CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Department of Transportation hopes to move forward on a number of highway projects in West Virginia during 2015.
State Transportation Secretary Paul Mattox recently told MetroNews the calendar this year includes advancements on several major projects already underway.
“We’ve got West Virginia 10 down in Logan County. We have let all the mainline contracts and look forward to letting the contract on the paving this year,” said Mattox. “We also continue work on Corridor H. We hope 2015 will see us complete Corridor H almost to the town of Davis.”
The next target for Corridor H will be the section form Parsons to Kerens. Mattox was optimistic that could be launched this year as well.
“It’s a beautiful highway and we’re doing the preliminary engineering work and getting the environmental documents in order on the Parsons to Kerens project,” he said. “We’re hopeful to let the initial contract in 2015 also.”
One other major project on the agenda for the state this year will be to launch construction on the Wellsburg Bridge across the Ohio River in Brooke County. The project will take about three years to complete.
As usual, funding will be a big obstacle in 2015. Mattox said the new P-3 financing model has been helpful in maximizing the work they can do with the current funding levels.
“It allows us to procure the services of a contractor and engineering firm up front,” he said. “Then we make monthly payments on whatever the course of the contract would call for.”