By Jeff Jenkins in News | August 28, 2017 at 5:00PM
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A 16-page list of highway construction projects planned by the Justice administration includes more than $1 billion that would be financed through the road bond amendment if approved by residents in a statewide vote scheduled for Oct. 7.
There are 35 projects on the list in 18 different counties that would be paid for with general obligation bonds. Bonds will be sold to finance the work and then paid off from taxes and fees already approved by state lawmakers.
The 16-page list includes dozens of other projects that will be paid for through Turnpike tolls, Garvee bonds and other funding.
Monongalia County has the most projects on the bond list at seven including plans for a new I-79 access to downtown Morgantown that would cost $100 million.
The DOH plans to spend $172.5 million for a new I-70 bridge in Ohio County while $170 million would finance an I-64 widening project at Nitro on the Kanawha-Putnam line including an additional bridge across the Kanawha River.
During an appearance Monday on MetroNews “Talkline,” former Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin Chief of Staff Chris Stadelman said bond supporters need to get their message out soon.
“You’re going to want to talk about jobs. You’re going to want to talk about new roads and improved roads and you’re going to want to stress that there aren’t new taxes involved with this. That the fees and taxes that are going to pay off these bonds have already been approved,” Stadelman said.
A coalition of business and labor needs to be on board or the bond has “no chance” for passage, Stadelman said.
“You want to have a campaign that gets very local,” he said. “Go to county commissions, city councils, development authorities, pass resolutions and get them on board.”
The list released by the state Division of Highways Monday included the following projects:
General Obligation Bond Projects
(If the Roads to Prosperity Referendum Passes)
Berkeley County – WV 51 Widening Widen WV 51 from I-81 I/C to WV 51/US 11 I/S (Inwood Bypass) $23,500,000
Berkeley County – I-81 Widening Widen I-81 $75,000,000
Cabell County – I-64 widening near Barboursville Mall $65,000,000
Cabell County – I-64 widening near 29th Street exit $50,000,000
Cabell County – U.S. 60 widening-Merritt Creek $25,000,000
Cabell County – construct near I-64 Culloden interchange $50,000,000
Hancock County – New Cumberland Relocate and widen WV-2 through New Cumberland $11,000,000
Harrison County – I-79/US 50 Interchange Construct split diamond interchange per draft Harrison County 2025 Transportation Plan report $30,000,000
Jefferson County – US 340 Operational Improvements at Harpers Ferry Construct turning lanes; climbing lane, etc. $11,000,000
Jefferson County – US 340 Widening Charles Town – VA Line Construct 4-lane highway between Charles Town to Rippon $40,000,000
Kanawha County — Widening of state Route 622 at Cross Lanes from 3 to 5 lanes $30,000,000
Kanawha County — Jefferson Road improvements in South Charleston $66,000,000
Kanawha County — Update of U.S. Route 119 in Charleston from MacCorkle Ave to Jefferson Road $65,000,000
Kanawha County – MacCorkle Avenue Roadway Improvements Reconstruct pavement and improve various pedestrian, roadway and intersection operations improvements $10,000,000
Lewis County – I-79 Exit 99 Interchange Rebuild SB Exit and Install Lighting $16,000,000
Mingo County – King Coal Highway-Horsepen Mountain to Gilbert Creek Construct 4-lane highway including Gilbert Creek Connector $40,000,000
Monongalia County – US 119 Mileground – Donna Ave to CR 857 (Airport to Easton) – 0.59 mile $15,000,000
Monongalia County – Greenbag Road Improvements Improve I/S & Widen (Kingwood Pike to White Park) $16,000,000
Monongalia County – West Run Improvements Improve I/S & widen – jct CR 67 – jct US 119 $13,000,000
Monongalia County – VanVoorhis Road Improvements Widen, improve drainage, add sidewalk – jct CR 67/1 to jct CR 60 $11,000,000
Monongalia County – Beechhurst Ave Spot Improvements Improve I/S & widen – 6th to 8th St $8,000,000
Monongalia County – I-79 Star City I/C Improvements Construct Directional Ramps and Improve Chaplin Hill Road $40,000,000
Monongalia County – US 119 Mileground – Cheat Rd – Donna Ave (existing roundabout to Airport) – widen $27,000,000
Monongalia County – I-79 Access to Morgantown Construction new connector from I-79 to Morgantown; location to be determined $100,000,000
Morgan County – Fairview Drive Connector Construct 2-lane connector road between US 522 and Fairview Drive near Hospital in Berkeley Springs $6,000,000
Morgan County – US 522 (Bypass at Berkeley Springs) Reconstruct US 522 in Morgan County to 4-lane highway around Berkeley Springs $40,000,000
Ohio County – I-70 Bridge Rehabilitation/Renovation Major Rehab and Replace $172,500,000
Pendleton County – WV 33 Climbing Lane Construct climbing lane on US 33 $16,000,000
Putnam County – I-64 Widening Widen I-64 from US 35 to Nitro including new bridge across Kanawha River $170,000,000
Roane County – Scott Miller Hill – US 33 Relocation Relocate US 33 to a new two-lane road from CR 3 to CR 5/12 in Roane County $42,000,000
Tucker County – Corridor H – US 219 Connector to WV 72 I/C Construct 4 lane Corridor H $90,000,000
Wayne County – Tolsia Highway-Pritchard to I-64 Construct 4-lane highway from Pritchard Intermodal Facility in previously graded areas & utilize existing US 52 & widen remaining areas $150,000,000
Wetzel County – WV 2 Widening Widen to four lanes from Proctor to Kent $80,000,000
Wood County – WV 2 Widening Reconstruct to 5-lane highway from Wood CR 3/8 to 0.3 miles north I/S WV SR 31 (2.0 miles) $36,000,000
Wood County – WV 14 Widening Pettyville-Downtown Reconstruct and widen WV 14 to four lanes from the Parkersburg City boundary south to the newly relocated WV 14 four-lane highway $15,000,000