BECKLEY, W.Va. — A plan to widen the West Virginia Turnpike through the Beckley area is getting a second look.
The plans called for creation of a third lane on each side of the highway between the Route 19 interchange at the North Beckley exit and the I-77/64 split at mile marker 40. The plan was designed back in 2006, but was shelved in favor of a ten year paving plan which will end in 2009.
Parkways Authority General Manager Greg Barr says the widening is now a priority project for the coming years since the legislature has given their agency a new lease on life.
“Now that the legislature has authorized us to sell some additional bonds and continue the Parkways Authority longer we want to get that project ready to roll,” said Barr. “It can be an unsafe and poor flow of traffic. It’s just something that needs upgraded and modernized.”
Currently part of the stretch are three levels but others are not. Barr says modernization will make the highway much more useful to travelers.
“There’s a poor level of service in the summer and during travel weekends,” he explained. “It can be a lot more open and free flowing when we get that widening done.”
Engineering work on the widening was about 80 percent complete when the project was shelved in 2006 according to bar. The project would expand to the inside by adding a two lanes in the median to be separated by a retaining wall.
“It will be a lot easier to keep traffic flowing while we’re doing the work,” Bar explained. “We’ll be able to work in the median, add the new lanes, and not have to constrict traffic that much while we’re getting the work done.”
The 10 year paving program ends in 2019. Barr hopes to get started with the widening in the next few years on the Turnpike.