Tag: Transportation

Senate Approves New I-73 Corridor Economic Commission

The West Virginia Senate unanimously approved an economic commission to identify funding and development opportunities tied to an interstate highway corridor that would span southern West Virginia.

The I-73 highway corridor is currently under construction in southern West Virginia and legislators are looking to parlay the project into an economic opportunity.

West Virginia’s portion of I-73 would connect the state to highways stretching from Michigan to Myrtle Beach. With the region opened to more out-of-state travelers, lawmakers hope economic opportunities will roll in with them.

On Thursday, the West Virginia Senate unanimously approved SB 354. The bill would create an economic commission to advise local industry leaders on development and federal funding opportunities available to them following the project’s completion.

Sen. Mark Maynard, R-Wayne, said the commission hopes to turn the highway’s construction into an economic opportunity for McDowell, Mercer, Mingo and Wayne counties, which the new corridor will intersect.

He added that the highway construction project would qualify the region for new funding opportunities.

“There’s some federal funding out there available for this that currently the state of West Virginia doesn’t get for highway programs,” he said. “Hopefully we can go after some of that.”

Receiving approval from the Senate, the bill now awaits review from the West Virginia House of Delegates.

“Just by making this [corridor] a real thing, it will solve the economic issues because it will allow interstate commerce,” Maynard said. “At the exit ramps, it will allow development, fast food restaurants and truck stops.”

“The bounds are limitless,” Maynard said.

Capito: Senate Will Hold Hearing On Boeing 737 MAX 9 Panel Failure

Capito, a member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, says a hearing will be held “sooner than later” on the door panel that detached from a MAX aircraft in midflight.

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito wants answers about an incident involving Boeing’s 737 MAX 9.

Capito, a member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, says a hearing will be held “sooner than later” on the door panel that detached from a MAX aircraft in midflight.

No one was seriously injured in the incident last week, at 16,000 feet, minutes after the Alaska Airlines plane took off from Portland, Oregon. Still, Capito has many questions about it.

“Is it shoddy material? Is it shoddy work? Is it not enough inspections?” Capito said. “There’s all kinds of questions you can ask.”

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. Spirit Aerosystems, which makes the aircraft’s fuselage in Wichita, Kansas, and Boeing, which assembles the plane in Everett, Washington, are supporting the probe.

Streetscape Construction Continues In Downtown Wheeling

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg toured the Wheeling Streetscape project in July.

Construction on a project to renew downtown Wheeling’s streets and sidewalks continues.

The West Virginia Department of Transportation is installing drainage structures along Main and Market streets in Wheeling.

The construction requires pedestrian and traffic detours but with access to all businesses.

Crews still need to install sidewalks and trees and shrubs. They will replace traffic lights and eventually mill and pave the affected streets.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg toured the Wheeling Streetscape project in July. It received a $16 million grant from a federal discretionary infrastructure spending program called RAISE, or Rebuilding America’s Infrastructure With Sustainability and Equity.

The $32 million project broke ground last year and is scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2025.

Steel Goes Up At Nitro Bridge; Harpers Ferry Detour About To Begin

Gov. Jim Justice gave updates Wednesday on two major highway projects in different parts of the state.

Gov. Jim Justice gave updates Wednesday on two major highway projects in different parts of the state.

The structural steel for the new Interstate 64 Nitro-St. Albans bridge is almost complete. 

Jason Foster, chief engineer of development at the West Virginia Department of Highways, said 2 million tons of steel would be lifted in place on Wednesday.

Next he said, concrete would be poured and asphalt laid to have the new bridge ready for traffic by next spring or summer. Another span opened last year.

“We’re just really excited about this project and the opportunity to have it completed and open to traffic,” Foster said.

In the Eastern Panhandle, U.S. 340 around Harpers Ferry will be closed for 90 days starting on Sept. 12. Contractors will work to stabilize rock formations in the area to improve safety.

“We will have the road reopened by Christmas for the region’s shopping season,” Foster said.

Foster said the Appalachian Trail would remain open through the area.

Information on the 22-mile detour is available at us340harpersferry.com.

Roads, Bridges And The State’s First ‘Dementia Friendly’ Town On This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, it’s Dementia Friendly Day in St. Albans. The Kanawha County town is the first location in the state that has been recognized as being dementia friendly. For his special radio series, “Getting Into Their Reality: Caring For Aging Parents,” News Director Eric Douglas spoke with Walter Hall, the vice mayor of St. Albans, and one of the founders of the Dementia Friendly program, to find out what it’s all about.

On this West Virginia Morning, it’s Dementia Friendly Day in St. Albans. The Kanawha County town is the first location in the state that has been recognized as being dementia friendly.

For his special radio series, “Getting Into Their Reality: Caring For Aging Parents,” News Director Eric Douglas spoke with Walter Hall, the vice mayor of St. Albans, and one of the founders of the Dementia Friendly program, to find out what it’s all about.

Also, in this show, between the Roads to Prosperity and the federal infrastructure law, there is a lot going on when it comes to roads and bridges. In our latest episode of The Legislature Today, Curtis Tate spoke with state Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston and Sen. Charles Clements, R-Wetzel, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to discuss the state’s progress.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from West Virginia University, Concord University, and Shepherd University.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Contentious Campus Carry Bill Heads To Governor

On this episode of The Legislature Today, between the Roads to Prosperity and the federal infrastructure law, there is a lot going on when it comes to roads and bridges. Curtis Tate speaks with Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston and Sen. Charles Clements, R-Wetzel, the chairman of the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, to discuss the state’s progress.

On this episode of The Legislature Today, emotions ran high and the rhetoric ran long as the House of Delegates debated the contentious campus carry firearms bill. As Government Reporter Randy Yohe reports, the bill was approved in the chamber and is now on its way to the governor.   

Also, between the Roads to Prosperity and the federal infrastructure law, there is a lot going on when it comes to roads and bridges. Curtis Tate speaks with Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston and Sen. Charles Clements, R-Wetzel, the chairman of the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, to discuss the state’s progress.

Tuesday was Recovery Advocacy Day at the West Virginia Legislature, the capitol rotunda filled with smiling faces, clear heads and hopeful hearts. The goal was to identify areas related to treatment, prevention and recovery efforts and lobby for important legislation. Randy Yohe has this story.

A bill meant to staff each West Virginia hospital with a qualified sexual assault nurse examiner passed the Senate unanimously and is headed to the governor’s desk. Appalachia Health News Reporter Emily Rice has more.

Finally, the Senate took up a bill that would change how and how much counties pay for inmates they send to the state’s correctional system. Chris Schulz has more.

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The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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