Gribblenation

Corridor H (US 48) was legislatively created as part of the 1965 Appalachian Regional Development Act.  This route which was designated to run east from Weston via Elkins to Strasburg, Virginia has been West Virginia's most controversial route of the six Appalachian Highway Development System routes that run within the state's borders.  The emotional conflict that has led to numerous legal and political struggles has placed the environment, desire for economic and social progress, and the Eastern West Virginia way of life at odds with each other for nearly four decades.   Early History: The story of Corridor H begins in the 1930s.  Benton McKay, who orchestrated the creation of the Appalachian Trail, suggested a network of highways and parkways throughout Appalachia. (1)  That proposal would become a key part of the 1965 Appalachian Regional Development Act.  The Act included the creation of the Appalachian Development Highway System (AHDS).  The ...

(Seth Dunn) In April of 2003, new signs were erected on VA 55 west of Interstate 81 and Strasburg.  The new signs are for US 48, the approved designation for Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Corridor 'H'.  Corridor H is one of three ARC routes that run through Virginia.  The others are the nearly completed Corridors 'B' and 'Q' which run in Southwestern Virginia.  Most ARC highways are not full fledged Interstate Highways; typically they are multi-laned partially controlled access roadways.  There are interchanges and grade separation for most routes, though some do include full freeways which Corridors B and Q in Virginia do have.  Further, some have been converted to Interstates, Corridor B (I-26) in North Carolina , is an example.  As of September 2015, nearly 88 percent of the ARC highway system is complete. Corridor H is legislatively routed from Interstate 79 near Weston, West Virginia to Interstate 81 near Strasburg, Virginia.  ...

Good News for those following the progress of Corridor H, US 48 will now be signed along the entire route from Interstate 79 in Weston to Interstate 81 in Strasburg, VA.  The US 48 signs from Bismark to Weston should go up sometime this fall. WV House Delegate Gary G Howell announced the upcoming signage on his facebook page.

WVDOH has recently awarded two projects for the construction of Corridor H in Grant County.  The first project awarded was to Kokosing Construction Co.  The $10.9 million project will pave 3.3 miles of Corridor H. Also, Mashuda Corp. won a bid to grade and drain another 2.09 miles of the eventual four lane highway.  The project is worth $18.6 million. Story Link: Two contracts awarded for Corridor H in Grant ---The Charleston Gazette

Near Lancaster, Pennsylvania there is the infamous " Goat Path Expressway ".  The graded yet unbuilt freeway that has become a popular grazing spot for livestock.  It is one of the many Pennsylvania oddities that can be found within our hobby .G Now along a section of unopened Corridor H near Moorefield, West Virginia, it appears that there is another version of the "Goat Path Expressway." Goats from a 700 acre farm owned by John Weese have found their way onto the various Corridor H construction sites near Moorefield.  The goats have found their way through right-of-way fencing and onto the eventual highway.  Corridor H west of Moorefield is schedule to open later this year. The West Virginia Division of Highways is working with Weese to build a "goat-proof" right of way fence that will hopefully keep the goats of the road once the highway opens.  Story: Goats roaming 'freely' along W. Va. Corridor H ---Cumberland Times-News

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...

Adam Froehlig recently did a scouting roadtrip to check on the status of Corridor H through West Virginia. And according to his blog report , WV has installed US 48 shields on parts of the unopened highway around Moorefield. "I can confirm that there's a US 48 reassurance shield posted westbound just before the bridge, as well as a distance sign showing mileage to Bismark, Davis, and Elkins." US 48 will be the designation for Corridor H from I-81 near Strasburg, VA to Interstate 79 in Weston, WV. Currently, Virginia has signed US 48 from I-81 to the state line. How far WV signs US 48 (whether along WV 55 and then on Corridor H and then on various routes to Elkins and along US 33 to Weston) and if it will truncate WV 55 is yet to be seen.

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...

This past Thursday in Moorefield, WV another chapter of the Corridor H saga was completed when a ribbon cutting ceremony announced the completion of the South Branch of the Potomac bridge. And at the same time, break ground on the final paving contract that will extend the highway from US 220 in Moorefield to Patterson Creek Road. Once the paving is complete, sometime in the fall of 2010 , Corridor H will be open another 11 miles.

Robert Byrd is still alive and kicking as he and five other U.S. Senators are crafting legislation to continue funding for the Appalachian Development Highway System ( ADHS ) for another five years. Currently, the ADHS program is set to expire on September 30 th . Co-Sponsors of the legislation include - Sens. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va.; Jim Webb, D-Va.; Bob Casey, D-Pa.; Mark Warner, D-Va.; and Richard Shelby, R-Ala. The bill, if approved, will allow federal funding for the completion of the ADHS which began in 1965. Currently, 2,672 miles or 86.5 percent of the 3,090 mile system has been completed or is currently under construction. A significant amount of the unfinished system is Corridor H - an east-west corridor through Central West Virginia from I-79 in Weston to I-81 south of Winchester, VA. Earlier this year, President Obama's fiscal budget cut funding for Corridor H - an outcome Byrd vowed to fight. Though it is not said how much money would be allocated in the bill to ...

An interesting battle is shaping up in the future of Corridor H in West Virginia - and it involves the President and maybe the most influential United States Senator when it comes to highway projects. The battle is over $10 million in funds for Corridor H in the 2009-2010 Federal Budget. Obama wants to eliminate it - as part of $17 billion in wasteful spending cuts. Byrd - obviously wants to keep it. The $10 million was to fund additional construction of the road from Davis, WV to Forman, WV. Will this be a death blow to Corridor H? Not at all - First, the budget has to be approved by both houses of Congress - and Byrd can easily reinsert the funding for Corridor H into it. Byrd has the support of a number of West Virginia Congressmen and fellow Seantor Jay Rockefeller. Also, Governor Joe Manchin directed $21 million of federal stimulus money towards the highway. Considering Byrd's power in the Senate - I think the $10 million in additional funds will return to the budget, but w...

According to a recent tidbit in the Cumberland (MD) Times-News ; the remainder of the 14.3 mile Moorefield to Forman section of Corridor H is on track to open in the Fall of 2009. The brief story includes two photos of an under construction overpass.

Some Corridor H News from a recent The State Journal article . WVDOH has opened to bidding a three mile section of Corridor H near Forman. The three mile grading and drainage project will include the same for an interchange at Forman. The project will tie in the 14 mile Moorefield (US 220) to Forman section and another 14 mile section from Forman westwards to Bismarck. The entire Moorefield to Forman section should be completed by late 2009. In other Corridor H news, some contracts have been let on the Bismark- Forman section. Nearly six miles of grading and drainage contracts are under construction at this time. The DOH plans to have another 2.4 miles of grade/drain and bridge work underway in that section. Plans to start construction of a 16 mile stretch of Corridor H from Davis - Bismark is scheduled to begin next Summer. A 15.5 mile stretch from Davis to Kearns has a hopeful start of construction update of 2012. The last segment from Parsons to Kearns (10 miles) most likely won...

The five possible corridors for the US 220 North/South Connector have been narrowed to three. The two corridors eliminated from the proposed Corridor H to Interstate 68 route were the furthest west -- along George's Creek -- and the furthest east, called the Patterson Creek Alternative through Fort Ashby and Burlington. The announcement came at the conclusion of an 18-month federally funded study. Throughout this month, Maryland and West Virginia transportation officials are holding joint public information meetings about the corridors. Mineral County, WV officials have endorsed one of the remaining corridors. They support a route that follows US 220 from Cumberland into Keyser and through the New Creek Valley. The shorter option of this corridor runs south to connect with Corridor H near Schnerr . The longer of the two closely follows and includes upgrades to US 220 ending at Corridor H in Moorefield . Currently, there is not funding available to continue studies beyond this...

From Homeland Security? According to a spokesman for the West Virginia State Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety, it certainly could happen. The state is applying for Homeland Security Grants to help fund Corridor H. The basis, residents in the Greater Washington, DC area would possibly evacuate to West Virginia in case of a natural disaster or a terrorist attack. West Virginia has made the formal application and is awaiting approval. For More: Corridor H Could Get Federal Funding ---WBOY-TV Commentary: Well, The Greenbrier was going to be the second Capitol during the Cold War. And in one of those asteroid hits the Earth movies of the late 1990's people were rushing towards West Virginia. So I guess, there's some reasoning behind it. Seriously, I don't know what to make out of this. Joe Thornton, who is the spokesman for the WV Dept. or Military Affairs and Public Safety, said " It could be considered along the lines as a national defense highway th...

The Maryland State Highway Administration ( MDSHA ) and the West Virginia Division of Highways ( WVDOH ) will begin public workshops for planning upgrades to US 220 (North-South Corridor) from Corridor H to Interstate 68 near Cumberland. The first meeting will be held from 4:30 to 7:00 pm May 7 at Moorefield (WV) High School. Other meetings will be held on May 8 in Keyser , WV and May 10 in Bel Air, MD. Currently there are five corridors under study for the project. They range from upgrading existing US 220 to building new alignments as far west as WV 93 to Corridor H in Bismark or along the Patterson Creek Valley (which is further to the east of current US 220. A pdf of the five corridors understudy can be found here . ( MDSHA ) Design requirements for the proposed highway include a 64 mph design speed, a maximum grade of 5 to 7 percent, the highway will be an at-grade four lane divided arterial highway. Story: Workshops will address proposed U.S. 220 upgrade ---Cumberland Times...

According to the Cumberland Times-News , construction of the US 220 North/South Corridor -- a four lane highway from I-68 in Cumberland, MD to Corridor H in Moorefield, WV -- has been delayed until 2010. The original construction date was 2008. Commentary: Interestingly the WVDOT Website for the project has always said the earliest construction for the North/South Corridor could begin was either 2009 or 2010.