OP-ED by Robbie Morris: Progress on Corridor H abounds

Great progress has been made on Corridor H in the past several years, in terms of construction and design-development.

The Kerens to Parsons section is now fully under construction and the ability to drive nonstop from Weston to Parsons will be realized in the summer of 2025. Design work on Parsons to Davis and Wardensville to the Virginia state line also is well underway.

This progress is the result of tremendous teamwork from all levels of government. The leadership of Gov. Jim Justice, federal funding support provided by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and the hard work performed by Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston and his team, have collectively brought the completion of Corridor H into view.

Over the past several years, the Division of Highways has been performing expansive studies on the Parsons to Davis section. Public meetings have been held, countless local government meetings have been attended by DOH officials and, most importantly, changes have been made to the design to incorporate concerns and ideas from local citizens.

For example, the communities of Davis and Thomas were concerned about Corridor H “splitting” the connection between the two towns — logistically and aesthetically. The DOH revised the design to maintain the current viewshed and roadway between the two towns by building a tunnel under Route 32, rather than going over it.

In addition, hiking and biking trails will be added, to make the connections between the towns stronger and safer than ever.

Next, there was concern over the intersection between Thomas and Davis being too close to Route 32, so the DOH redesigned and pushed the interchange back toward the current end of the four-lane highway, rather than right along Route 32.

There was concern about students, faculty and visitors to Tucker County High School having to make a left-hand turn across multiple lanes of traffic when entering or leaving the school. The DOH redesigned the exit, to ensure that no left-hand turns will be needed to access the school.

Then there was the concern about crossing the Douglas Coke Ovens with a bridge, and the disturbance caused by multiple piers being set through the area. The DOH then redesigned a single-arch bridge, similar to the New River Gorge Bridge, so that ground disturbance under the bridge is minimal.

Finally, the DOH performed multiple tests, drone flights, sound studies, etc., to ensure that Corridor H could not be seen or heard from popular tourist attractions within the Blackwater Canyon, such as Lindy Point, Douglas Falls and Blackwater Falls.

Despite all of the studies, analysis and design changes that have been made to accommodate and mitigate concerns from local citizens, there are still those who oppose the completion of this beautiful and scenic highway. There are others who support a longer, more expensive, destructive and problematic route from what the DOH has recommended to date.

While we respect the views of those who oppose the highway or support a different route, we profoundly and fundamentally disagree with them. Their goal does not appear to be a better alternative, but to stop the project altogether.

When the Kerens to Parsons section comes online, an already dangerous traffic situation in Thomas and Davis is going to be much worse. Wasting time on a clearly inferior route versus working toward completion of the preferred alternative is endangering lives, businesses and communities.

This is why Thomas, Davis, the Tucker County Commission, the Tucker County Office of Emergency Management and Tucker County Schools have expressed their support of the DOH’s Revised Original Preferred Alternative (ROPA). The other alternative being analyzed by the DOH would be longer, would be more costly, would impact the Thomas water source, Thomas City Park and so much more.

Most notably, the ROPA would not require the loss of one home, versus multiple homes in the alternate route being studied.

Any objective, fair and reasonable observer would have to agree that officials from the DOH have studied all the alternatives closely and thoroughly, incorporated citizen input and suggestions, and taken the design process very seriously.

Robbie Morris is chairman of the Corridor H Highway Authority.