'Roads to Prosperity' seen as good launch point for North Central West Virginia

The voter-approved $1.6 billion bond sale, the biggest piece of the funding puzzle, will pay for 39 big ticket projects in 22 West Virginia counties. Sale of those general obligation bonds will be spread over four years — $800 million in bonds will be sold this year to pay for 10 major projects. After that, the state will sell $200,000 in general obligation bonds in each of the next three years to cover the cost of the remaining 29 road bond projects.

Other projects will be funded on a pay-as-you-go basis and through the sale of turnpike or federally backed Grant Anticipated Revenue Vehicles bonds. Some of those have already been authorized for construction.

Department of Transportation Spokesman Brent Walker said the roads program is the centerpiece of Justice’s legislative agenda, addressing the state’s infrastructure needs “but also making it an economic recovery tool.”

“We’ve been able to begin to put a meaningful impact on our transportation infrastructure and, really, play a big part in West Virginia’s economic recovery,” Walker said.

“We just wouldn’t have had the resources to do all of that (otherwise),” Walker said. “That’s why the “Roads to Prosperity” program is so important — we’ve been able to accelerate projects using existing money, knowing we’d get it back as (funding) came in.”

John Deskins, director of WVU’s Bureau of Business & Economic Research, said there’s no disputing the importance of infrastructure, given the state’s need to rebuild its economy.

“You have to make sure infrastructure continues to improve so we can accommodate more people and more business,” Deskins said. “If infrastructure doesn’t keep up, it can really start to (deter) economic development and population growth.”

Deskins said the infrastructure investment will bring short- and long-term gains.

“We’ll get a boost from workers getting paid and increased spending (by them),” he said. “The more of those workers who can be hired locally, the better — it will bring more money back into the local economy. There’ll be an impact, short- and long-term, and that’s a good thing for the state.”

Harrison County will see about $62.6 million in road projects, including a handful within city limits that would involving paving, guardrail and culvert work, as well as replacing the Camden Street Bridge superstructure. The county’s big-ticket item would be construction of a split diamond interchange at I-79/U.S. 50, expected to cost about $30 million and take two years to complete.

Economic Development Director Amy Haberbosch-Wilson said the work is “much needed,” particularly the new interchange.

“I hate to say (we’re) past due, but we’ve just been growing and our roads have not been able to keep up,” she said. “That happens. But, we have to look at safety, too. (This) will enhance the whole area.”

Haberbosch-Wilson said Harrison County’s needs probably exceed the available funding, “but it’s a start.”

“It’s about accessibility,” she said. “Once you open up accessibility, it opens up education, employment, other services, health care. It just reduces travel time. And with all that comes economic development, other businesses that want to open up because of transportation.”

She said there are lots of available sites in Harrison County, “but without good transportation you can’t get to them.”

“We’re trying to market the county, but (investors) are looking at our roads, looking at our area, and it’s just not the kind of development they want to do because (there’s) no easy access (to some sites).

“Transportation here is going to drive our economic development. We just have to open up some areas, improve some areas, so this is going to be huge for West Virginia.”

Robbie Morris, executive director of the Randolph County Development Authority, said 24 projects totaling more than $21.2 million are on tap in his county, including several bridge replacements, safety improvements on U.S. 250 and some drainage work on Corridor H.

Morris figures the biggest gains in his community will come from actual Corridor H construction: While a 7.5-mile stretch connecting the completed section of Corridor H at Kerens to the U.S. 219 connector northeast of Montrose is in progress and should be done in 2019, the road bond includes another $90 million to complete a 3.2-mile stretch in neighboring Tucker County. He said DOH hopes to award the contract by mid-year.

“We expect to see more economic development in the Tucker and Randolph county area, especially,” Morris said. “We share quite a bit. Our workforce travels to and from each county, so this will make it easier, more efficient for that labor force to work across county lines.”

Morris said a 2013 economic impact study that was done suggested Corridor H would have one of the best paybacks as far as return on investment goes.

“I think it was the second-highest return within the Appalachian Development Highway System,” Morris said.

With every mile that’s completed, they move that much closer to their goal, he said.

“Once the new section is put out to bid and completed, you’ll be able to drive all the way from Weston to Parsons without stopping, and you’ll be able to go from Davis to Wardensville without stopping,” he said.

“(But) Corridor H, in general, has taken way too long to get to the point we’re at. As every mile is finished, you can see (the economic impact). Look at the Weston area, Buckhannon, Elkins, Moorefield ... all the new commercial development that’s come up over there. Tucker is already reporting increased traffic counts; over at the ski resorts, they’re reporting a lot more people coming in from D.C. and the beltway area.

“So, even being incomplete, people are starting to see positive benefits that come from having a road like that through our area. There’s still a lot of work to be done, but we’re very excited — that whole ‘if you build it they will come’ theory is starting to come to fruition as sections of the road are completed. Our prospects for the future are looking brighter every day.”

Barbour County residents are looking forward to seeing much-needed road improvements in their community, Commissioner Phil Hart said.

The state plans to spend more than $9 million on 14 projects in the county, most of them involving resurfacing, slide repair, drainage and safety upgrades.

“We haven’t seen anything start yet, but we’re excited to have it,” Hart said. “Some of the roads on the list desperately need upgraded, they’ll be a lot safer for citizens to travel. There are drainage issues on some that are a great concern.”

Hart said county officials are hoping the road work will benefit local businesses “and put citizens of Barbour County to work.”

“People are definitely looking forward to it, the upgrade of roads,” he said, adding that without the bond money, “it’s hard to (imagine) when they would have been upgraded to the magnitude they needed to be.

“The biggest thing I can see is it’s going to make it safer for our citizens and school buses,” he said. “I think the county commission (anticipates) a bump for business with the upgrades to roads leading into Barbour County. It gives us an opportunity to showcase our county, we’re also looking forward to more tourism (opportunities).”

Twenty-two road projects with a price tag estimated at nearly $12 million made the list in Upshur County, most of them involving resurfacing, drainage, slide and bridge repairs and safety improvements.

Buckhannon-Upshur Chamber of Commerce President Tammy Reger said the business community expects to see some benefits.

“I think it was positive, in the fact that we’re going to get (projects) done now,” Reger said. “We’re along the Corridor H project, so we see benefits from that work.

“There’s a push to finish because it would affect us tremendously, the opportunity for jobs, for growth,” she said. “We do think it’s positive. Any time you’re growing your transportation and roads, you’re affecting travel, you’re affecting tourism, you’re affecting industry. All of those things are important to the growth of West Virginia.”

Cindy Whetsell, interim director of the Lewis County Development Authority, said her community is very excited, particularly about the $16 million that’s been budgeted for re-engineering the Exit 99 interchange off I-79. More than $25 million has been earmarked for 16 projects in the county, most of them involving resurfacing, slide repairs, and deck and bridge replacements.

“The on-off ramps and merge lanes now are like a ‘U,’” she said. “So they’ll have their own dedicated ramps now. It will do wonders for that area. There are a lot of accidents, so it’s for public safety. But it will open up property there that wasn’t available for development before. I anticipate there will be a tremendous benefit on the public safety side and the economic development side.”

Whetsell said Mon Health Care is partnering with Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital to build a new hospital, right off the exit, “so certainly the reconfiguration of the exit will be very beneficial to the new hospital. We’re hoping that it will be kind of an anchor for us to (attract) other businesses in.

“Good things are happening,” she added. “The road bond issue is going to put people to work, that’s going to boost the economy. Certainly the ease of access for Lewis County is going to be a positive for every aspect of life. But long-range, we’re in a very unique position: Exit 99 will be the interchange of Corridor H and I-79 — for this county, that’s a dream we’ve watched for many years. To have new on-off ramps at the exit and Corridor H coming to completion, it could be a tremendous stimulant for the local economy.”

Doddridge County Economic Development Director Herk Conner said the road projects will be good for the state, though he said there weren’t many projects identified in his own community. About $6.5 million will be invested in 12 projects in Doddridge County, most of it paving and slide repairs. About $1.2 million will be used for the Pike Fork Bridge replacement.

“Those are quality-of-life issues as well as infrastructure issues,” he said.

“I think the road bond is going to be good for the state, and if it’s good for the state I see some good coming from it here in Doddridge County,” Conner said. “I understand what they’re doing. The focus seems to be on more major stuff that needs work across the state — bridges, intersections, major exchanges. That’s going to be good for the state.”

Taylor County residents will see more than $4.6 million in road upgrades, most of them involving things like resurfacing, slide repairs, culverts work and safety upgrades, In all, 13 problem areas will be addressed, including $1 million in safety and operational improvements on U.S. 50, U.S. 119 and U.S. 250.

Commissioner Orville G. Wright said the upgrades are badly needed.

“About all of our roads need repaving and such,” he said. “I really don’t know for sure what we’re going to be getting yet. I’m hoping (it) will benefit the whole county.”

He said they’re excited at the prospect of jobs being created during the construction phase, and “hopefully temporary employment can turn into long-term employment.”

“It will be wonderful if we can get all that work done,” he said. “The bulk of our roads, they all need to be repaired. It’s fantastic.”