Corridor H

[cpzilliacus]

- they're looking to do the Wardensville section next probably at least in part because it is less mired by environmental concerns and therefore easier to get moving. Perhaps also in part on account of traffic counts on the existing road being higher over there (at least they seemed to be, anecdotally, from the meet tour).

I believe there may be another reason why  they  may have moved the  segment from  Wardensville to state line at the crest of North Mountain up.  This posted bridge over Waites Run, a tributary stream of the Cacapon River (itself a tributary of the Potomac River).  The weight limits are not all that low, but a posted bridge tends to imply a bridge that has structural problems, and I am fairly confident that if DOH can avoid having to spend resources repairing this old bridge by bypassing it with Corridor H on a new alignment, they would rather do that (there is a bypass route now via County Route 5, but I don't think it is especially appropriate for heavy commercial vehicles).

IIRC, the settlement of the Corridor H lawsuit said that WVDOT/DOH could not break ground on the segment east of Wardensville until 2020, but that is not that far off now.

[Bitmapped]

If you go through WVDOH's STIP, they have two more phases (US 219 S to WV 72 N and WV 72 N to US 219 N) around Parsons programmed in the next 3 years or so. I believe design is basically done on these segments already.

The section between Parsons and Davis has always been further down on the priority list. The thing about the flying squirrel isn't new.

[cpzilliacus]

If you go through WVDOH's STIP, they have two more phases (US 219 S to WV 72 N and WV 72 N to US 219 N) around Parsons programmed in the next 3 years or so. I believe design is basically done on these segments already.

The section between Parsons and Davis has always been further down on the priority list. The thing about the flying squirrel isn't new.

Is the West Virginia STIP online?

Can you tell me where?

[Bitmapped]

If you go through WVDOH's STIP, they have two more phases (US 219 S to WV 72 N and WV 72 N to US 219 N) around Parsons programmed in the next 3 years or so. I believe design is basically done on these segments already.

The section between Parsons and Davis has always been further down on the priority list. The thing about the flying squirrel isn't new.

Is the West Virginia STIP online?

Can you tell me where?

As found by Google: http://www.transportation.wv.gov/highways/programplanning/STIP/Pages/default.aspx

All of the Kerens-Parsons segments are listed under Randolph County even though some are entirely in Tucker County. Paving for the last section from WV 72 N to US 219 N has an obligation date of 10/28/2020 so I imagine it'll be done late 2021.

[Bitmapped]

- they're looking to do the Wardensville section next probably at least in part because it is less mired by environmental concerns and therefore easier to get moving. Perhaps also in part on account of traffic counts on the existing road being higher over there (at least they seemed to be, anecdotally, from the meet tour).

I believe there may be another reason why  they  may have moved the  segment from  Wardensville to state line at the crest of North Mountain up.  This posted bridge over Waites Run, a tributary stream of the Cacapon River (itself a tributary of the Potomac River).  The weight limits are not all that low, but a posted bridge tends to imply a bridge that has structural problems, and I am fairly confident that if DOH can avoid having to spend resources repairing this old bridge by bypassing it with Corridor H on a new alignment, they would rather do that (there is a bypass route now via County Route 5, but I don't think it is especially appropriate for heavy commercial vehicles).

WVDOH also has a project to replace the Waites Run Bridge programmed for construction with a 10/28/2017 obligation date in the STIP. See http://www.transportation.wv.gov/highways/programplanning/STIP/Documents/Stip_16_21/App_A.pdf

[Bitmapped]

I drove US 219 from Parsons to south of Kerens today. I didn't see any signs of construction for Corridor H.

[cpzilliacus]

I drove US 219 from Parsons to south of Kerens today. I didn't see any signs of construction for Corridor H.

In Kerens, when you entered the western part of Corridor H from U.S. 219 southbound after going under the pair of completed (but never used for traffic) bridges that will carry Corridor H over Lazy Run (ultimately a tributary  of the Tygart Valley River), had you looked back to the place where the pavement ends, you would have seen that the vegetation had been cleared away  where the  rock will be removed to provide a roadbed for Corridor H.

H.B. Elkins suggested (and I agree with  him) that the contractor may not be allowed to do some work during certain times of the year due to impacts on wildlife and the environment. 

[hbelkins]

H.B. Elkins suggested (and I agree with  him) that the contractor may not be allowed to do some work during certain times of the year due to impacts on wildlife and the environment.

Bat habitat. It's why most clearing and grubbing on projects in my area occurs during the winter months. Wouldn't be surprised if that was not the case in West Virginia as well.

[cl94]

H.B. Elkins suggested (and I agree with  him) that the contractor may not be allowed to do some work during certain times of the year due to impacts on wildlife and the environment.

Bat habitat. It's why most clearing and grubbing on projects in my area occurs during the winter months. Wouldn't be surprised if that was not the case in West Virginia as well.

That has been the case in a few projects up here as well, notably I-781. Bats delayed initial preparation quite a bit for that one.

[Bitmapped]

I drove US 219 from Parsons to south of Kerens today. I didn't see any signs of construction for Corridor H.

In Kerens, when you entered the western part of Corridor H from U.S. 219 southbound after going under the pair of completed (but never used for traffic) bridges that will carry Corridor H over Lazy Run (ultimately a tributary  of the Tygart Valley River), had you looked back to the place where the pavement ends, you would have seen that the vegetation had been cleared away  where the  rock will be removed to provide a roadbed for Corridor H.

H.B. Elkins suggested (and I agree with  him) that the contractor may not be allowed to do some work during certain times of the year due to impacts on wildlife and the environment. 

I took US 219 northbound from Gilman to the end of the section at Kerens. I don't recall the end looking any different than when I've driven here previously. It didn't look markedly different than GMSV's imagery. It's possible there may have been some minor clearing of trees (I'm not really sure) but there was definitely no earthmoving or signs of ongoing activity.

[codyg1985]

H.B. Elkins suggested (and I agree with  him) that the contractor may not be allowed to do some work during certain times of the year due to impacts on wildlife and the environment.

Bat habitat. It's why most clearing and grubbing on projects in my area occurs during the winter months. Wouldn't be surprised if that was not the case in West Virginia as well.

That has actually impacted something I am working at my job. Can't do tree trimming without a pricey bat survey during the summer months.

[froggie]

Regarding signing US 48 continuously, this news article from last week mentions it and also notes that there were 6 other state legislators (besides Del. Howell) involved in it.

[The Ghostbuster]

Does anyone know what impacts the construction of US 48 (Corridor H) has had on reducing traffic counts on surrounding routes?

[hbelkins]

Does anyone know what impacts the construction of US 48 (Corridor H) has had on reducing traffic counts on surrounding routes?

I would guess that the truly parallel routes that have been bypassed (old US 33 between Buckhannon and Elkins, old US 219 between Elkins and Kerens, WV 42/93 between Bismarck and Scherr, and WV 55 between Moorefield and Wardensville) have seen traffic reduced to local traffic only. Keep in mind that most of the construction between the WV 93 connector west of Greenland Gap and Moorefield is totally new alignment and doesn't really supplant or replace an existing route.

I'm not sure what route US 33/119 took between I-79 at Weston and Buckhannon.

[seicer]

It's a variety of county routes now, HB. US 33 was formerly routed on 33/1 and 33/3 east of I-79 at Weston, the westbound lanes of US 33 up Stonecoal Creek, CR 12 west of Buckhannon and CR 151 east of Buckhannon. I've driven all of CR 151 and it's a low traffic route but with shoulders in many areas and grassy berms in others - just like most upgraded West Virginia routes.

[cpzilliacus]

It's a variety of county routes now, HB. US 33 was formerly routed on 33/1 and 33/3 east of I-79 at Weston, the westbound lanes of US 33 up Stonecoal Creek, CR 12 west of Buckhannon and CR 151 east of Buckhannon. I've driven all of CR 151 and it's a low traffic route but with shoulders in many areas and grassy berms in others - just like most upgraded West Virginia routes.

It seems that parts of Corridor H between I-79 at Weston and Buckhannon might have been constructed "VDOT-style," taking an older two-lane arterial in one direction, and building a modern one-way roadway on the opposing side. 

Is it possible that the westbound lanes of present-day Corridor H are (at least in part) the former U.S. 33?  In particular here along Stone Coal Creek.

[seicer]

It is. The original lanes (westbound) had two lanes east and one lane west at Stone Coal Creek due to the grade.

[VTGoose]

I'm not sure what route US 33/119 took between I-79 at Weston and Buckhannon.

The four-lane pretty much follows the original highway, in some places the westbound lane is the original road location. In some places, both lanes are on a new location to straighten some curves. The new highway now runs north of downtown Buchannon and continues east on a totally new alignment. Just outside Buchannon, the original road is now "Old Weston Road"/"Buchannon Mountain Road"/WV 12. There is a section just east of I-79 that is named "Old US 33" and tagged CR 33/1.

East out of Buchannon, the original U.S 33 is now WV 155 and it runs southeast of the new road, finally joining it just south of where U.S. 250 splits away from 33.

Bruce in Blacksburg

[Bitmapped]

East out of Buchannon, the original U.S 33 is now WV 155 and it runs southeast of the new road, finally joining it just south of where U.S. 250 splits away from 33.

CR 151, actually.

[seicer]

Correct - I didn't zoom in far enough to see the number.

[CVski]

Paving of the two westbound lanes for the 7.4 mile segment under construction east of Davis was nearly completed this week.   1.4 of those miles were poured just between Monday afternoon and today, from the Beaver Creek bridge/Rubenstein entrance to the merge point one mile east of Davis.   Two heavy paving machines, each capable of pouring two lanes at a time, were in place on Monday but both were gone by today. 

For roughly the easternmost half of that 7.4 mile WB segment, both shoulders have also been poured, with the only remaining work appearing to be guardrails, pylons, signage, and lane painting.   The western half still needs both full shoulders to be poured, some minor gravel edging, and the aforementioned items.  In two or three locations, short concrete gaps still exist all the way across, but these are collectively only a couple hundred linear feet in length.   

The entrance to the Mettiki mine is roughly the halfway point of the 7.4 mile segment.

A lot of progress has been made in just a few short weeks.
 

9/16 Update:

Pylons and lane painting appear to be are all that's left for the eastern half of the 7.4 mile WB segment.  Just west of the Mettiki mine, a support truck and crew were unloading guardrails and associated hardware.   The grass seed and straw blowing crews were nearly finished.  The only concrete to be poured was the last 200' nearest SR 32 where the 4 lanes will merge back to 2. 

Spoke to a flaglady who thought there may still be "a couple of months" to go.

Feels like it might be a bit sooner.

[cpzilliacus]

9/16 Update:

Pylons and lane painting appear to be are all that's left for the eastern half of the 7.4 mile WB segment.  Just west of the Mettiki mine, a support truck and crew were unloading guardrails and associated hardware.   The grass seed and straw blowing crews were nearly finished.  The only concrete to be poured was the last 200' nearest SR 32 where the 4 lanes will merge back to 2. 

Spoke to a flaglady who thought there may still be "a couple of months" to go.

Feels like it might be a bit sooner.

Does the construction season have a "couple of months" left in that area at those elevations?

[hbelkins]

9/16 Update:

Pylons and lane painting appear to be are all that's left for the eastern half of the 7.4 mile WB segment.  Just west of the Mettiki mine, a support truck and crew were unloading guardrails and associated hardware.   The grass seed and straw blowing crews were nearly finished.  The only concrete to be poured was the last 200' nearest SR 32 where the 4 lanes will merge back to 2. 

Spoke to a flaglady who thought there may still be "a couple of months" to go.

Feels like it might be a bit sooner.

Does the construction season have a "couple of months" left in that area at those elevations?

That would be mid-November, which shouldn't be an issue for things that aren't warm-weather sensitive like asphalt paving.

[cpzilliacus]

That would be mid-November, which shouldn't be an issue for things that aren't warm-weather sensitive like asphalt paving.

I think (for reasons not clear to me, perhaps that's what the contractors bid) all of this part of Corridor H (roughly the end of the east section near Davis to the bridge over the South Branch of the Potomac River) near Moorefield is concrete based on portland cement. 

[CVski]

That would be mid-November, which shouldn't be an issue for things that aren't warm-weather sensitive like asphalt paving.

I think (for reasons not clear to me, perhaps that's what the contractors bid) all of this part of Corridor H (roughly the end of the east section near Davis to the bridge over the South Branch of the Potomac River) near Moorefield is concrete based on portland cement. 

You are correct, all concrete.  Interestingly, asphalt resurfacing is now being applied in the Baker area, on the bridge crossing the Lost River.  IIRC, this area was among the first completed segments of Eastern H, original pavement laid down circa 2002.