Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
To avoid nearly every thread with discussion being turned into a thread about transportation and infrastructure woes, here's a thread solely for that purpose.
To start, I'll say Huntington needs to have the few remaining I-64 bridges widened in order to be able to have 3 lanes at the very least from the Hal Greer exit to the mall.
It would also be nice to have Route 10 straightened and widened. The state already owns much of the property to do is and the first stretch is supposed to start in the next 2-3 years. Who knows if it will though.
It's interesting that you say that, because all we hear from the politicos is the state is in excellent fiscal shape, and from the pork barrell contingent, proposals to build massive new multi million dollar state park lodges and so forth. There are glaring infrastructure needs to be met. I suppose it depends on your perspective as to which should come when but without going into that I'll list a number of them...
Road construction from WV 705 through Mileground to Point Marion Road in Morgantown
Widening Beechurst Ave. in Morgantown, and fixing the mess they made on University Ave. when they reduced traffic to one lane inbound there.
Adding a lane from Don Knotts Blvd. to the four lane at the top of the hill for I68 access at the Grafton Road exit.
Completing a West Run bypass around the north side of Morgantown connecting I79 and I68.
Completing I68 to connect with I470 at Wheeling or Bellaire, OH via Moundsville.
Upgrading WV Route 2 from Weirton to Huntington and connecting it with I68 as mentioned above and I64 at Huntingon.
Adding a lane on each side on I79 from Prickets Fort to the WV University exit.
Improving the interchange between I68 and WV 43 (The Mon Fayette Expressway).
Improving I64 between Huntington and Charleston.
Every one of those projects are vitally important to this state, and they should take priority before any of the pie eyed feel good proposals designed to create something that might, or might not exist.
I tell you what the state Didnt need this DUMB bridge in Martinsburg! When it was voted on to connect Rt 11 to Raliegh St [Ralieh St Extention Project] We 30+ yrs ago voted on a ROAD not Bridges! To be compleate in 4-6 Months! Cost Low Now almost $10 Million! City already owned the property so no cost there. Almsot been a yr with no end in sight! Think of what the money could have went to IF the dummies in office Now would have stuck with the org plan!
Many of the projects listed are actually on the states Statewide Transportation Improvement program, so the money is there and many projects are planned.
They do plan to widen West Run and the Mileground as well as I-64 in spots and Route 10.
The Route 2 expansion would be great but I just don't see it happening with all of the other pressing needs. Plus, I don't think the use is high enough on that road currently to warrant that.
Also, I think a more realistic widening of I-68 would be Goshen road to Star City. Starting at the Pricketts Fort exit would be a waste at this point as traffic has never been that heavy there the hundreds of times that I have driven that stretch.
I'd offer up repairs to Rt 50 between Romney and Rt 79. I drove on Rt's 26, 50 and 219 during a recent visit to Canaan Valley and was surprised at the poor surface repair on these roads. Perhaps I missed a much better route from Morgantown to Canaan Valley?
Regarding the previous suggestions .... a bypass around Morgantown to connect Rts 68 & 79? Admittedly I only travel this route during weekends or evenings .... is this a bumper-to-bumper commute area during the day?
I'd offer up repairs to Rt 50 between Romney and Rt 79. I drove on Rt's 26, 50 and 219 during a recent visit to Canaan Valley and was surprised at the poor surface repair on these roads. Perhaps I missed a much better route from Morgantown to Canaan Valley?
I usually take I68 East to Friendsville MD, Maryland 42 south to McHenry, and then 219 to Thomas.
I'd offer up repairs to Rt 50 between Romney and Rt 79. I drove on Rt's 26, 50 and 219 during a recent visit to Canaan Valley and was surprised at the poor surface repair on these roads. Perhaps I missed a much better route from Morgantown to Canaan Valley?
Regarding the previous suggestions .... a bypass around Morgantown to connect Rts 68 & 79? Admittedly I only travel this route during weekends or evenings .... is this a bumper-to-bumper commute area during the day?
Traffic can be a little hectic on the interstates sometimes, but no real gridlock on the interstates themselves aside from gamedays. The real benefit the road would have would be to reduce traffic in town itself, mainly 705. People going to and coming from work on the north side of town (see: hospitals) could drive to the new expressway and get on the interstate from there instead of everybody trying to get to 68 or 79 from 705.
Many of the projects listed are actually on the states Statewide Transportation Improvement program, so the money is there and many projects are planned.
They do plan to widen West Run and the Mileground as well as I-64 in spots and Route 10.
The Route 2 expansion would be great but I just don't see it happening with all of the other pressing needs. Plus, I don't think the use is high enough on that road currently to warrant that.
Also, I think a more realistic widening of I-68 would be Goshen road to Star City. Starting at the Pricketts Fort exit would be a waste at this point as traffic has never been that heavy there the hundreds of times that I have driven that stretch.
Route 2 has probably the biggest potential for industrial expansion in the state, with the new gas developments. I'm certainly no expert in the field of plastics or refining, but it seems clear the Ohio Valley is going to be the focal point of those activities. Without adequate infrastructure in place, the majority of the development activities will likely take place on the other side of the river. That won't have any significant effect on employment... the same people would be working there no matter which side of the river are plant locations, but it would affect tax collections in a major manner.
It seems to me developing Route 2 is a highly profitable enterprise for the state that would net development from Weirton to Huntington, with all of those areas utilizing raw materials created primarily in the New Martinsville area and transported via river, rail, and highway.
Prickett's Fort to Goshen is very busy during rush hours with the continually increased traffic load resulting from developments in Bridgeport and Morgantown. During non peak hours, as you mentioned, the traffic load is tolerable, but there are times when it is just too heavy. It is the same in your area on I64, and even more so on I64 between Charleston and Hurricane.
Creating good, six land expressways through and between NCWV's most developed areas, and between Charleston and Huntington too, is just a common sense approach, and would promote continued development in areas that have already shown strong development potential.
In addition, insuring effecient highway transportation links between those areas and the much more heavily populated centers on the East Coast would further encourage development by making markets more accessable. Things like this could make West Virginia plastic, for example, more competitive than plastics transported from eastern Europe in East Coast areas due to lower transport costs and easier supply routes.
The notion of developing roadways in the middle of nowhere just because it might create some tourism jobs and so forth is nice, but it pales in comparison with the demonstrated needs in place. The folks who have been pushing those activities are politically pandering. They are not making the most effecient use of existing resources.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
