By Stephen Smoot
Earlier this month, the West Virginia Department of Transportation released its annual State Transportation Improvement Plan, or STIP. This document has lists of projects undertaken by the State DOT.
According to the State DOT website, STIP “is a federally required document that provides the Federal Highway Administration a listing of all projects that are candidates for federal aid, or regionally significant projects that are not using federal aid.” It gets updated on a biennial basis.
Listing on STIP does not mean that a project will be undertaken. Under Governor Jim Justice, a truck escape lane was planned for the steep and dangerous eastern slope of Allegheny Mountain on US Route 33. Officials shut down the project and reallocated funds elsewhere.
Bridge work will predominate in the coming year, if all projects are undertaken. Some need rehabilitation, with Browns Creek Bridge coming in with a projected $3 million pricetag, all but about $300,000 coming from the federal government. Another major project, rehabilitation of the Bridgeport Hill Overpass, will take about $8 million in federal funding and $2 million more from other sources.
Other bridge repair projects include the Nutters Farm Bridge, Virginia Avenue Bridge in Lost Creek, Wiant Hollow, the Herrick Bridge, Point Comfort, Drummond Memorial Bridge, and the Sixth Street Bridge.
Bridge replacement projects include a $1.5 million project with the White Memorial Bridge, all but $300,000 coming from the federal side. Replacing the Hackers Creek Bridge will take a total of $4.9 million with $3.92 of that federally funded. Two Gore Culvert projects, the Sycamore Creek Arch, and another Virginia Avenue bridge round out the list.
The biggest resurfacing and paving project will take place on Interstate 79 near Clarksburg. This $9.6 million project will stake about $2 million from state funds and the rest from federal. Cost Avenue and Mount Clare Road will also receive improvements.
Not every transportation project involves automobile traffic. A nearly half million dollar Salem Sidewalk Phase I project will bring improvements for those who depend on that for access.
Other funding will support various segments of the Rail Trail system in Harrison County. The Clarksburg Hub Urban Trail Connection comes in at about $400,000 with $80,000 from non federal monies. Two separate projects entitled Rail Trail Connection to North Bend will cost a total of $1.3 million, all from federal sources.