Gribblenation

The Mineral County Development Authority has voiced their support for the US 220 North/South Corridor Improvements. The US 220 North/South Corridor project would upgrade US 220 to a four lane divided highway from I-68 in Cumberland, MD to Corridor H in Moorefield , WV. With in a year, the Tier 1 Environmental Impact Study will be completed at a cost of $2 million. Proponents for the project will push for a Tier 2 EIS once that study is completed. The MCDA is one of a number of governmental agencies in three states to support the North/South Corridor. They include Allegany County (MD) Commission and Allegany County Planning Agency, Somerset County (PA) Commission, and Mineral County (WV) Commission. Story: MCDA agrees to support N/S highway project --Mineral Daily News-Tribune

In the last paragraph of a Cumberland Times-News article about the US 50 Corridor Association supporting the North/South Corridor was this. A discussion was held on the need for federal funding for the continued study. That resulted in requests to U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett's representative, Brenda Frantz , and U.S. Rep. Alan Mollahan's representative, Lotta Neer , to ask the congressmen if there is a possibility of introducing legislation again this year to have the Appalachian Regional Commission consider expanding Corridor O to include the north/south project. ARC Corridor O currently extends from I-80 in Bellefonte , PA south to I-68 near Cumberland, MD. The Corridor consists of US 220 and Interstate 99. If this would come to pass, this would be the third attempt since 2005 to extend Corridor O from I-68 to Corridor H in West Virginia. The first attempt was introduced by former Maryland US Senator Paul Sarbanes in April 2005 . The bill was introduced; however, nothing...

Maryland residents participating in a public meeting discussing the corridors for the US 220 North/South Corridor expressed concern on two possible routes that would run through wildlife management areas. One of the original five corridors ran through much of 9,500 acre Dan's Mountain Wildlife Management Area. That corridor has since been removed from consideration. However, two of the remaining three possible corridors has a routing that goes near or through parts of the wildlife area. Other residents voiced concerns of possible routes going through the towns of LaVale and Cresaptown. Maryland State Senator George Edwards said he hoped that the proposed corridors are still large enough that through the process of determining a route that the final route can be adjusted to where the concerns of the communities involved would be addressed. The public open house meeting was held at Bel Air (MD) Elementary. Story: State Highway Meeting ---Cumberland Times News

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...

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.