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October 02,
2006
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Renewed push begins
for construction of
Coalfields Expressway |
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By CHARLES OWENS
Bluefield Daily
Telegraph
WELCH — McDowell
County’s federal
prison project
combined with a
renewed showing of
grassroots support
should help to
expedite construction
of the Coalfields
Expressway in southern
West Virginia,
officials said Monday.
With approximately $58
million in existing
state and federal
funds currently
identified for the
project, officials are
hoping to award
another construction
contract on the
four-lane highway this
fall, Delegate Richard
Browning, D-Wyoming,
also executive
director of the
Coalfields Expressway
Authority, said
"Hopefully, the
federal prison will
accelerate the
construction of the
road to that point,"
Browning said of the
McDowell County
segment of the
four-lane highway.
Although construction
was completed several
years ago on an
unpaved segment of the
expressway in McDowell
County, work in recent
years has been focused
on a 3.5 mile segment
of the expressway in
Raleigh County
extending to the
Wyoming County line.
However, it will take
continued support from
the public to ensure
the continuation of
the highway
construction in
McDowell, Wyoming and
Raleigh counties,
Browning said.
"We have a beautiful,
partially completed
road," Browning said
of the Raleigh County
segment. "A lot of
people are driving on
it. I think that in
itself has created
some renewed interest.
But we are going to
have to put on a full
force press to keep
the project going. I
would encourage
everyone to write the
governor a letter just
encouraging him to
keep the construction
going."
Browning said a recent
meeting between
supporters of the
highway project,
including Wyoming
County Circuit Clerk
David Stover, and Gov.
Joe Manchin, proved to
be very successful.
"It has certainly
gotten the governor’s
attention," Browning
said of a recent walk
from Welch to
Charleston in support
of the highway. "The
fact that we had a
four-and-a-half-hour
meeting with the
governor, and the
things the governor
said, places a renewed
emphasis on it. Even
though the governor
didn’t direct highways
to make any changes to
anything they’ve done
so far, he did tell
them to look at
alternatives for more
funding."
Browning said the $58
million in existing
funds identified for
the highway also could
be used toward a new
construction contract
award that is possible
this month.
"It absolutely wasn’t
new money," Browning
said of recent media
reports concerning the
$58 million. "That’s
money that we’ve
accumulated through
different
appropriations bills,
and different federal
bills. Some of it is
available now, and
some of it isn’t."
In another sign of
progress, Browning
said three additional
design contracts
between Sophia in
Raleigh County and
Mullens in Wyoming
County also were given
a notice to proceed
last week.
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