WINFIELD, W.Va. — The Putnam County Commission says it’s been told the state Division of Highways will begin construction on the remaining 14.6-mile section of U.S. Route 35 next year.
The last remaining section of the busy highway that remains a two-lane road will be financed through a new option, a public-private partnership.
Putnam County Commissioner Andy Skidmore said the commission’s been told the work could begin next summer and be done by 2016. Skidmore said there’s already been a lot of work done on the project in recent years.
“The right of ways have been purchased and beginning engineering has been completed,” Skidmore said. “They were ready to work and once the way of funding came about I guess they’ll be ready to move on it pretty quick.”
Skidmore said he doesn’t know who will make up the public-private partnership with the state.
There was a plan in 2010 to use tolls on the highway to finance the last section of four-lane construction but the plan fell apart after public opposition. The Mason County Commission eventually withdrew its support.
Commissioner Skidmore said he’s pleased the DOH is finding a way to finish the work.
“Safety is also, I’m sure, factored in–in their decision to get this done,” Skidmore said.
U.S. Route 35 begins in Detroit and continues south through Ohio. It’s a heavy truck route and the only section that is not four-lanes is the 14.6-mile section in Putnam and Mason counties. The state finished a four-lane section from the Buffalo Bridge to Interstate 64 a few years ago.