WVDOH Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Operation R.I.P. Potholes Smoothing W.Va. Roads

The beginning of spring marks, among other things, the arrival of pothole season. But this year, West Virginia’s Division of Highways (WVDOH) said it’s gotten ahead of the game.

How smooth is traffic running along I-64 in Putnam County? In his weekly media briefing, Gov. Jim Justice said the interstate falls under the Operation R. I. P. Potholes program that began on January 30, 2024.

“We’ve fixed 52,601 potholes,” Justice said. “I mean, it’s hard to imagine.”

Pothole patching usually begins in early April, but the WVDOH said it worked with three asphalt plant owners around the state to open early this season. That allowed road crews to make permanent pothole repairs with hot asphalt rather than the temporary winter cold patching.

So, how much roadway has the DOH pothole patrol covered?

“It’s 4,929 miles of road,” Justice said.

What do drivers on state thoroughfares think of this pothole patching progress and road conditions? Chris LeFevre of Milton was pleased.

“I’ve seen several that were fixed that caused some serious problems on the highway here,” Lefevre said. “I think so far they seem to be doing an okay job.”

Paul Bower, driving through from Pennsylvania, said he saw some pothole progress.

“Actually, they’re not too bad,” Bower said. “Everything that we hit was pretty small. And they’re fixing a lot of places on the way down, so it’s not too bad.”

However, West Virginian Clovis Cobb, who hails from Midway Hollow near Red House, said state highway potholes were not “Resting In Peace” quite yet.

“It’s very poor,” Webb said. “It’s not like it used to be. We’ve got holes everywhere. I hit one and lost stuff from underneath the truck and had to fix it.”

Justice followed Mr. Webb’s lead.

“Really, truly, I know there’s still a bunch more,” he said.

As asphalt plants begin to open statewide, the WVDOH says it will ramp up Operation R.I.P. Potholes.

For a listing of the latest state wide road repair schedule, click here

WVDOH Worker In Critical Condition

A West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) road worker was struck by a car in a work zone on Thursday.

Updated on Friday, March 15, 2024 at 3:39 pm.

Clarksburg Police Chief Mark Kiddy said 46 year old Kiley Wagner of Bridgeport was driving the vehicle that hit the DOH worker. Wagner was charged with DUI causing serious bodily injury. She was released from jail on a $5,000 bond. Kiddy said this was not a work zone, but a vehicle accident zone.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

A West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) road worker was struck by a car in a work zone on Thursday.

A WVDOH press release said the worker was part of a crew of three setting up traffic control devices at the scene of an accident on US 50 in Clarksburg when a vehicle crashed into the work zone at about 9:45 p.m.

The WVDOH employee is in critical condition at Ruby Memorial Hospital with injuries to the head and shoulder

The release noted that all three workers at the scene were wearing hardhats with bright lights, and the work zone was illuminated by flashing lights on the workers’ truck and a flashing arrow sign.

In the release, Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston said the most important safety component in the state’s work zones is the person behind the wheel.

“There would be far fewer accidents if drivers would pay attention and obey the law in work zones,” Wriston said. “That’s what keeps you safe and it’s what keeps our workers safe. Please, hear this: Obey the law in work zones,”

It was not immediately clear what happened to the driver that hit the worker.

WVDOH To Hold Public Meeting On Corridor H In Hardy County

This is the section of the four-lane highway that ends at the Virginia state line, with no immediate plans by Virginia officials to build the road to connect with Interstate 81.

One of the two remaining pieces of Corridor H will be the subject of a public meeting.

The West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) will make a public presentation about a seven-mile section of Corridor H in Wardensville in Hardy County on Thursday.

This is the section of the four-lane highway that ends at the Virginia state line, with no immediate plans by Virginia officials to build the road to connect with Interstate 81.

Still, the road is one of the top priorities for state leaders. Most of it is complete, except for the nine miles from Parsons to Davis and the seven miles east of Wardensville.

The Parsons to Davis section is the most controversial. Community and environmental groups have pushed for a northern route with fewer impacts, while the state prefers a southern route.

Thursday’s meeting will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the War Memorial Building on Main Street in Wardensville.

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.

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.

Division Of Highways To Consider Alternative Route For Corridor H

The West Virginia Division of Highways will take a second look at a northern route for a 10-mile section of Corridor H from Davis to Parsons.

The current WVDOH preferred route splits the towns of Davis and Thomas and crosses the Blackwater Canyon.

Community activists say the northern route avoids those impacts. Additionally, the southern route crosses what’s believed to be the habitat of the endangered Northern Long-Eared Bat.

A Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the project is due later this year. Construction is scheduled to begin next year at a projected cost of $467 million.

Corridor H is one of the biggest highway projects in the state. Most of it is complete.

In addition to the portion from Davis to Parsons, a 7-mile section from Wardensville to the Virginia state line has yet to begin construction.

Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston had said previously that the state would not consider routing the highway north of Thomas.

W.Va. DOH Says More Roads Are Being Paved, More Workers Getting Training

The West Virginia Division of Highways (DOH) relies on state employees and contract workers when getting roads paved in its 10 districts. But thanks to an emphasis on more paver training in 2020, more work has been completed in the last couple of years by state workers — and for less money than work performed by contractors.

The DOH said in a press release that in 2022, state crews paved 349 miles of roadway, which cost $44.9 million. However, only 88 miles were paved through contract paving that year, costing the state $63.7 million.

So far, in 2023, while fewer miles have been completed by state workers than contractors, there’s still a wide difference in the cost — for 48 miles of roadway by state workers, the state spent about $7.4 million compared to 105 miles paved through contractors for $34.9 million.

For perspective, in 2022, that work equaled $128,547 per mile by state workers compared to $728,814 per mile done by contractors. In 2023, so far, the cost has been $154,354 per mile by state workers versus $333,923 per mile by contractors.

While the state saves money and sees more work completed through state workers, the DOH embraces both types of work, as more roads are paved and state employees are receiving more training to meet the needs of its 10 districts.

The DOH began paver training in 2020 after new paver machines were purchased. Forty-nine DOH employees around the state have since learned how to use the equipment.

Training is conducted by the DOH’s Equipment Operator Training Academy, factory representatives from the paver manufacturer and various maintenance assistants in the state Division of Highways.