Coalfields Expressway

[hbelkins]

The Slab Fork-Mullens section of the Coalfields Expressway should have been built last, if at all. It duplicates WV 54, which was constructed circa 1958-1965 and already provided a good high speed route to Mullens.

Yes, but wasn't this section essentially 2 contracts, which allowed for the extraction of the coal in the first contract (at a discount) and the "paving" contract was let years later?

You're thinking of the King Coal Highway/US 52, aren't you? Specifically, the section between WV 44 and Gilbert that has been under construction for nearly 20 years?

[Bitmapped]

The Slab Fork-Mullens section of the Coalfields Expressway should have been built last, if at all. It duplicates WV 54, which was constructed circa 1958-1965 and already provided a good high speed route to Mullens.

Yes, but wasn't this section essentially 2 contracts, which allowed for the extraction of the coal in the first contract (at a discount) and the "paving" contract was let years later?

You're thinking of the King Coal Highway/US 52, aren't you? Specifically, the section between WV 44 and Gilbert that has been under construction for nearly 20 years?

Yes, that part of the King Coal Highway was built using a roadbed left over from mining. The coal company saved money from not having to reconstruct the land to the approximate original contour, and WVDOH saved somewhat from needing to do less earthmoving although that Mingo County section has had significant problems with improper compaction and settling.

WVDOH's construction of the Coalfields Expressway is being handled differently. The design is intended to follow coal seams to the extent that it's financially advantageous to do so, but WVDOH is doing the construction itself rather than as part of a public-private partnership with a coal company. DOH is building on its own timetable.

It's standard practice for WVDOH to separate grade-and-drain contracts from paving when building new alignments.

[WillWeaverRVA]

Much of the existing Coalfields Expressway is now on Google Street View.

[Henry]

Much of the existing Coalfields Expressway is now on Google Street View.

The first thing I noticed was that it has a VA 460 shield. Major blunder on the sign builder's part!

[Mapmikey]

Much of the existing Coalfields Expressway is now on Google Street View.

The first thing I noticed was that it has a VA 460 shield. Major blunder on the sign builder's part!

This is not an error.  VDOT assigned this as VA 460.

[WillWeaverRVA]

Much of the existing Coalfields Expressway is now on Google Street View.

The first thing I noticed was that it has a VA 460 shield. Major blunder on the sign builder's part!

Nope, that's not an error. It's VA 460 until it's finished.

[Bitmapped]

West Virginia is, surprisingly, continuing to push ahead with Coalfields Expressway construction despite its financial problems. A 3-mile section from the Twin Falls State Park connector to the Mullens connector to WV 10/WV 16 is now out for bid. This section will actually leave an over 5-mile gap immediately west of Mullens.

The current STIP lists the estimated cost of this section at $100M. It doesn't have any major bridges. The Twin Falls-Mullens section has some major major bridges and is likely to cost several hundred million dollars, so I don't know that it will be built anytime soon.

[seicer]

The 9.6-mile Pineville Connector to Twin Falls Connector section of the Coalfields Expressway (SR 121/future US 121) in Wyoming County is out to bid on September 9. The project's target completion date is June 29, 2029. Exhibit 2 (Environmental) provides background on this project.

This encompasses Section 7, which extends from the end of the four-lane Coalfields Expressway at Mullens to the Twin Falls Access Road and includes a connector to Mullens, and Section 8, which extends from the Twin Falls Access Road to WV 10 at Pineville and the Twin Falls Access Road.

The Mullens Connector, which I opposed because it was redundant with a similar connector on the existing highway, is explained in the Environmental document: "The Mullens Connector was added due to the construction sequencing to allow access to the four-lane highway until the Mullens bridge is constructed."

[Bitmapped]

The 9.6-mile Pineville Connector to Twin Falls Connector section of the Coalfields Expressway (SR 121/future US 121) in Wyoming County is out to bid on September 9. The project's target completion date is June 29, 2029. Exhibit 2 (Environmental) provides background on this project.

This encompasses Section 7, which extends from the end of the four-lane Coalfields Expressway at Mullens to the Twin Falls Access Road and includes a connector to Mullens, and Section 8, which extends from the Twin Falls Access Road to WV 10 at Pineville and the Twin Falls Access Road.

The letting does not include Section 7, the mainline from the Twin Falls Connector to Mullens. The name of the project itself, Pineville Connector to Twin Falls Connector, gives that away.

The contract proposal lists Contract/Section 8 (mainline Pineville Connector to Twin Falls Connector) and Contract/Section 9 (Twin Falls Connector itself). NPDES permits are only provided for Sections 8 and 9. There is not a NPDES permit that corresponds with the mainline between the Twin Falls Connector and Mullens.

[WillWeaverRVA]

More of the Virginia segment of the Coalfields Expressway has been added to Google Street View, so the entirety of the road that's open to the public is now there. It's signed as a VA 460/US 121 concurrency at SR 744, but there is no other US 121 signage up yet.

It also features quite possibly the only "watch for elk" sign I've ever seen in Virginia.

[seicer]

On my last trip on that highway, I spotted six elk along the right-of-way. The old mountaintop removal properties are prime spots for elk viewing.