By BRETT DUNLAP, Staff Writer
PARKERSBURG — The majority of the Corridor D project is complete with the construction of the Blennerhassett Bridge as the last major hurdle to overcome.
The West Virginia Department of Transportation’s Division of Highways recently released a report on the status of the overall highway project as well as listing a number of projects that are expected to get under way in the next year or two.
The only major section of the road left was finishing the construction of the Blennerhassett Bridge. According to the report, dated May 25, the bridge was 79 percent complete with an expected competion date of late November.
‘‘Right now, about everything is complete except for the Blennerhassett Bridge,’’ said Brent Walker, assistant communications director for WVDOT.
Work has continued on the bridge throughout the warm weather as there has been very little rainfall to impede workers’ progress, he said.
‘‘Things are going great,’’ Walker said. ‘‘We haven’t had much rainfall. All the pleasant days have really helped with getting the work done.’’
Of the 21 sections of the Corridor D project listed in the report, five sections were listed as being 95 percent complete, but Walker said work has progressed on those sections and he believes the bridge is where most of the focus is being put now.
Officials are projecting the whole project will be completed by Nov. 30.
At almost $120 million, the bridge project is the largest, single highway contract in West Virginia history, state highway officials have said.
The 4,009-foot-long bridge will complete the four-lane upgrade of U.S. 50 from Clarksburg to the Ohio line. The route was one of the original 23 Appalachian corridors selected in 1965 under the Appalachian Development Highway System.
Local officials are anticipating many economic opportunities along the corridor’s route as more areas are opened up for development with access from the new highway.
The WVDOT also have a number of projects on tap and in progress:
- A traffic operations and safety study on W.Va. 14 from the intersection of Emerson Avenue in Parkersburg to 28th Street in Vienna is currently in progress which is expected to be completed by August.
- Construction to upgrade W.Va. 14 to four lanes from 0.10 mile north of Wood County21/34 to 0.04 mile north of Wood County 21/15 is scheduled to begin in January 2009. The project will complete the four laning of W.Va. 14 from the I-77 Mineral Wells Interchange to the Patriot Center in south Parkersburg. Plans for the project could be done by August 2008. Public meetings on the project are expected.
- Construction to relocate and upgrade W.Va. 14 to four lanes from the northbound exit/entrance ramps of the I-77 interchange to 0.3 mile east of Wood County14/1 is scheduled to begin in March 2009.
- Construction for the widening of I-77 to six lanes, including two bridges over the Little Kanawha River, from 0.7 mile south of W.Va. 47 to the north end of the W.Va. 47 interchange bridge and construction for the replacement and widening of the I-77 Camden Avenue (W.Va. 95) interchange bridge deck to six lanes are both scheduled to begin in April 2009.
Posted with permission from The Parkersburg News & Sentinel
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