Saying he and Governor Wise “will not make commitments we cannot keep,” Highway Commissioner Fred VanKirk recently announced that the Division of Highways was canceling all or part of ten contracts for design services on the Coalfields Expressway in Raleigh, Wyoming and McDowell counties. The cancellations were among 76 statewide expected to free up nearly $94 million for construction.

“We are committed to the most rapid completion of the Coalfields Expressway possible,” said VanKirk. “However, it is unwise public policy for WVDOH to be doing design work where even the most optimistic forecasts show construction funds will not be available for many years. Such a policy uses up funds that could be going to construct sections of the Coalfields Expressway for which design has been completed and right of way acquired. It also affects property values and the actions people can take with their property many years before actual construction could begin. Most importantly, it misleads our citizens into believing a project will be built soon, when in fact it may not happen for many years.”

When VanKirk and senior members of his staff reviewed the Coalfields Expressway, they found that many sections could not be built for years, even with the most favorable funding. State Highway Engineer Joe Deneault noted that these design projects would be waiting for construction funds so long that plans would be useless and require redesign before work could begin.

While VanKirk said that design work on the highway will be rescheduled for a later date when it is actually needed, he stressed that construction start dates have not been delayed.

Construction currently under way on the Coalfields Expressway totals more than $36 million, including approximately 2.2 miles in Raleigh County near Sophia and 1.1 miles in Wyoming County adjacent to the Indian Ridge Industrial Park, located north of Welch. Bids will be sought this year for two additional projects in the Sophia area totaling 1.5 miles, estimated at $21 million. The Division of Highways has available another $22.6 million from the current Federal Transportation Act, which will be used for construction next year.

To date, Highways has spent $56.2 million for design, right of way and construction. That total will rise to $77.2 million with the addition of two more contracts this summer and to $99.8 million with $24 million more in contracts next year. Through ongoing design work, plans for $211.5 million more in construction will be ready when additional funding becomes available.

“Unless we receive a special authorization,” VanKirk noted, “$99.8 million is all the federal and state funding we have available until the next federal highway legislation is passed in 2003 or 2004. If that legislation brings us the same level of funding as the previous highway act, we will have approximately $100 million to expend between 2003 and 2008.

“With the current cost of the highway estimated at $1.04 billion and a five- or six-year allocation of $100 million, it is easy to see that it may take as long as 40 to 50 years to complete the highway. While this fact is painful, it is not out of line for development of a project of this magnitude. We’re very fortunate to have a congressional delegation that has gotten us this far and whose efforts will continue, I’m sure, in the future.”

VanKirk noted that design work is continuing on the Coalfields Expressway from Surveyor Creek Road to Slab Fork in Raleigh County and from US 52 at Premier, near Welch, to WV 16 north of the Coalfields Expressway/King Coal.

“This is part of an aggressive highway improvement program,” he explained, “one that is committed to having enough projects designed and ready for construction to use any federal funds designated for the Coalfields Expressway when they become available. If funding is not available to do the projects our citizens want, we will work hard to obtain it. But, when we say we are going to do something, we want citizens to have faith that we will do it.”