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Author Topic: Corridor H  (Read 564914 times)

Bitmapped

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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1225 on: February 25, 2021, 04:42:57 PM »

https://www.wsaz.com/2021/02/24/bid-award-for-paving-work-on-the-section-of-corridor-h-approved/

Asphalt paving though, unlike the other construction east of Elkins which has been full-width concrete. (East Moorefield to Baker is asphalt, as is a short part at the Patterson Creek Road intersection.)
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seicer

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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1226 on: February 25, 2021, 10:35:53 PM »

^ I wonder if it's directly attributable to cost?

Also interesting to note - why is $1 billion in construction left remaining? After the Karens-Parsons section opens, the only portions left in West Virginia is the Parsons-Davis segment and the Wardenville-Virginia state line segment.

cl94

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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1227 on: February 25, 2021, 11:18:23 PM »

The $1.1 billion includes all remaining work. I honestly wouldn't be shocked if Montrose-Davis runs over $700 million given the amount of earthwork that will be required. It's the last section to be built entirely within WV for a reason.
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sparker

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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1228 on: February 26, 2021, 08:45:29 PM »

https://www.wsaz.com/2021/02/24/bid-award-for-paving-work-on-the-section-of-corridor-h-approved/



Of course it's an expensive stretch of road -- just look at the decidedly heroic construction effort in the accompanying picture.  Kinda reminds me of the last section of I-5 in the Sacramento River Canyon that opened back in '92 -- lots of cuts and canyon bridging. 
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cpzilliacus

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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1229 on: March 01, 2021, 01:54:14 PM »

The $1.1 billion includes all remaining work. I honestly wouldn't be shocked if Montrose-Davis runs over $700 million given the amount of earthwork that will be required. It's the last section to be built entirely within WV for a reason.

It also had the most environmental issues, at least in West Virginia (not sure if there are any significant environmental concerns in Virginia, since I am not aware of a DEIS has been prepared for that part of the route). 

I believe the biggest issue for federal environmental regulators was the impact on the West Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus fuscus) [was listed as an endangered species but has now recovered enough to be proposed for de-listing] between Parsons and Davis. 
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Dirt Roads

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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1230 on: March 01, 2021, 05:12:47 PM »

I believe the biggest issue for federal environmental regulators was the impact on the West Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus fuscus) [was listed as an endangered species but has now recovered enough to be proposed for de-listing] between Parsons and Davis.

These are the only species of flying squirrels in North America.  On my first project in the Youghiogheny Gorge in Southwestern Pennsylvania, the railroad signal maintainer had me look at the top of an ancient cedar telephone pole (installed by Western Union telegraph in the late 1800s or early 1900s).  He gave the pole a swift thump, and a flying squirrel popped out and flew down to a tree along the river.  I ended up inheriting that territory when I got promoted.
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sparker

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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1231 on: March 02, 2021, 12:58:17 AM »

I believe the biggest issue for federal environmental regulators was the impact on the West Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus fuscus) [was listed as an endangered species but has now recovered enough to be proposed for de-listing] between Parsons and Davis.

These are the only species of flying squirrels in North America.  On my first project in the Youghiogheny Gorge in Southwestern Pennsylvania, the railroad signal maintainer had me look at the top of an ancient cedar telephone pole (installed by Western Union telegraph in the late 1800s or early 1900s).  He gave the pole a swift thump, and a flying squirrel popped out and flew down to a tree along the river.  I ended up inheriting that territory when I got promoted.

Any moose been spotted in the area? :-P
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VTGoose

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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1232 on: March 02, 2021, 08:56:11 AM »

I believe the biggest issue for federal environmental regulators was the impact on the West Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus fuscus) [was listed as an endangered species but has now recovered enough to be proposed for de-listing] between Parsons and Davis.

These are the only species of flying squirrels in North America.  On my first project in the Youghiogheny Gorge in Southwestern Pennsylvania, the railroad signal maintainer had me look at the top of an ancient cedar telephone pole (installed by Western Union telegraph in the late 1800s or early 1900s).  He gave the pole a swift thump, and a flying squirrel popped out and flew down to a tree along the river.  I ended up inheriting that territory when I got promoted.

Any moose been spotted in the area? :-P

Or a shady Russian couple?
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Dirt Roads

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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1233 on: March 02, 2021, 10:30:37 AM »

I believe the biggest issue for federal environmental regulators was the impact on the West Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus fuscus) [was listed as an endangered species but has now recovered enough to be proposed for de-listing] between Parsons and Davis.

These are the only species of flying squirrels in North America.  On my first project in the Youghiogheny Gorge in Southwestern Pennsylvania, the railroad signal maintainer had me look at the top of an ancient cedar telephone pole (installed by Western Union telegraph in the late 1800s or early 1900s).  He gave the pole a swift thump, and a flying squirrel popped out and flew down to a tree along the river.  I ended up inheriting that territory when I got promoted.

Any moose been spotted in the area? :-P

Or a shady Russian couple?

Ve have vays ov making yoo talk.
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cpzilliacus

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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1234 on: March 03, 2021, 05:32:12 PM »

I believe the biggest issue for federal environmental regulators was the impact on the West Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus fuscus) [was listed as an endangered species but has now recovered enough to be proposed for de-listing] between Parsons and Davis.

These are the only species of flying squirrels in North America.  On my first project in the Youghiogheny Gorge in Southwestern Pennsylvania, the railroad signal maintainer had me look at the top of an ancient cedar telephone pole (installed by Western Union telegraph in the late 1800s or early 1900s).  He gave the pole a swift thump, and a flying squirrel popped out and flew down to a tree along the river.  I ended up inheriting that territory when I got promoted.

Any moose been spotted in the area? :-P

Not aware of any in West Virginia. And these flying squirrels, if they talk, probably do so with a West Virginia accent, not the perky Mid-America English spoken by the resident flying squirrel of Frostbite Falls.
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cl94

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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1235 on: March 03, 2021, 06:33:44 PM »

The $1.1 billion includes all remaining work. I honestly wouldn't be shocked if Montrose-Davis runs over $700 million given the amount of earthwork that will be required. It's the last section to be built entirely within WV for a reason.

It also had the most environmental issues, at least in West Virginia (not sure if there are any significant environmental concerns in Virginia, since I am not aware of a DEIS has been prepared for that part of the route). 

I believe the biggest issue for federal environmental regulators was the impact on the West Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus fuscus) [was listed as an endangered species but has now recovered enough to be proposed for de-listing] between Parsons and Davis.

That sounds awfully familiar. I-781 north of Watertown, NY was held up for quite some time over Indiana bats, which had summer nests in the area. NYSDOT and the Army were able to get a waiver to allow for a narrower ROW, clear zone, and shoulders.
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Dirt Roads

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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1236 on: March 03, 2021, 08:01:14 PM »

Any moose been spotted in the area? :-P

Not aware of any in West Virginia. And these flying squirrels, if they talk, probably do so with a West Virginia accent, not the perky Mid-America English spoken by the resident flying squirrel of Frostbite Falls.

You mean flying squirrels with West Virginia dialect.  We've got a bunch of different accents in West Virginia, but only the one dialect.  Yet almost everybody in North America still knows what I mean when I say something about "scootching over thar on your haunches".
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cpzilliacus

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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1237 on: June 12, 2021, 07:06:43 PM »

WTOP Radio: Montgomery County graduates killed in W.Va. crash identified

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Two recent Montgomery County, Maryland, graduates were killed and two others were seriously injured in a crash in West Virginia on Wednesday night.

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Camelle Gagne, 18, of Kensington, and Jaidon Smith, 18, of Silver Spring, died when the car Gagne was driving went off the road and over an embankment on Route 48 between Baker and Moorefield, in Hardy County, at about 7 p.m. Wednesday, the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office said.

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Walter Johnson High School Principal Jennifer Baker posted a message to the school community saying, “Our hearts are broken, and our thoughts go out to the parents, siblings, friends and other family members who have suffered this great loss.”  She did not identify the students.
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cpzilliacus

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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1238 on: July 26, 2021, 03:21:55 PM »

Took a trip out U.S. 48 from I-81 this weekend, and can share some observations:

1. The old and deficient bridge over Waites Run east of  Wardensville on U.S. 48/WV-55 has been replaced or had a deck replacement.  Image of the old bridge here.

2. There's a sign at the South Branch of the Potomac River (west of U.S. 220) that informs drivers of that - previously there was just the name of the person for whom the bridge is named.
 
3.  At the Grant County/Tucker County border west of DVP's Mount Storm Generating Station, there is a new Eastern Continental Divide sign.

4.  Along the Corridor H "gap" between Davis and Kerens, there are new, small blue Corridor H trailblazer signs next to or under the U.S. 48 shields.

5.  Progress has been made on the section of Corridor H between Kerens and Parsons.  The piers for the new bridge over old U.S. 219 and Haddix Run are nearly complete but the stringers have not been placed yet.  This might be the tallest bridge on Corridor H so far (maybe even higher than the one over the Lost River in Hardy County).

6.  Many of the buttoncopy signs on Corridor H near Buckhannon seem to be gone. 
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jmacswimmer

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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1239 on: July 26, 2021, 03:57:36 PM »

1. The old and deficient bridge over Waites Run east of  Wardensville on U.S. 48/WV-55 has been replaced or had a deck replacement.  Image of the old bridge here.

I believe it was a full replacement - I drove Corridor H in June 2020 and at the time there was a one-lane cattle chute (controlled by temporary signals) over a bailey bridge to the immediate north.  (And IIRC, on that date the old bridge was completely gone & new bridge not yet started, leaving nothing but a ravine next to the bailey bridge.)
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Bitmapped

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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1240 on: July 26, 2021, 04:03:40 PM »

Took a trip out U.S. 48 from I-81 this weekend, and can share some observations:
4.  Along the Corridor H "gap" between Davis and Kerens, there are new, small blue Corridor H trailblazer signs next to or under the U.S. 48 shields.
There are actually some signs of this style on WV 32 south of Davis as well. I'm not sure why they didn't use standard To US 48 signage.

6.  Many of the buttoncopy signs on Corridor H near Buckhannon seem to be gone. 
There has been a big signage replacement project from Elkins to Weston. (Maybe all the way to Kerens, but haven't been up there recently to see.) A lot of the signage east of Buckhannon dated from when that section opened in the 1990s and the ground-mounted signage lost its reflectivity years ago. This project has been long needed.
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hbelkins

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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1241 on: July 26, 2021, 09:17:03 PM »

I remember that bridge east of Wardensville being under construction during the virtual Corridor H road meet/tour.

Were the new signs near Buckhannon in Clearview?
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cpzilliacus

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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1242 on: July 26, 2021, 10:24:57 PM »

I remember that bridge east of Wardensville being under construction during the virtual Corridor H road meet/tour.

Were the new signs near Buckhannon in Clearview?

I did not notice and I apologize for that - beyond the signs, it seems like there were many more signs on Corridor H approaching the interchange at U.S. 119 N and WV-20 in the past than there are now.  Not sure why they went away.
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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1243 on: July 29, 2021, 02:42:47 PM »

Hopefully a fully-completed Corridor H will be a major boon for the state of West Virginia. After all, the Corridor H proposal does date back to 1965.
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cpzilliacus

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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1244 on: July 29, 2021, 05:16:50 PM »

Hopefully a fully-completed Corridor H will be a major boon for the state of West Virginia. After all, the Corridor H proposal does date back to 1965.

The corridors are not the same, but I think it is worthwhile to look at U.S. 19 (Corridor L).

Much of the area around there (consider U.S. 60 as an example) is very obviously economically depressed, with many abandoned storefronts in the small towns.  Another example about 16 or 17 miles to the east is Camden-on-Gauley along WV-20, where almost everything seems to be abandoned.

Then look at Corridor L - there appears to be plenty of economic activity there, much probably oriented toward the traffic that uses U.S. 19 to travel between Beckley and I-79. 

Will Corridor H look like Corridor L when it is complete from I-79 to I-81?  No idea.  When will that be complete?  No idea.

And I am not sure when Virginia will do preliminary engineering and planning for the part of Corridor H that is in the Commonwealth. 
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sparker

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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1245 on: July 29, 2021, 05:30:44 PM »

Hopefully a fully-completed Corridor H will be a major boon for the state of West Virginia. After all, the Corridor H proposal does date back to 1965.

The corridors are not the same, but I think it is worthwhile to look at U.S. 19 (Corridor L).

Much of the area around there (consider U.S. 60 as an example) is very obviously economically depressed, with many abandoned storefronts in the small towns.  Another example about 16 or 17 miles to the east is Camden-on-Gauley along WV-20, where almost everything seems to be abandoned.

Then look at Corridor L - there appears to be plenty of economic activity there, much probably oriented toward the traffic that uses U.S. 19 to travel between Beckley and I-79. 

Will Corridor H look like Corridor L when it is complete from I-79 to I-81?  No idea.  When will that be complete?  No idea.

And I am not sure when Virginia will do preliminary engineering and planning for the part of Corridor H that is in the Commonwealth. 

Aside from lip service, has VDOT, or any state functionaries for that matter, even expressed a genuine interest in completing their share of Corridor H to at least ARC expressway standards (as per WV sections)?  Of course it would be nice to see the interchange with I-81 upgraded as well, but I suppose one will take what one can get! 
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ARMOURERERIC

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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1246 on: July 29, 2021, 09:26:04 PM »

Are there any other states beside VA and WVA even involved at this point.
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sprjus4

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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1247 on: July 29, 2021, 09:34:09 PM »

Are there any other states beside VA and WVA even involved at this point.
Given Corridor H is to only be built in Virginia and West Virginia, I’d say no.
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hbelkins

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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1248 on: July 29, 2021, 11:03:28 PM »

The older section of Corridor H only passes near two towns, Weston and Buckhannon. At Weston, the I-79 exit is a couple of miles out of downtown, but plenty of businesses have sprung up near the exit (there are at least three hotels, a Walmart, a strip mall, a Sheetz and at least one other convenience store, which I think is a BFS, and there are various fast-food places near the interchange and along the route into downtown. There's been some growth near the corridor at Buckhannon (a Walmart and some outlying stores, a newer Sheetz, a couple of hotels, a Dollar Tree, and a Lowe's) as the four-lane passes very near the downtown area. The corridor really doesn't come that close to Elkins, and all of the major development is on the south side of town.

Beyond that, along the newer sections, the route really doesn't pass near any towns to provide them a boost. There's been some growth at the exit at Moorefield (a Sheetz, a McDonald's, and a few other places) but the road won't really come all that close to Parsons or Wardensville. Thomas and Davis seem to be propped up by ski areas and Blackwater Falls visitors, so it's doubtful those two small towns will get a boom.

Along Corridor L, it's fairly built up between Beckley and Fayetteville, but Summersville is the only other place along the route that has significant commerce, and a lot of that is probably tourism-based as well.

Corridor D is desolate (although there's been a few surprising businesses pop up at the Harrisville/Ellenboro exit) and Corridor Q serves two towns (Princeton and Bluefield) that were already well-established.
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Re: Corridor H
« Reply #1249 on: July 30, 2021, 09:05:18 AM »

There is WAY more to the Corridor system than fast food and gas stations.  The idea of the system was two-fold.  To allow those in these remote areas access to things like proper education, health care, services, a basic life really, which the remoteness had denied them; and then to open these regions up to development.  Gas stations and the like are just side effects. 

Like all government programs, some have worked, some have not.  D, in WV, has failed totally, because no body lived in those places in the first place and there is no economic potential in that topography (other than oil and gas, which were going to be developed regardless of the roads situation).  Others, like B or D in Ohio, or G, or the parts of Q that are finished, and certainly L, have worked spectacularly. 

As to H, the economic potential that that region is just HUGE.  When finished (and remember WV gave the money to build almost 50% of the road back under Rockefailure in the 1970s) the region will boom.
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