West Virginia

[vdeane]

If the purpose was to open up areas, traffic lights don't help or hurt that. Notably, the purpose was not to provide a thru route from Ontario to Florida.

The fact that it IS the thru route from Ontario, western NY, and western PA to the southeast is an argument for why it was a mistake to reroute I-79 to Charleston.

[Bitmapped]

If the purpose was to open up areas, traffic lights don't help or hurt that. Notably, the purpose was not to provide a thru route from Ontario to Florida.

The fact that it IS the thru route from Ontario, western NY, and western PA to the southeast is an argument for why it was a mistake to reroute I-79 to Charleston.

It's not unreasonable for I-79 to go to Charleston to provide freeway access from the Eastern Panhandle and North Central West Virginia to the two largest cities in the state (Charleston, the capital, and Huntington).

US 19 as Corridor L works well as-is north of Summersville and between Summersville and New River Gorge. The issue is development that has occurred in more recent years. WVDOH needs to get on-the-ball with building interchanges and RIROs at some locations and converting others to R-CUTs instead of slapping up signals everywhere. Some of the existing signalized intersections are redundant and could really just be closed, like Appalachian Drive near Oak Hill and ones by the shopping areas in Summersville.

[vdeane]

If the purpose was to open up areas, traffic lights don't help or hurt that. Notably, the purpose was not to provide a thru route from Ontario to Florida.

The fact that it IS the thru route from Ontario, western NY, and western PA to the southeast is an argument for why it was a mistake to reroute I-79 to Charleston.

It's not unreasonable for I-79 to go to Charleston to provide freeway access from the Eastern Panhandle and North Central West Virginia to the two largest cities in the state (Charleston, the capital, and Huntington).

US 19 as Corridor L works well as-is north of Summersville and between Summersville and New River Gorge. The issue is development that has occurred in more recent years. WVDOH needs to get on-the-ball with building interchanges and RIROs at some locations and converting others to R-CUTs instead of slapping up signals everywhere. Some of the existing signalized intersections are redundant and could really just be closed, like Appalachian Drive near Oak Hill and ones by the shopping areas in Summersville.

Maybe from West Virginia's POV, but nationally?  Why should all the thru traffic have to leave and re-enter the interstate system?

[Bitmapped]

It's not unreasonable for I-79 to go to Charleston to provide freeway access from the Eastern Panhandle and North Central West Virginia to the two largest cities in the state (Charleston, the capital, and Huntington).

Maybe from West Virginia's POV, but nationally?  Why should all the thru traffic have to leave and re-enter the interstate system?

Traffic volumes are higher along the I-79 corridor south of the US 19 split than on US 19.

[vdeane]

It's not unreasonable for I-79 to go to Charleston to provide freeway access from the Eastern Panhandle and North Central West Virginia to the two largest cities in the state (Charleston, the capital, and Huntington).

Maybe from West Virginia's POV, but nationally?  Why should all the thru traffic have to leave and re-enter the interstate system?

Traffic volumes are higher along the I-79 corridor south of the US 19 split than on US 19.

Considering that US 19 predates Corridor L while there was nothing on the I-79 corridor, that interstate would be a strong argument for induced demand.

It's worth noting that the original proposal had a different alignment of I-64.  Under those alignments, I-64 and I-79 together would have served that purpose.

[NE2]

The I-79 corridor replaced US 119...
And if that's too far there's WV 4.

Much like I-90 and US 20/NY 5. Or I-76 and US 30/PA 31.

[74/171FAN]

^I believe you meant I-79 instead of I-70.

[Bitmapped]

Traffic volumes are higher along the I-79 corridor south of the US 19 split than on US 19.

Considering that US 19 predates Corridor L while there was nothing on the I-79 corridor, that interstate would be a strong argument for induced demand.

WV 4 says hello. It served the Charleston-Sutton corridor prior to I-79's construction and, according to historic traffic count data, had higher volumes than US 19. I-79 also diverted some additional traffic from the US 33/US 119 corridor.

It's worth noting that the original proposal had a different alignment of I-64.  Under those alignments, I-64 and I-79 together would have served that purpose.

Using US 19 to US 60, which approximates the original planned alignment of I-64, adds about 40 miles to the trip between Sutton and Charleston. Roughly the same as staying on I-79 to Charleston and then taking I-64/I-77 to Beckley.

[GCrites]

The I-70 I-79 corridor replaced US 119...
And if that's too far there's WV 4.

Or US-119 and US-19.

[SP Cook]

I'm not sure I understand what you guys are saying. 

Yes, it is true that WV made some generationally stupid mistakes in both interstate routing, and, more importantly, in priorities, more or less building the interstates and corridors in reverse order of statewide and national importance.

79 and Corridor L should have been reversed.  The ARC quality road would have been plenty for Sutton-Charleston, and the complex speedtrap and stoplight infection that is 19 could have been avoided.  64's multiplex with 77 should be maybe half what it is.  The inadequate north end of the Turnpike should have been built to proper standards.  Fairmont shouldn't be a control city.  Got it. 

But "induced demand".  I understand the concept in the flatlands, although I am not sold on it.  But in Appalachia, a collection of old maps can lead you to think that people drove on those roads in the same way they do the modern roads. 

That isn't true.  Not locally, and not inter-regionally.  In Appalachia, the completion of a good road meant, and still means (Corridor H) people who live there who couldn't reasonably access things now can.  In an inter-regional context, it means that a region that was not appropriate for travel is now open. 

I will tell a story to illustrate.  Decades ago we hired a new guy, retired out of the USAF.  Had not been in the state for 3 decades.  Older than me.  Boss told me to take him to Logan (from Charleston).  Guy asked me where we were going to stay, where we were going to eat, etc.  I told him, umm, just meet me at the office at 8 tomorrow morning, its a 45 minute drive.  He was flabbergasted. 

Now did the new 119/Corridor G "induce demand", or did it make people's lives better by connecting Logan to the outside world; and provide some straight line connection for that whole region, rather than going 100s of miles out of one's way to use an acceptable road?

[hbelkins]

Having just driven the entirety of Corridor L last month, I can say with certainty that the Oak Hill-Fayetteville section is much worse from a traffic signal standpoint than the Summersville section is, even with the latter's reputation as a speedtrap. And that's despite a number of grade-separated interchanges in the Oak Hill area.

In plotting a route to Summersville, I was surprised to find out that taking I-79 to US 19 was recommended over taking US 60 to Gauley Bridge and then WV 39.

I was also surprised to learn (via Bitmapped) that US 119 was shorter than WV 4/US 19 between Charleston and Weston.

I know we're straying into fictional territory here, but if the roads had been reversed (I-79 running to Beckley and a new-alignment corridor being built between Charleston and Sutton/Flatwoods) then I can't imagine any traffic signals being present along the route, since there are no large traffic generators along that route (except at the Elkview exit, and it's doubtful that development would have been built if there wasn't an interstate there). Also, wonder what the route number would have been?

I've always been fascinated with how the determination is made as to whether an intersection should be grade-separated or at-grade. Why, for example, is the US 50/WV 16 intersection grade-separated, but everything else between Parkersburg and Clarksburg is at-grade?

[Mapmikey]

Your fictitious corr L to Charleston would almost certainly have been US 119.  WV had already tried in the 1940s rerouting US 119 via WV 4 before.  WVDOT then forgot they'd done that and several years later told AASHO forget it...

http://www.vahighways.com/wvannex/route-log/us119.htm

[VTGoose]

Having just driven the entirety of Corridor L last month, I can say with certainty that the Oak Hill-Fayetteville section is much worse from a traffic signal standpoint than the Summersville section is, even with the latter's reputation as a speedtrap. And that's despite a number of grade-separated interchanges in the Oak Hill area.

Over many years of travel between Blacksburg and Pittsburgh, I have tried just about all the possible routes. I-81 to Winchester then cross-country to I-70 and the Pa. Turnpike only happened once or twice. The W.Va. Turnpike (when it was still a "modern 2-lane highway") to Charleston, then I-77 to I-70 and I-79 was the route of choice for a number of years. Then I-79 slowly crept south and travel got a little better, especially since the Turnpike was also being upgraded.

Then came U.S. 19, at least as far as U.S. 60. Even at a two-lane highway it made for a shorter trip, although it required some backcountry travel via Rainelle and Hinton to eventually reach U.S. 460 at Rich Creek. I did do one trip down into the gorge and back up, but it wasn't easy. Once the New River Gorge bridge opened, life was almost grand -- there still wasn't a good connection in Beckley, so there were several alternative ways to get to the Turnpike. At that time, there wasn't much in the way of development along the whole route from Pittsburgh to Beckley. There were some places to stop at Clarksburg but that was about it until reaching the Dairy Queen at Summersville for a stretch and potty break.

After a while, it wasn't necessary to make the trip since Mom and the in-laws moved to Blacksburg. But my sister-in-law moved to Slippery Rock, so the trips north resumed. By that time, Summersville had started to boom, with more businesses and more traffic lights. It is a far cry from what it used to be.

So now the question is, when will there be a bypass built from Muddlety to Mt. Nebo?

Bruce in Blacksburg

[Bitmapped]

I've always been fascinated with how the determination is made as to whether an intersection should be grade-separated or at-grade. Why, for example, is the US 50/WV 16 intersection grade-separated, but everything else between Parkersburg and Clarksburg is at-grade?

Historically, WVDOH's strategy seems to have been that major crossroads that probably would have warranted a traffic signal at opening instead got an interchange. You can see this on Corridor D (US 50) at WV 16, Corridor L (US 19) at US 60, and Corridor H (US 33) at US 119/WV 20.

Since the mid/late 1990s, it basically seems to be that if it's a US/WV route crossing, it gets an interchange or a connector roadway rather than a traditional at-grade intersection. You can see this with the US 50 Parkersburg bypass, Corridor L widening north of Summersville, newer parts of Corridor H and WV 9.

So now the question is, when will there be a bypass built from Muddlety to Mt. Nebo?

There's not really a need for a new alignment bypass since the existing ROW has fully controlled access. While I'd like to see some interchanges built (WV 39, WV 41) and conversion of the rest to a superstreet configuration, there's a room for significant improvement without any new pavement. Functioning signal coordination and better timing plans like incorporating lead/lag timing could substantially improve traffic through Summersville.

[Bitmapped]

Restoration work is wrapping up on the US 40 Monument Place Bridge in Wheeling. Built for the National Road in 1817, it is the oldest bridge in West Virginia.

https://www.theintelligencer.net/news/top-headlines/2024/11/monument-place-bridge-project-is-blending-old-new/

[seicer]

Monument Place Bridge in Wheeling has reopened following major renovation project

West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) reopened the historic Monument Place Bridge in the Elm Grove section of Wheeling on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, following major renovation work.

The renovation work included removal of existing sidewalks, removal of pavement surface and material within the bridge structure, and repairing the stones along the spandrel walls and the arch barrels themselves. Crews then backfilled it and repaved the bridge, and reconstructed the concrete sidewalks and railings.

"The Monument Place Bridge is an elliptical stone deck arch built in 1817, making it the oldest bridge on West Virginia's highway system," said Tracy Brown, P.E., State Bridge Engineer. 

"When this bridge was constructed, the United States was only 41 years old and the State of West Virginia was still 46 years away from becoming a state. This bridge has been used by multiple generations and crossed by countless people over the 207 years it has been in service, including President Andrew Jackson and other historic figures. The recent renovation will help to ensure that this historic bridge will continue to be used by future generations and will provide them a direct connection to a special piece of West Virginia's infrastructure that has been around since the infancy of our country."

The stone arch bridge, built in 1817, spans Wheeling Creek as part of US 40 known as National Road. The bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in August 1981.

[seicer]

Speeding is one of the most significant issues through a complex work zone on Interstate 64 in Barboursville/Huntington. There have been numerous incidents where lanes are completely blocked for many hours at a time because of wrecks in the contraflow lanes. (Also, I have been stuck in one of the contraflow lanes for hours because of this; I ended up setting up camp in the back of my Subaru and slept for a few hours.)

I try to go 55 MPH through both work zones, especially if workers are present and especially through the contraflow lanes. On my last trip through, I had a tractor-trailer driver tail me honking and flashing his lights... and it makes me wish that the state would allow for automated traffic enforcement in work zones (following many other states that now allow it for these specific areas).

All lanes on Interstate 64 in Cabell County are back open following multiple tractor-trailer crashes
11/8/2024

All lanes are back open along Interstate 64 in Cabell County following two fiery tractor-trailer crashes on Thursday, November 7, 2024.

West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) crews assisted contractors and local law enforcement on site to get roadways open. Both incidents occurred in the same work zone where motorists were speeding.

The first accident, in the westbound lanes at mile marker 17.5, occurred around 4 a.m. and involved an overturned tractor-trailer which caught fire leaving the roadway burned and unfit for vehicular traffic. Crews milled off the asphalt surface and paved the road.

WVDOH would never allow traffic on a roadway that is not safe; therefore milling and resurfacing the damaged roadway was necessary.

The second overturned tractor-trailer accident, eastbound at mile marker 18, occurred around 9 a.m. and caused a spill of about 50-75 gallons of diesel fuel. The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection was contacted and diligently cleared the scene. The spill and debris have both been cleaned up. Crews also resurfaced the roadway.

--

West Virginia Parkways Authority celebrates 70th birthday of West Virginia Turnpike
11/12/2024

The West Virginia Department of Transportation is excited to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the ribbon cutting for the West Virginia Turnpike, a landmark event in the state's transportation history. The iconic highway, which stretches 88 miles from Charleston to Princeton, was officially opened to traffic on November 8, 1954, and has played a pivotal role in the economic growth and development of the state for seven decades.

The West Virginia Turnpike was one of the first superhighways in the United States and remains one of the most important routes in the state. It is a critical link connecting southern West Virginia to the rest of the country, facilitating the movement of goods, tourists, and commuters.

"Today, we are very proud of the contributing asset to the State of West Virginia we have in the West Virginia Turnpike, and very proud of the countless men and women who have made careers caring for this wonderful roadway system," said Jeff Miller, Executive Director of the West Virginia Parkways Authority.

"You will not find a harder working group of talented people anywhere else who roll up their sleeves everyday to make sure the patron of the West Virginia Turnpike arrives to their destination safely. We also want to extend a gracious thank you to all those who have supported the turnpike over the last 70 years! The roadway is better than it has ever been- so here's to many, many more!"

The Turnpike's creation came during a time of optimism and forward-thinking for the state. With limited infrastructure in the mountainous regions, state leaders recognized the need for a modern highway that could accommodate increasing traffic and facilitate economic development. In 1952, the West Virginia Legislature passed a bill authorizing the construction of the Turnpike, and the groundbreaking ceremony followed shortly thereafter.

The highway was built using funds from the sale of bonds, a move that was seen as innovative at the time. Despite the challenges posed by West Virginia's rugged terrain, construction crews worked tirelessly to build the road, overcoming significant engineering hurdles to carve a path through the Appalachian Mountains.

At its completion in 1954, the Turnpike was hailed as a feat of engineering, featuring a series of tunnels, bridges, and curves that were not only functional but also scenic. With an initial cost of approximately $200 million, the project was one of the largest of its kind in the country at the time.

Over the years, the Turnpike has been crucial in boosting the state's economy. The highway has supported key industries such as coal, manufacturing, tourism, and retail, while also enhancing connectivity for residents and businesses in southern West Virginia. The Turnpike continues to serve as a gateway for visitors traveling to popular destinations such as the New River Gorge, one of the nation's premier outdoor recreation spots, and the state capital, Charleston.

Improvements to the West Virginia Turnpike are ongoing ensuring that the highway meets modern safety and transportation standards. In recent years, the West Virginia Parkways Authority has invested in major upgrades, including a toll system upgrade project and travel plaza redevelopment at Beckley and Bluestone. The efforts ensure that the Turnpike will remain a vital route for future generations.

The West Virginia Turnpike has never been in better shape, with continuous improvements like accelerated bridge deck replacement projects, median barrier wall replacement safety enhancement projects making the road safer, smoother, and more accessible. Whether you're commuting, traveling for business, or exploring the state's natural beauty, the Turnpike offers an unparalleled driving experience. Now, thanks to the Single Fee Discount Program, it's more affordable than ever to enjoy this iconic roadway.

[SP Cook]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D64TX-t-D9k

Gov. Justice celebrates the Nitro-St. Albans bridges along I-64 with a dedication ceremony. This $254 million project is the largest Roads to Prosperity project completed to date.

--

The road has actually been finished since September, no idea why the gov waited until after the election for the political ceremony.  Anyway this completes a six-lane I-64 from the JCT with I-77 to Exit 39, with more under construction near Huntington.

The road was much needed, it has eliminated a daily dangerous stopped traffic situation that existed long before the construction project started, as the road was simply over capacity.  Now with six lanes extended into the heart of the  Teays Valley suburbs, this has been eliminated.

[seicer]

It was a very positive turnout for the final public meeting for the Capitol Connector project. It will see much of Kanawha Boulevard reconstructed from four lanes throughout to two lanes with a short four-lane segment between downtown and the interstate. The route will be paralleled by a much wider shared-use path, sidewalks, and buffer space between motorists and the paths. Unfortunately, one segment of the path will be separated from motorists by bollards - a barrier wall would have been preferable, but planners wanted to keep this segment barrier-free as much as possible for festival use. Of significant interest is the segment by the Union Building, which was once planned to be moved or removed as part of the Boulevard's construction and stands now as the sole building on that side of the roadway.

See the 12/3 meeting presentation (PDF) for the final plans.
--

Capital Connector project in the final stages

"January Wolfe owns a dance school in Charleston. She's excited for the Capital Connector Project to start, expanding walkways for pedestrians and cyclists, along with signal upgrades, more parking and crosswalks.

"I think I see a lot of people taking advantage of the boulevard with walking and running and biking. I certainly do, I keep my bike at my school and I ride up to the Capitol and back," Wolfe said.

City leaders and the project team presented their master plan on Thursday night. The majority of the project stretches more than 3 miles from Magic Island on the West Side to the base of the 35th Street Bridge along Kanawha Boulevard."

[Bitmapped]

It was a very positive turnout for the final public meeting for the Capitol Connector project. It will see much of Kanawha Boulevard reconstructed from four lanes throughout to two lanes with a short four-lane segment between downtown and the interstate. The route will be paralleled by a much wider shared-use path, sidewalks, and buffer space between motorists and the paths. Unfortunately, one segment of the path will be separated from motorists by bollards - a barrier wall would have been preferable, but planners wanted to keep this segment barrier-free as much as possible for festival use. Of significant interest is the segment by the Union Building, which was once planned to be moved or removed as part of the Boulevard's construction and stands now as the sole building on that side of the roadway.

Charleston tends to have a lot of summer-time festivals along Kanawha Boulevard between Clendenin Street and Capitol Street (by the Union Building). I agree with using bollards here rather than having walls that would constrain pedestrians during the special events.

I'm glad to see that they do plan to keep turn lanes at the intersections. With that in place, one through lane in each direction should be sufficient to handle the sub-10,000 traffic counts through here.

The materials say that the state-owned US 60 portion from the Capitol Complex to the 35th Street Bridge will remain 4 lanes to accommodate emergency evacuations. I guess it makes some sense from that perspective because otherwise I think it would make sense to continue the road diet. Traffic counts are lowest on this end (~6000 VPD) and especially once you get past the 35th Street Bridge, you see a lot of traffic driving 55mph+ despite the 45mph speed limit.

[seicer]

I was surprised at how low traffic counts are on the Boulevard. Some concerns were raised early on about traffic, but once they were aware of how little traffic there is (mainly because of the interstates), most were on board with the proposal. I was kind of hoping that the road diet would extend west of downtown, too, given how barren it is most of the day.

[SP Cook]

I'm certainly hoping this project never sees the light of day.  Totally bad idea, area already has a, virtually unused, bike path, built not 15 years ago.

Really, the amount of state $$ that should be spent in the city limits of Charleston is zero.

[Rothman]

I would expect bicycle use to be pathetic along this corridor, but, given the low traffic counts, doesn't sound like a terrible idea overall.

[webny99]

https://wvmetronews.com/2024/12/09/hole-in-bridge-closes-interstate-79-south-of-morgantown/

Following on from this I read in another article that WV plans to 6-lane all of I-79 from South Fairmont to the PA line, a distance of almost 30 miles. Can anyone confirm this is the case, and if so, what is the current progress on this massive project?

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://wvmetronews.com/2024/12/09/hole-in-bridge-closes-interstate-79-south-of-morgantown/

Following on from this I read in another article that WV plans to 6-lane all of I-79 from South Fairmont to the PA line, a distance of almost 30 miles. Can anyone confirm this is the case, and if so, what is the current progress on this massive project?

All of the bridges between Morgantown and South Fairmont will be rebuilt with a future expansion of six lanes. I could see WV pushing the six-lane expansion further south towards Clarksburg/Bridgeport area.
The widening within the Fairmont area is almost done with the completion date of Spring-Summer 2025.