New WV 9 near Charles Town to open November 2

[Bitmapped]

WVDOH will open the new 4-lane section of WV 9 between the US 340 Charles Town bypass and the Virginia state line on Friday.  This project is probably the last on WV 9 for the foreseeable future.

http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/586268/With-Delta-Rahmen-Bridge-complete--W-Va--9-set-to-open-Nov--2.html

[oscar]

Opening delayed a few weeks.  (I drove through Charles Town yesterday, work still in progress on the new section.)  As of last Thursday, no new opening date had been set.

http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/586474/W-Va--9-opening-delayed.html

[Alps]

I'd say, "Who wants to organize a mini-meet?" but I bet it opens the same weekend as the 202 Parkway in PA.

[cpzilliacus]

I'd say, "Who wants to organize a mini-meet?" but I bet it opens the same weekend as the 202 Parkway in PA.

The I-495 Express [toll] Lanes in Fairfax County are not terribly far away from W.Va. 9 relocated.

Heck, they were both even opposed by one group.

[jpi]

If it opens in 2 weeks fromt his weekend, I may be able to take part in a get together since I will be in York, PA from 11/24 to 11/28. If not the weekend before or after Christmas.

[seicer]

I'm still undecided on the purpose of this roadway. The Jefferson County commissioner is noted in an article stating that to make the US 340 freeway cheaper and cost effective (for the time), that at-grade intersections were allowed in a part of the state that was beginning to show suburbanization. So you have this crap on what was a 65 MPH freeway: http://goo.gl/maps/qSLXF

Even on the new WV 9 - which is a fine highway from Charles Town to Martinsburg, you have three intersections at the western end: http://goo.gl/maps/vDVBP. I suspect that is because the Martinsburg eastern bypass will be cut off at a point before those intersections and proceed north, but there is not that much traffic to not justify upgrading the existing alignment. It doesn't need to be a high-speed 70 MPH freeway - even better access management, the use of mid-block left turns, and so forth can be more cost effective than cutting off more of the city, driving through more farmland and adding yet another freeway to what is a fairly small city.

At least there is a bike path for most of the alignment. I suspect that like other four-lane highways in West Virginia that cycling will be permitted on the shoulder where a bike path does not exist. Biking on the freeways in the state is actually pretty nice - I biked most of Corridor H this year, and have biked on many Texas freeways where legally allowed.

[cpzilliacus]

I'm still undecided on the purpose of this roadway.

(1) I'm not - it bypasses an especially curving and treacherous segment of the old W.Va. 9 through Mountain Mission and Mannings.

(2) Construction of this segment  of W.Va. 9 was opposed by a powerful and well-funded anti-highway group based in Virginia, using the standard anti-highway arguments.  Va. 9 in Loudoun County is also a curvy and narrow road in spots, but not as bad as the segment between the state line and Charles Town.

The Jefferson County commissioner is noted in an article stating that to make the US 340 freeway cheaper and cost effective (for the time), that at-grade intersections were allowed in a part of the state that was beginning to show suburbanization. So you have this crap on what was a 65 MPH freeway: http://goo.gl/maps/qSLXF

I don't like at-grade intersections on any high-speed roads in suburban areas.  And like it or not, Jefferson County, W.Va. is a de facto suburb of Washington D.C.

Even on the new WV 9 - which is a fine highway from Charles Town to Martinsburg, you have three intersections at the western end: http://goo.gl/maps/vDVBP. I suspect that is because the Martinsburg eastern bypass will be cut off at a point before those intersections and proceed north, but there is not that much traffic to not justify upgrading the existing alignment. It doesn't need to be a high-speed 70 MPH freeway - even better access management, the use of mid-block left turns, and so forth can be more cost effective than cutting off more of the city, driving through more farmland and adding yet another freeway to what is a fairly small city.

Berkeley County is also a de facto Washington suburb, and the reconstructed segments of W.Va. 9 there should have full access control (in my opinion).

At least there is a bike path for most of the alignment. I suspect that like other four-lane highways in West Virginia that cycling will be permitted on the shoulder where a bike path does not exist. Biking on the freeways in the state is actually pretty nice - I biked most of Corridor H this year, and have biked on many Texas freeways where legally allowed.

Some freeways in Maryland allow bikes, including at least one segment of Md. 32 in Anne Arundel County.

[seicer]

Sorry - when I initially wrote my post, I had confused US 340 and WV 9 and did not amend my text. It's great that they built it out for limited access with no intersections. But is there a program in Virginia for a similar highway?

[cpzilliacus]

Sorry - when I initially wrote my post, I had confused US 340 and WV 9 and did not amend my text.

Not a problem.  Regarding U.S. 340, I recall some discussion elsewhere that WVDOH was the lead agency in a study of the (inadequate and narrow) section of 340 between the signalized intersection at Bolivar (Washington Street according to GSV), crossing the extreme northern tip of Loudoun County, Virginia and then across the Potomac River into Maryland where the four lane section of 340 resumes at Keep Tryst Road in Knoxville.

It's great that they built it out for limited access with no intersections. But is there a program in Virginia for a similar highway?

No. 

No money, though the last time I was through Hillsboro, Virginia (a small incorporated town that straddles Va. 9 on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge), signs had been erected indicating that some sort of planning effort for the road was in the works, apparently led out of the VDOT Northern Virginia District in Fairfax.

There is a truck inspection area on the eastbound (downhill) side of Va. 9 just prior to Hillsboro. It is not a weigh/inspection station, just an extra-long and extra-wide shoulder on a road that is mostly lacking shoulders.  I don't know how often law enforcement works this location, but presumably it is there because residents of Hillsboro have been unhappy about truck traffic coming through the town.  I also think that the expanded casino at the race track in Charles Town has meant an increase in traffic on both Va. 9 and W.Va. 9, which directly impacts Hillsboro and others along the highway.

[hbelkins]

I also think that the expanded casino at the race track in Charles Town has meant an increase in traffic on both Va. 9 and W.Va. 9, which directly impacts Hillsboro and others along the highway.

Did the casino initiative pass in Maryland?

[SP Cook]

Did the casino initiative pass in Maryland?

Yes.  West Virginia is in real trouble.

West Virginia has five casinos.  Four "race-inos" associated with horse or dog tracks, and the Greenbrier.

Charles Town, with an estimated 95% out-of-state client base, accounts for about 75% of the state's casino revenue.   Closer, cleaner, better run casinos in Maryland will devistate the place (Penn National, Charles Town's owner, was the primary funder of the "no" side in the election, much like bootleggers are often the biggest advocates of Kentucky counties staying "dry"). 

Wheeling Island has primarially aimed at the Columbus market.  Ohio has approved casinos and Columbus is open, with one in Cincy to open soon. 

Mountaineer Park, located very near the tip top of the northern panhandle and about 35 miles from Pittsburgh, aims at that market, and is now in a competiton with locations in downtown Pittsburgh and Washington, PA.

Tri-State, located between Huntington and Charleston, is a certified dump, very poorly run.  It estimates it gets 1/3 of its handle from people that would be closer to Cincinnati or Columbus.  Its for sale and not doing well.

The Greenbrier was approved on the basis of hotel guests only, with an exeption for people attending "events" (not defined in the law) when ther hotel is more than 75% full.  That means most of the summer.  State recently cited the hotel for running bus trips from Roanoke, the Triad, and other places in NC, feeding them a buffet lunch (the "event" ) and letting them in.  Since a change to the law has to be voter approved, and locals are very much against non-guest casinos, its handle is down.  Aims at a high end crowd anyway.

Agitation is now on for a casino just off Exit 1 of I-77 (the north end of the East River Mountain Tunnel).  There is nothing up there, plenty of land available, and it would be the only real casino (the Indian casino in Cherokee, NC has weird rules) between there and Tampa.   Much of Tri-State's business comes from SW Virginia, and Piedmont NC, and this is two hours closer, but Mercer County is culturally very conservative.  Doubt it will happen.

[cpzilliacus]

I also think that the expanded casino at the race track in Charles Town has meant an increase in traffic on both Va. 9 and W.Va. 9, which directly impacts Hillsboro and others along the highway.

Did the casino initiative pass in Maryland?

Yes.

[cpzilliacus]

Did the casino initiative pass in Maryland?

Yes.  West Virginia is in real trouble.

West Virginia has five casinos.  Four "race-inos" associated with horse or dog tracks, and the Greenbrier.

Charles Town, with an estimated 95% out-of-state client base, accounts for about 75% of the state's casino revenue.   Closer, cleaner, better run casinos in Maryland will devistate the place (Penn National, Charles Town's owner, was the primary funder of the "no" side in the election, much like bootleggers are often the biggest advocates of Kentucky counties staying "dry"). 

The arguments made against Question 7 (as the gambling question was known  statewide in Maryland) were highly questionable (such as the increased revenue might not be used for education).  It also authorizes a new casino in Prince George's County, very likely to end up at the National Harbor site at the Maryland end of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.

That West Virginia casino interests were funding much of the No on 7 television advertising reinforced my decision to vote yes, even though casinos don't interest me (the last one I was in was 9 or 10 years ago in Lake Tahoe, Nevada).

[Bitmapped]

The road is now set to open Wednesday, November 14. http://wvgazette.com/News/201211120022

[oscar]

The local press confirmed that the segment opened yesterday morning.  I drove it this morning.

Some quick notes:

-- 60 mph speed limit on the 4-lane divided segment west of the Shenandoah River bridge.  The bridge itself, and the segment to the east (mix of 4-lane divided and 2-lane undivided), is posted at 55mph.

-- No interchanges other than the one with US 340, but there are three at-grade intersections.

-- Old WV 9 east of US 340, on Charles Town Road, is now signed (at least at its west end) as an extension of WV 115.

-- Concrete travel lanes and shoulders.

[Bitmapped]

I drove the new WV 9 and old road today.  Some notes:

* Road narrows to 2-lanes east of the Shenandoah River bridge.  There is no climbing lane on the 8% grade from the Shenandoah River to the Virginia line, which seems like a really bad move.

* The old road is signed WV 115 just at the US 340 interchange.  I didn't see any further WV 115 signage along it.  There are no signs near the Virginia line where old and new routes meet.  At the Mission Road intersection, the old East/West WV 9 signs now say To East/To West WV 9.

* It looks like more work remains to be done on the old road by its intersection with the new road.  Connection seems very temporary.

* The travel lanes have longitudinal grooves.  This seems to be a feature unique to the Eastern Panhandle.  Other WVDOH districts don't do this on their concrete road projects.

* I'm not sure why the speed limit is only 60.  West of the Shenandoah River, the road is flat and straight.  65 would be much more reasonable.

[hbelkins]

* I'm not sure why the speed limit is only 60.  West of the Shenandoah River, the road is flat and straight.  65 would be much more reasonable.

Does WV require the speed limits to be set by statute? The new three-mile portion of the four-lane Mountain Parkway, which opened earlier this year, is signed for 65 mph instead of 70 like the rest of the four-lane. The reason is that only those routes specified in legislation can be signed for 70. When the westernmost part of the WK Parkway officially changed to I-69, it required a change in the law for that route to remain posted at 70 mph, because only the WK was mentioned in the law, not I-69.

[Bitmapped]

* I'm not sure why the speed limit is only 60.  West of the Shenandoah River, the road is flat and straight.  65 would be much more reasonable.

Does WV require the speed limits to be set by statute? The new three-mile portion of the four-lane Mountain Parkway, which opened earlier this year, is signed for 65 mph instead of 70 like the rest of the four-lane. The reason is that only those routes specified in legislation can be signed for 70. When the westernmost part of the WK Parkway officially changed to I-69, it required a change in the law for that route to remain posted at 70 mph, because only the WK was mentioned in the law, not I-69.

For controlled access highways and Interstates, which would include the new WV 9, WV Code 17C-6-1 gives WVDOH the ability to set whatever speed limit it deems appropriate.  The new road is comparable or better to the Appalachian Corridors which have 65mph limits.

[Bitmapped]

I posted photos I took of new WV 9 to Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/bmpowell/sets/72157632088961014.

[hbelkins]

Good pics, Brian. I noticed Flickr had tagged them with an approximate location. Did you do that manually, or was there a setting on your camera that allowed you to do that? Someone was asking about geotagging in another thread.

[Bitmapped]

Good pics, Brian. I noticed Flickr had tagged them with an approximate location. Did you do that manually, or was there a setting on your camera that allowed you to do that? Someone was asking about geotagging in another thread.

I use GeoSetter to geotag my photos.  It matches the timestamps in my GPX tracks with those on the photos.  As long as your clocks are right, it's a pretty smooth process.  Flickr pics up the data GeoSetter records in the files.

[froggie]

No money, though the last time I was through Hillsboro, Virginia (a small incorporated town that straddles Va. 9 on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge), signs had been erected indicating that some sort of planning effort for the road was in the works, apparently led out of the VDOT Northern Virginia District in Fairfax.

Presumably, that's for this project, a town traffic calming project similar to what's been done on US 50 in Aldie and Upperville, and with roundabouts at SR 719 and at SR 690 South (the latter replacing an existing signal).