Corridor H

[1995hoo]

^^^^

Thanks for that. In case you don't know, Bing Maps has its own version of Street View; they call it "Streetside" and it works sort of like Google's used to in that you drop the man where you want to view. Unfortunately, the pictures of the huge overpass being constructed over the existing road near Moore over Haddix Run have too much sun glare to be any good.

[The Ghostbuster]

How does one activate the "labels" tab in Bing Maps, or does it not have that feature? Without labels, I don't know what I am looking at in a place I have never been to.

[seicer]

Switch to hybrid instead of just aerial.

[froggie]

I have photos from November that I should probably get around to posting sometime...

[hbelkins]

This may be a rarity, but Bing Maps has updated aerials on the new Corridor H segment being built from Karens to Parsons: https://www.bing.com/maps?cp=39.032047%7E-79.809902&lvl=14.3&style=a

On a related note, the abutments on the bridge over Leading Creek have been repaired, and Corridor H is once again open from Elkins to Karens. And on another note, two new traffic lights are being installed just east of Buckhannon.

I'm hard-pressed to think of any intersections in that area where a signal would be needed. Unless there's been a lot of growth out that way, it's very rural. I would thiink a J-turn/RCUT would be a better option than a signal to keep traffic free-flowing there.

[seicer]

My memory is a little hazy but I believe it's with CR 5/9 (https://goo.gl/maps/2xR4rf1UqfVNSqvq6) and CR 3 (https://goo.gl/maps/1DkQzNDtDWm4YeRX8) - the latter which is a stone's throw from CR 151/former US 33.

[Bitmapped]

My memory is a little hazy but I believe it's with CR 5/9 (https://goo.gl/maps/2xR4rf1UqfVNSqvq6) and CR 3 (https://goo.gl/maps/1DkQzNDtDWm4YeRX8) - the latter which is a stone's throw from CR 151/former US 33.

Yes, those are the intersections. Both provide access to CR 151 (old US 33). WVDOH should have just picked one to signalize and made the other RIRO IMHO.

[hbelkins]

One of those is Kesling Mill. There used to be button copy there; it's probably gone by now.

[Dirt Roads]

One of those is Kesling Mill. There used to be button copy there; it's probably gone by now.

They're gone.

[hbelkins]

Looks like all the button copy at the US 119 interchange at Buckhannon is also gone. I suspect the button copy that was at the US 250 intersection west of Elkins is gone as well.

[Bitmapped]

Looks like all the button copy at the US 119 interchange at Buckhannon is also gone. I suspect the button copy that was at the US 250 intersection west of Elkins is gone as well.

There was a near-complete sign replacement project on Corridor H from Weston to Kerens in 2021. (There is one BGS for Buckhannon Mountain Road that I've noticed wasn't replaced, but everything else seems to have been done.) Much of the signage between Buckhannon to Elkins was from the original construction of this alignment in the 1990s and was way overdue for replacement.

[hbelkins]

Looks like all the button copy at the US 119 interchange at Buckhannon is also gone. I suspect the button copy that was at the US 250 intersection west of Elkins is gone as well.

There was a near-complete sign replacement project on Corridor H from Weston to Kerens in 2021. (There is one BGS for Buckhannon Mountain Road that I've noticed wasn't replaced, but everything else seems to have been done.) Much of the signage between Buckhannon to Elkins was from the original construction of this alignment in the 1990s and was way overdue for replacement.

There were a lot of faded route markers from the US 250 intersection at Norton to the WV 92 split. I'm surprised they didn't get replaced when the US 48 signage was added.

[seicer]

There are some button-copy signs in Elkins that are way past their prime. Worth getting photos if someone is down there.

[hbelkins]

There are some button-copy signs in Elkins that are way past their prime. Worth getting photos if someone is down there.

I have several pics of them, taken at different times over the years.

That town needs a bypass of the downtown area. It's interesting because the developed commercial area is well to the south of what has become the through highway (Corridor H.)

[SP Cook]

https://wvmetronews.com/2023/08/30/doh-will-evaluate-route-to-avoid-blackwater-canyon-on-corridor-h/

WV gives into the BANANA groups.  The latest tactic is to propose route changes, which set off new permitting, which they can then object to and tie up in court for years.

Way past time to save lives and spur development. 

[The Ghostbuster]

What was wrong with the originally proposed alignment? Are this "BANANA" groups' objections frivolous? Surely this segment of Corridor H has enough support to be designed and built in an orderly fashion.

[SP Cook]

What was wrong with the originally proposed alignment? Are this "BANANA" groups' objections frivolous? Surely this segment of Corridor H has enough support to be designed and built in an orderly fashion.

There is nothing wrong with the original.  This thing has a long history.  A tiny group of BANANAs have locked onto this very needed highway and prevented its from being built for almost 50 years.  It should have, and could have, been completed decades ago.  This new tactic is to propose all sorts of changes, bleeding money and forcing permitting to restart, and then to tie that up in court with frivolous lawsuits. 

And, yes, the support level for Corridor H, among those who will benefit from it, is 99%.  That is what environmental extremists do.  A fringe 1% who don't care about other people, and who will ask a single judge to substitute his opinion for that of the elected representatives.

[seicer]

Except in this case, re-routing Corridor H north of Thomas would have the side benefit of eliminating the separate need (by WVDOH) to build the US 219 bypass. But the original routing isn't exactly going through an environmentally sensitive area. If anything, it cuts through an industrial heritage area. The bridge would pass over closed coal mines/portals, and dozens of beehive coke ovens. The N. Fork Blackwater River has a lot of acid mine drainage because of those abandoned mines and despite years of efforts to mitigate those issues with limestone retention ponds, the river is just as orange as before.

If it does cut through the industrial area, WVDOH could mitigate concerns by remediating the acid mine drainage, working with area partners to build new trails/trailheads for the waterfalls in the area, enhancing access to the industrial heritage area, and building pedestrian infrastructure in Thomas/Davis (which is sorely needed regardless).

[hbelkins]

https://wvmetronews.com/2023/08/30/doh-will-evaluate-route-to-avoid-blackwater-canyon-on-corridor-h/

WV gives into the BANANA groups.  The latest tactic is to propose route changes, which set off new permitting, which they can then object to and tie up in court for years.

Way past time to save lives and spur development.

The Volvo-driving crowd from the east coast can now get to Davis and Thomas on an improved route. That's as far as the road needs to be built. No reason to connect it to Parsons, Elkins, Buckhannon, Weston and points westward. /sarcasm

[Rothman]

https://wvmetronews.com/2023/08/30/doh-will-evaluate-route-to-avoid-blackwater-canyon-on-corridor-h/

WV gives into the BANANA groups.  The latest tactic is to propose route changes, which set off new permitting, which they can then object to and tie up in court for years.

Way past time to save lives and spur development.

The Volvo-driving crowd from the east coast can now get to Davis and Thomas on an improved route. That's as far as the road needs to be built. No reason to connect it to Parsons, Elkins, Buckhannon, Weston and points westward. /sarcasm

"We sneer at tourists while wanting to attract them for their money," moans one of the poorest states in the country.

[seicer]

No kidding. You should have seen the "local" reaction to Summersville Lake State Park being created. You know, on 100 acres or so of vacant scrub land next to US 19. Next to federally protected lands (Army Corps) that owns all of the shoreline and land around the lake.

"We don't any more tourists" and "keep them out" (them, being out of staters) were being the two biggest arguments against the park. You know, because they bring in a LOT of money into the state.

[74/171FAN]

I was debating on removing SP Cook's post at first, but the aftermath of that post made my decision easy.  Please chill out and stick to discussing Corridor H ramifications.  -Mark

[machpost]

There is nothing wrong with the original.  This thing has a long history.  A tiny group of BANANAs have locked onto this very needed highway and prevented its from being built for almost 50 years.  It should have, and could have, been completed decades ago.  This new tactic is to propose all sorts of changes, bleeding money and forcing permitting to restart, and then to tie that up in court with frivolous lawsuits. 

Something that nobody seems to be mentioning is the proximity of the proposed northern route to the reservoir that is the source of Thomas's municipal water supply. That alone may end up disqualifying that option.

[seicer]

In the 2007 study, it was proposed as Alternatives 1D, 1E and 1G. The SFEIS notes:

"Potential environmental impacts to the two public water supplies were evaluated for each of the Build Alternatives. The Build Alternatives cross the Beaver Creek and the Blackwater River system downstream of the Thomas and Davis PSDs intakes. Potential impacts to the Thomas and Davis PSDs are not anticipated because both the intakes and recharge areas are upstream of the Build Alternatives."

- I'm curious as to why a trumpet interchange is proposed for WV 32 in Davis. Why not just a conventional diamond interchange? This trumpet interchange will feed into old WV 93 and motorists will have the contend with a 90-degree turn.

[sprjus4]

- I'm curious as to why a trumpet interchange is proposed for WV 32 in Davis. Why not just a conventional diamond interchange? This trumpet interchange will feed into old WV 93 and motorists will have the contend with a 90-degree turn.

My guess is elevation difference.