) and then left onto US 219 south. In the alternative, you can turn left onto WV 32 and follow it until it ends at US 33, then turn right and take that route to Elkins. However, by doing this, you will miss the US 219 portion of Corridor H between Kerens and Elkins. Time- and distance-wise, the US 219 and US 33 routings are roughly equal.

Quote2. Am I forced onto WV 93 at the end of the four lane section of US 48?

Yes.

Quote3. Where's the end of Corridor H? Is it at I-79, or is it at US 19 at Weston? (Wikipedia lists it at I-79, but I'm skeptical)

It's at I-79. There is a 0 mile marker on the west side of I-79

Quote4. At this point in GMaps, directions tell me to fork right onto WV 93? Is it outdated and I can continue on the four lane section (where what's actually mapped) or is the written directions right?

Stay on the four-lane for as far as it is open.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

cpzilliacus

#937
Quote from: hbelkins on February 23, 2017, 02:45:38 PM
If Virginia ever does decide to build its portion of Corridor H and ties it in to I-81 at the end of I-66, that might provide the opportunity to do away with the left lane merge for southbound I-81 traffic.

That interchange is the way that VDH used to design them back in the 1960's and before (no inhibition about using left-side exits and entrances on freeways) - except that this was built and opened to traffic in the early 1980's. Getting rid of that left-side merge for the movement from I-66 westbound to I-81 southbound would seem like a great idea.

But looking at Google aerials, it appears that a road west of the I-66/I-81 interchange would have to pass through or around a large rock mining operation, which might not be feasible.
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

froggie

Given a lengthy mining operation, plus the location of Ceder Creek, north of Strasburg (running from Exit 298 to northwest of Middletown), a direct Corridor H connection to the I-66/I-81 interchange is no longer feasible.  What would be feasible is a straighter connection between US 48/VA 55 and I-81, meeting at the curve on I-81 just northeast of their existing interchange.  Widening I-81 between Corridor H and I-66 could be tied into such a project, and would reduce the need to rebuilt the 66/81 interchange to address the merging.

Bitmapped

I drove Corridor H westbound between Elkins and Weston last night. US 48 is now consistently signed between Buckhannon and Weston. They just mounted US 48 shields below the existing US 33 shields on reassurance assemblies, so they're a bit low. There is a "End US 48" mini-BGS just before the I-79 interchange.

cpzilliacus

Quote from: Bitmapped on February 26, 2017, 09:55:09 AM
I drove Corridor H westbound between Elkins and Weston last night. US 48 is now consistently signed between Buckhannon and Weston. They just mounted US 48 shields below the existing US 33 shields on reassurance assemblies, so they're a bit low. There is a "End US 48" mini-BGS just before the I-79 interchange.

Thanks for the report.  Of course, this is the only part of Corridor H that I did not drive (eastbound) last week.
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

cpzilliacus

Quote from: froggie on February 26, 2017, 08:25:17 AM
Given a lengthy mining operation, plus the location of Ceder Creek, north of Strasburg (running from Exit 298 to northwest of Middletown), a direct Corridor H connection to the I-66/I-81 interchange is no longer feasible.

Unfortunately, I agree.  Of course, it could be done, but I suspect it would be extremely expensive.

Quote from: froggie on February 26, 2017, 08:25:17 AM
What would be feasible is a straighter connection between US 48/VA 55 and I-81, meeting at the curve on I-81 just northeast of their existing interchange.  Widening I-81 between Corridor H and I-66 could be tied into such a project, and would reduce the need to rebuilt the 66/81 interchange to address the merging.

The current I-81 Exit 296 (VA-55/U.S. 48 at Strasburg) diamond interchange  has outlived its usefulness, and something needs to be done there (even without increased Corridor H traffic volumes).  Your idea certainly has merit, though most of the 325 miles of I-81 in the Commonwealth (not just around I-66) needs to be widened.
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

AlexandriaVA

Figured this is one of the more relevant places to put this article. Budget proposals always undergo significant changes, but interesting to see the proposed elimination of funding to the ARC.


"Trump's federal budget would eliminate dozens of agencies and programs"

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/03/16/what-does-trump-budget-eliminate/99223182/

QuoteWASHINGTON – President Trump's proposed budget takes a cleaver to domestic programs, with many agencies taking percentage spending cuts in the double digits.

But for dozens of smaller agencies and programs, the cut is 100%.

QuoteAppalachian Regional Commission ($119 million): A 52-year-old agency focused on economic growth in 420 counties.

seicer

The same folks who voted him in (much of Appalachia went to Trump) are now seeing the effects of the elimination of the very programs and funding mechanisms that have made modern life somewhat possible.

I suspect it is because so many have long been disconnected with how their daily life has been impacted by government programs like the ARC. I know that, after reading some of those newspaper commentary at a newspaper in Kentucky, that many do not even realize that those four-lane (and improved two-lane) routes they take for granted were built with ARC funding as part of the ARC corridor program. And in many rural towns, they wouldn't have modern sewage treatment plants (versus straight pipes into creeks) without the ARC. Or hospitals, many of which are funded by the ARC.

What's that term I'm looking for here... shooting yourself in the foot?

hbelkins

There's probably been quite a bit of bureaucracy bloat in the ARC, as well as an illogical expansion of the territory covered.

Edmonson, Hart and Green counties in Kentucky are NOT part of Appalachia.

https://www.arc.gov/images/appregion/AppalachianRegionCountiesMap.pdf


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

AlexandriaVA

Quote from: hbelkins on March 16, 2017, 11:48:08 AM
There's probably been quite a bit of bureaucracy bloat in the ARC, as well as an illogical expansion of the territory covered.

The "bloat" and "expansion" were almost certaintly intentional at their times in order to spread more money around for spending in the area (e.g. a commissioner getting jobs for his family members, etc).

seicer

I would agree on that. I recall coming upon an article about the ARC expansion into fringe Appalachian counties. But, in this instance, $400,000 was recently spent to expand water lines in Edmonson, along with expanding broadband internet. Money from the ARC is being spent there, just out of a different pot.

AlexandriaVA

Essential Air Service (subisidized flights) and Amtrak long-distance routes (subsidized rail) are also on the chopping block, would also affect Appalachia.

froggie

Eliminating (or defunding) ARC wouldn't have an impact on the highway corridors, as dedicated funding for Corridor H and the other remaining corridors was already dropped (in MAP-21 IIRC).  While the states involved can fully fund ARC highway corridor projects with Federal funding (i.e. no longer need a state/local match), those Federal funds come from their normal FHWA allotments now.

hbelkins

Quote from: Sherman Cahal on March 16, 2017, 12:20:54 PM
I would agree on that. I recall coming upon an article about the ARC expansion into fringe Appalachian counties. But, in this instance, $400,000 was recently spent to expand water lines in Edmonson, along with expanding broadband internet. Money from the ARC is being spent there, just out of a different pot.

The original boundaries of the ARC included all the Appalachian counties, plus the bordering counties. That's how counties like Clark and Madison, which do have some hilly to mountainous terrain but aren't really thought of as Appalachia, got included in the original territory.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.



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