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Also, I can think of one (rather expensive) road project that should be scrapped, though if I say it, someone from Bluefield and points west would rip my head off...
Also, I can think of one (rather expensive) road project that should be scrapped, though if I say it, someone from Bluefield and points west would rip my head off...
He's talking about the King Coal Highway (and possibly the Coalfields Expressway as well) - a much maligned project by many people throughout the state. It would basically run from Huntington to Bluefield along US 52 near the WV borders with Kentucky and Virginia. The Coalfields Expressway will run from Beckley to the Virginia state line through Raleigh, Wyoming, and McDowell Counties. It would connect with the KCH near Welch, WV.
The King Coal Highway has about 20 or so miles completed or under construction - about half a mile around Prichard in Wayne County, a mile or so in Bluefield, and the rest in Mingo County east of Williamson. The Coalfields Expressway is finished from Beckley to Slab Fork, and was just awarded funding to finish right-of-way acquisition to the town of Mullens. The cool thing about the KCH in Mingo County is the collaboration between the WVDOT and coal mining operations to turn former strip mine sites to sections of the highway as part of the post-mining reclamation projects. Don't get me wrong - I'm pretty leery of MTR mining activities, but at least this is one instance of actual community benefit. The coal companies do all the earthwork and grading, and the DOT lays the highway down. Including those collaborations under negotiation now, about 30 miles of the KCH in Mingo County will be built by the time the mining operations are done (~10 years max, 2 years min) and will save the DOT almost $200 million.
No one here objects to the merits of these road projects, but some would argue that the money is better spent on areas that will give a much speedier ROI. Places like Morgantown or the Eastern Panhandle, for instance. I would tend to agree with this sentiment as well, but the southern part of WV desperately needs transportation help. I made a trip out to Oceana in Wyoming County recently and no amount of development is going to happen without MAJOR infrastructure upgrades in the county and region. But it is a much smarter idea to work on places already developing but in need of new roads, spurring further development and urbanization - something WV hasn't seen in a while.
He's talking about the King Coal Highway (and possibly the Coalfields Expressway as well) - a much maligned project by many people throughout the state. It would basically run from Huntington to Bluefield along US 52 near the WV borders with Kentucky and Virginia. The Coalfields Expressway will run from Beckley to the Virginia state line through Raleigh, Wyoming, and McDowell Counties. It would connect with the KCH near Welch, WV.
The King Coal Highway has about 20 or so miles completed or under construction - about half a mile around Prichard in Wayne County, a mile or so in Bluefield, and the rest in Mingo County east of Williamson. The Coalfields Expressway is finished from Beckley to Slab Fork, and was just awarded funding to finish right-of-way acquisition to the town of Mullens. The cool thing about the KCH in Mingo County is the collaboration between the WVDOT and coal mining operations to turn former strip mine sites to sections of the highway as part of the post-mining reclamation projects. Don't get me wrong - I'm pretty leery of MTR mining activities, but at least this is one instance of actual community benefit. The coal companies do all the earthwork and grading, and the DOT lays the highway down. Including those collaborations under negotiation now, about 30 miles of the KCH in Mingo County will be built by the time the mining operations are done (~10 years max, 2 years min) and will save the DOT almost $200 million.
No one here objects to the merits of these road projects, but some would argue that the money is better spent on areas that will give a much speedier ROI. Places like Morgantown or the Eastern Panhandle, for instance. I would tend to agree with this sentiment as well, but the southern part of WV desperately needs transportation help. I made a trip out to Oceana in Wyoming County recently and no amount of development is going to happen without MAJOR infrastructure upgrades in the county and region. But it is a much smarter idea to work on places already developing but in need of new roads, spurring further development and urbanization - something WV hasn't seen in a while.
King coal highway is unnecessary and is just a handout to coal companies operating in that region. They want to improve their profits, and are passing the expense on to the people of WV. The profits however will not remain in state, except for the small cut the state mafia collects.
There is no development there because few people live there, and the ones that do live are moving out. No amount of infrastructure upgrades is going to change that. There are parts of the state that are developing and people are moving to, but these few areas are not getting infrastructure upgrades. Doesnt it make more sense to build new roads where development and urbanization are occurring instead of building them where the opposite is happening?
WV is seeing development and urbanization, and has for some time, just in parts the rest of the state doesnt like or supports.
He's talking about the King Coal Highway (and possibly the Coalfields Expressway as well) - a much maligned project by many people throughout the state. It would basically run from Huntington to Bluefield along US 52 near the WV borders with Kentucky and Virginia. The Coalfields Expressway will run from Beckley to the Virginia state line through Raleigh, Wyoming, and McDowell Counties. It would connect with the KCH near Welch, WV.
The King Coal Highway has about 20 or so miles completed or under construction - about half a mile around Prichard in Wayne County, a mile or so in Bluefield, and the rest in Mingo County east of Williamson. The Coalfields Expressway is finished from Beckley to Slab Fork, and was just awarded funding to finish right-of-way acquisition to the town of Mullens. The cool thing about the KCH in Mingo County is the collaboration between the WVDOT and coal mining operations to turn former strip mine sites to sections of the highway as part of the post-mining reclamation projects. Don't get me wrong - I'm pretty leery of MTR mining activities, but at least this is one instance of actual community benefit. The coal companies do all the earthwork and grading, and the DOT lays the highway down. Including those collaborations under negotiation now, about 30 miles of the KCH in Mingo County will be built by the time the mining operations are done (~10 years max, 2 years min) and will save the DOT almost $200 million.
No one here objects to the merits of these road projects, but some would argue that the money is better spent on areas that will give a much speedier ROI. Places like Morgantown or the Eastern Panhandle, for instance. I would tend to agree with this sentiment as well, but the southern part of WV desperately needs transportation help. I made a trip out to Oceana in Wyoming County recently and no amount of development is going to happen without MAJOR infrastructure upgrades in the county and region. But it is a much smarter idea to work on places already developing but in need of new roads, spurring further development and urbanization - something WV hasn't seen in a while.
So, this road will improve travel along Rt. 52? People die on that road every year. Improvements are needed. (I wonder how the talked a coal company into doing that work. )
So, this road will improve travel along Rt. 52? People die on that road every year. Improvements are needed. (I wonder how the talked a coal company into doing that work. )
People die on all major roads. Is that the criteria for building a new highway, someone driving bad?
So, this road will improve travel along Rt. 52? People die on that road every year. Improvements are needed. (I wonder how the talked a coal company into doing that work. )
Improvements are certainly needed. Those are hands-down the worst roads I've ever encountered in the state of WV. And I was there in the summer! I can't imagine climbing those mountains and hugging the sides of the ridges winding to the bottom of the hill in the winter!
And the coal company was talked into it because they were going to have to spend that money anyway. I mean, there were probably some kickbacks - we are talking about government in Southern WV - but the mines are supposed to have a post-use reclamation plan after mining operations are done. When they're actually implemented correctly (smaller ones can get away with minimal changes; the ones in question are some of the larger projects down there and are not easily overlooked), a lot of money goes into regrading the site and trying to restore the environment. Often times, economic development projects can be built instead - look at University Town Centre in Morgantown - at little cost to the mining company (actually, they get to sell off the land).
Improvements are certainly needed. Those are hands-down the worst roads I've ever encountered in the state of WV. And I was there in the summer! I can't imagine climbing those mountains and hugging the sides of the ridges winding to the bottom of the hill in the winter!
And the coal company was talked into it because they were going to have to spend that money anyway. I mean, there were probably some kickbacks - we are talking about government in Southern WV - but the mines are supposed to have a post-use reclamation plan after mining operations are done. When they're actually implemented correctly (smaller ones can get away with minimal changes; the ones in question are some of the larger projects down there and are not easily overlooked), a lot of money goes into regrading the site and trying to restore the environment. Often times, economic development projects can be built instead - look at University Town Centre in Morgantown - at little cost to the mining company (actually, they get to sell off the land).
The kickback was from the state to the coal companies.
They are pretending they are doing the state a favor when actually the state is serving their interest.
Improvements are certainly needed. Those are hands-down the worst roads I've ever encountered in the state of WV. And I was there in the summer! I can't imagine climbing those mountains and hugging the sides of the ridges winding to the bottom of the hill in the winter!
Improvements are certainly needed, but building an interstate quality road isn't the answer and is a total waste of money considering the amount of people it will affect per dollar. The road project is estimated to run at least $2 billion, there are a total of 172,338 people in all of the counties the road passes through, including Logan County, which it only glances. That's $11,605 per person (it jumps to $14855 by removing Logan County)! The King Coal Highway might not be a road to nowhere, but its certainly a road through nowhere.
I know the some of the boosters of this project think it will lead to industrial and commercial development, but it really won't outside of a few gas stations and fast food places. The development problem in that area is far greater than inadequate roadways and has more to do with the geography of the area and the significant lack of an educated and well trained population. And to be honest, there is little that can be done for either of those problems. You can't flatten every mountain and the smarter young people of the area who are fortunate enough to get out and go to college are more likely to gravitate towards larger, more urban areas, as those areas have more high quality jobs available.
What would be a more cost effective measure would be to straighten out and redesign a primarily 2 lane US-52, maybe put in passing lanes on uphill grades. This option would cost significantly less and still provide adequate access the the region.
Improvements are certainly needed, but building an interstate quality road isn't the answer and is a total waste of money considering the amount of people it will affect per dollar. The road project is estimated to run at least $2 billion, there are a total of 172,338 people in all of the counties the road passes through, including Logan County, which it only glances. That's $11,605 per person (it jumps to $14855 by removing Logan County)! The King Coal Highway might not be a road to nowhere, but its certainly a road through nowhere.
I know the some of the boosters of this project think it will lead to industrial and commercial development, but it really won't outside of a few gas stations and fast food places. The development problem in that area is far greater than inadequate roadways and has more to do with the geography of the area and the significant lack of an educated and well trained population. And to be honest, there is little that can be done for either of those problems. You can't flatten every mountain and the smarter young people of the area who are fortunate enough to get out and go to college are more likely to gravitate towards larger, more urban areas, as those areas have more high quality jobs available.
What would be a more cost effective measure would be to straighten out and redesign a primarily 2 lane US-52, maybe put in passing lanes on uphill grades. This option would cost significantly less and still provide adequate access the the region.
The road is not for the residents, but the coal companies.
It might help residents by letting them move out of that desolate area faster for better pastures.
Given the state of infrastructure in this state, especially the 2 important regions that need improvements, it is upsetting how the state waste money on pork handouts like the king pork highway.
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