Gribblenation

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again - that's the motto Mercer County, WV officials and the King Coal Highway Commission as they try to secure up to $20 million in federal TIGER IV Grant money. If received, it would be used to extend the King Coal highway 2.3 miles from US 19 to WV 23.  If they receive the $20 million grant, WV will kick in an additional $4 million. The TIGER IV is a pool of $500 million.  Plans are to build this extension as an Interstate grade freeway with the hopes to have the highway one day signed as Interstate 73. The deadline for final applications for TIGER IV grants is March 19th.  There is not a determined date for when they will be awarded. Story Link: TIGER funds Federal grant would boost King Coal ---Bluefield Daily Telegraph

Major West Virginia transportation projects are poised to gain an infusion of a few million dollars if President Obama signs the Fiscal Year 2010 Transportation and Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations bill into law. Senator Robert Byrd has included nearly $14 million in funding for various road projects throughout the state. They include: $4.4 million for Corridor H (specifically for the highway between Bismarck and Foreman). $1.9 million for US 35 improvements $1.9 million for WV 10 upgrades $1.9 million for the Coalfields Expressway - specifically for work in Raleigh County in the Allen Creek to Slab Fork Section. $1.9 million for the King Coal Highway - to be used for extending the highway north towards the Mercer County Airport near Bluefield . These funds will not make construction imminent on these projects, but they will be added to the pool of funds needed to start or continue work. Story Links: Road funds await Obama signature --- Bluefield Dail...

According to the King Coal Highway Executive Director, a small but important piece of the highway in Bluefield is now complete. "They’ ve just got the paving to do now (below the bridge) on Route 19. But it is finished," said Mike Mitchem . The bridge will one day become part of Interstate 73. It is unclear if there will be access to US 19 from the bridge as prior articles make it seem like that there will not be a connection to US 19 from the King Coal. Below, I have place a scan of the 2009 WVDOH map Bluefield inset showing the bridge as under construction. The next piece of the puzzle is to extend the King Coal to WV 123 and the Mercer County Airport. Currently, King Coal supporter, Congressman Nick Rahall (D), has requested $60 million be included in the 2010 transportation bill to help extend the highway to WV 123. I will try and check out the bridge (if opened) when I travel to/from Pennsylvania this coming December. Story: Executive Director: King Coal Highway...

From his hospital bed, West Virginia Senator Robert C. Byrd continues to secure transportation funding for various West Virginia highway projects. The latest includes another $4.5 million for Corridor H - which will most likely go towards construction of the Bismark to Davis section. Byrd continues to push for the completion of the controversial Corridor H - even going at odds with the Obama Administration who cut off Corridor H funding in his proposed budget. Byrd in announcing the additional $4.5 million stated that “ Corridor H is my transportation crusade .” In addition to the $4.5 million for Corridor H, Byrd was able to secure: $2 million for the Coalfields Expressway -- This funding would be used for work associated with the Allen Creek to Slab Fork area. To date, Byrd has secured $149.35 million for this project. $2 million for the King Coal Highway -- Funding will be used for construction of an interchange to WV 460 in Mercer County. Byrd has previously secured $124.65 mil...

Slowly but surely another piece of the King Coal Highway (future Interstate 73 and 74) comes closer to completion in West Virginia. Work crews are in the final stages of completing a $16.2 million bridge project in Bluefield. The project will take the highway from US 52/460 and carry the highway approximately 160 feet over US 19. However, the highway will still be a "Road To Nowhere" as this project will cause the highway to dead end into a hillside. Officials are hoping to gain funding in the 2010 federal highway transportation bill to complete the highway to Route 123 to complete a 2.6 mile extension of the King Coal northwards from the US 52/460 interchange. U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., is requesting $60 million for the project. Story: King Coal Highway Bridge close to completion - Bluefield Daily Telegraph

A few weeks ago, I received a packet from the West Virginia Division of Highways. I had requested maps on their proposed routings for the King Coal, Coalfields, and Tolsia Highways. King Coal and Tolsia are designated to be a part of the fun and exciting I-73/74 project. The reason why I requested these maps is that these three routes are widely discussed but no one (that I know of) really has any clue on what the routings of these three highways are to/or could be. So let's take a closer look at the King Coal Highway (Future I-73/74): WVDOH has broken down the route into segments similar to what they have done with Corridor H. In total, there are ten segments and two connector routes that are to be built for the King Coal. I will be heading South to North starting at the US 52 interchange with US 460 (just west of I-77 exit 1) to US 119 near Belo and where US 119 intersects WV 65. Segment 1: Bluefield (US 52/460) to Mercer County Airport (WV 123). Length 2.3 miles. The status ...

According to an April 10, 2008 article in the Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Mercer County, WV officials are optimistic after a recent meeting in Washington to gain more funding for various I-73 projects in their area. “I am optimistic,” Karen Dissibio, a member of the Mercer County Commission, said. “I think we will have a chance to receive funding, but it is going to be over a period of time that we receive funding because it is a large amount of money, and I don’t think they can appropriate it all at one time.” The group made their case for an additional $75 million to build 3.3 miles of the King Coal Highway - eventually slated to become I-73/74 - from WV 123 to WV 20 in Bluefield. In addition to the $75 million Bluefield request, officials also lobbied for $100 million for projects in Mingo County. The $100 million would help two Mingo County projects - the Gilbert Creek to Johnny Cake Mountain section and the Mary Taylor Mountain to Buffalo Mountain section - that would bring the...

It's been a quiet week here at the blog, Brian's in Columbus covering the NHL Draft, Doug's in Rochester, NY for various functions; however, I'm here at home. So here are just a few personal items and news snippets from this past week. First... and you may have to read it a few times ...but Brian UPDATED! Yes, Brian has added an I-85 Exit List and revised the I-540 History Page on Wake County Roads. I've sat stuck on a South Carolina Update as I have been helping Mike Roberson with his latest NCRoads.com Annex update. Now for the news: There was a meeting in Mecklenburg County on the planned 2013 widening of I-485 in Pineville and Ballentyne. The widening will be to six lanes vs. the current four lane configuration. However, the DOT concedes that they are going to have to add additional lanes not long after that . WVDOH finally awarded the bid on the King Coal Highway Extension in Bluefield. The project had been slightly delayed due to a comedy of errors ...

More issues with the bidding process of a $20 million bridge project that will extend the King Coal Highway (Future I-73) in Bluefield , WV has delayed the bidding process another month. "Irregularities" in some of the bids has caused all project bids to be thrown out. The bidding process will be reopened on June 12. Last month, minor changes to the project delayed the opening of the bids to April 17. It was those changes that some of the contractor's bidding on the project did not receive. As a result, those contractor's did not include the project changes in their bids; and because of that, all bids are being removed from the process. Officials with the WV Department of Transportation do not expect that the nearly two months in bidding delays to have any impact with the project's targeted October 2009 completion date. The project will extend the King Coal from the interchange with US 52/460 over US 19 to Stoney Ridge. Story: Highway hits roadblock --- Bl...

Bids for construction for the next segment of the King Coal Highway in Bluefield have been delayed until mid-April. A few minor changes to the project has delayed opening the bids until April 17 th . The $20 million project will extended the highway from the interchange with US 52/460, completed five years ago, over US 19 to Stoney Ridge. Meanwhile, local officials are continuing attempts to secure another $53 million in funds to extend the highway to WV 123 and near the Mercer County Airport. When that segment is constructed there will be direct highway access from I-77 to the airport. In other news, an 11 mile stretch of the King Coal Highway in Mingo County continues to inch closer to a 2010 completion date. For More: King Coal Progress Detoured -- Bluefield Daily Telegraph