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[hbelkins]

What's the status of WV's construction from the current end of the four-lane eastward toward the state line? Be nice to eliminate that 25 mph speed trap in downtown Wardensville.

I saw something in some news coverage about the Corridor Q (US 460) construction that indicated portions of that route between the state line and Grundy would be built as an improved two-lane with truck lanes on the grades (a surface super-2). Wonder if that couldn't become an option for the Virginia portion of Corridor H?

[tjcreasy]

Guys let’s just be honest. There’s no way in h*** any county/city in VA would want to move to WV. You can throw corridor H on the same pile as I-73, I-74, and I-87 none of these will be built within the next 20-30 years. Each route will start as soon as you cross the state line. Each State should have had a cooperative agreement with Virginia before their respective sections were started.

The only new interstate (or Appalachian Development Highway) you’ll see in VA within the next 10 years is I-785.

[sprjus4]

Each route will start as soon as you cross the state line. Each State should have a cooperative agreement with Virginia before their respective sections were started

North Carolina has already said they will not be upgrading US-220 to interstate standards north of NC-68 until Virginia begins their portion near Martinsville, such as the Martinsville Southern Connector project extending the US-220 freeway to the state line.

NC-68 will likely be the northern terminus of I-73 for quite awhile.

Likewise, they will not construct I-73 south of the Rockingham Bypass until South Carolina begins their portion. The under construction Rockingham Bypass is likely the last I-73 segment to be completed for quite awhile as it will finish the interstate throughout the state with the exception of those connecting pieces mentioned above.

As for I-87, the state does plan to complete the interstate to the state line, potentially beginning around 2027. What Virginia does with their segment... who knows. The 12 mile US-17 segment in Virginia is currently under study and is one of the candidate projects for the 2045 LRTP in Hampton Roads... but that’s about it. Until the segment between the Elizabeth City Bypass and the state line is built, there will probably be nothing done in Virginia.

[tjcreasy]

Yeah that’s the point of my post @sprjus4.

[sprjus4]

Yeah that’s the point of my post @sprjus4.

My post was more geared at the fact I-73 won't be extended all the way to the Virginia state line until we build our part.

[tjcreasy]

I get your point. To me that remaining 20 miles already has interchanges at every major intersection and zero stop lights at the remaining at-grade intersections. Many sections only require widened shoulders to meet interstate standards. It’s smooth sailing from the NC State Line all the way to Rockingham. That limited access section will be more than adequate for the next 30+ years.

[sprjus4]

I get your point. To me that remaining 20 miles already has interchanges at every major intersection and zero stop lights at the remaining at-grade intersections. Many sections only require widened shoulders to meet interstate standards. It’s smooth sailing from the NC State Line all the way to Rockingham. That limited access section will be more than adequate for the next 30+ years.

Once I-73 is constructed in Virginia (if ever) and North Carolina upgrades that segment, work will likely involve replacing most if not all of the bridges, as they're all 60s design, old, substandard, structurally deficient and have inadequate vertical clearances, along with expanding the interchanges to meet modern design standards. The few at-grade access points will be closed and frontage roads constructed to provide access, the shoulders widened to 10 feet, and the speed limit increased to 70 mph.

[Strider]

I get your point. To me that remaining 20 miles already has interchanges at every major intersection and zero stop lights at the remaining at-grade intersections. Many sections only require widened shoulders to meet interstate standards. It’s smooth sailing from the NC State Line all the way to Rockingham. That limited access section will be more than adequate for the next 30+ years.

Once I-73 is constructed in Virginia (if ever) and North Carolina upgrades that segment, work will likely involve replacing most if not all of the bridges, as they're all 60s design, old, substandard, structurally deficient and have inadequate vertical clearances, along with expanding the interchanges to meet modern design standards. The few at-grade access points will be closed and frontage roads constructed to provide access, the shoulders widened to 10 feet, and the speed limit increased to 70 mph.

To add to that, North Carolina is preparing for the upgrade of US 220 to interstate standards. They are currently widening the northbound US 220 lanes across the train tracks to include shoulders near the northern end of Business 220 interchange (the southbound one was already finished). They also have two bridges to be replaced within the next 5 years: the NC 135/US 311 interchange and NC 770 interchange.

Since VA's CTB approved the route for MSC, it is going to get built within next 10-20 years. I-73 will be extended to the state line area eventually.

Back to Corridor H, what is the update on it?

[seicer]

What update would there be? It's not like West Virginia is going to annex in some counties in West Virginia, or that Virginia is going to build their section in the near future.

[seicer]

I can't wait for Corridor H news to populate this thread again.

[Mapmikey]

Latest info I can find...

Public comment was held in summer 2018.  The materials with this had a timeline that included expecting a court ruling in 2020, ROW in 2025 and construction start in 2027
https://transportation.wv.gov/highways/engineering/comment/closed/CorridorH-WardensvilletoVaLine/Pages/default.aspx

A document dated August 20, 2019 shows the section as undergoing additional environmental review

Sen Capito and another Congressman were working to put forth legislation that would result in WV getting more Appalachian Corridor Funding - Oct 30, 2019 article.  I have no idea if this got anywhere.

[hbelkins]

Sen Capito and another Congressman were working to put forth legislation that would result in WV getting more Appalachian Corridor Funding - Oct 30, 2019 article.  I have no idea if this got anywhere.

I thought that the concept of dedicated APD money is gone, and it all goes into a general pot of federal highway money. If there was dedicated APD money, Virginia would have no excuse to not build its portion.

Interesting observation from that story.

"A segment of approximately 66 miles from Davis to Wardensville in Hardy County is also open to traffic."

That certainly does not feel like a 66-mile-long highway.  The distance seems much shorter.

[seicer]

Yep, measures out to around 66 miles. It sure feels shorter but I think that's because you can now go 65 MPH (or let's face it, 75 MPH) instead of 20-55 MPH.

In comparison, the Weston to Kerens segment is 40 miles but it feels much longer!

[Alps]

Topic locked until people can read the title properly.

Topic unlocked. CORRIDOR H DISCUSSION ONLY.

[mvak36]

Sen Capito and another Congressman were working to put forth legislation that would result in WV getting more Appalachian Corridor Funding - Oct 30, 2019 article.  I have no idea if this got anywhere.

I found the bills that this article is talking about: Senate and House

It doesn't look like much progress on them since they've been filed.

[Bitmapped]

WVDOH posted some drone footage of construction on Corridor H. It appears to be in the vicinity of the Randolph/Tucker county line:

[seicer]

I always wonder how these bridges will ultimately get replaced 50 to 100 years from now.

[cpzilliacus]

I always wonder how these bridges will ultimately get replaced 50 to 100 years from now.

There will presumably be at least one replacement of the bridge deck during the life of the bridge.  Maybe more than once.

[seicer]

First time seeing Corridor H shields in the wild!

[cpzilliacus]

WVDOH posted some drone footage of construction on Corridor H. It appears to be in the vicinity of the Randolph/Tucker county line:

I believe this is in Tucker County south of the small community of Moore. 

The road under the bridge is (for now) U.S. 219 (Seneca Trail).  Once this part of Corridor H is open, I believe U.S. 219 will move to the new highway and Seneca Trail will be signed "Old Route 219" or something similar.

[sparker]

First time seeing Corridor H shields in the wild!

WVDOH posted some drone footage of construction on Corridor H. It appears to be in the vicinity of the Randolph/Tucker county line:

I believe this is in Tucker County south of the small community of Moore. 

The road under the bridge is (for now) U.S. 219 (Seneca Trail).  Once this part of Corridor H is open, I believe U.S. 219 will move to the new highway and Seneca Trail will be signed "Old Route 219" or something similar.

Wow -- those are dinky Corridor H signs; certainly less conspicuous than the pre-I-22 signage down on Corridor X!   Since WV doesn't seem to have any issue with multiplexed routes -- or in any hurry to decommission usurped routes -- we should all expect rather elaborate "sign salads" all along the corridor's length regardless of location, particularly if existing routes such as US 219 are indeed moved to the new facility.  Hope someone gets some pix when that happens (especially on the Elkins-Weston section once US 48 signage is applied).

[seicer]

The Elkins - Weston segment has been signed for about a year I think.

[sparker]

The Elkins - Weston segment has been signed for about a year I think.

If it's complete with US 48 and Corridor H indicators I for one would certainly like to see a picture of that signage. 

[jmacswimmer]

GSV shows US 48 shields in a few recently-updated spots on the Elkins-Weston stretch - for instance, check out this massive assembly at the WV 92 intersection outside Elkins.

[sparker]

GSV shows US 48 shields in a few recently-updated spots on the Elkins-Weston stretch - for instance, check out this massive assembly at the WV 92 intersection outside Elkins.

Now that's a sign salad!  Anyone got some croutons and Roquefort?