BUCKHANNON, W.Va. — The state Division of Highways is showing off millions of dollars of new equipment at the agency’s equipment headquarters in Buckhannon.
Gov. Jim Justice and state Highways Commissioner Jimmy Wriston got a look at a variety of shiny trucks, Gradall excavators and other rolling stock Thursday afternoon.
“Look around here,” Wriston said. “This is amazing. This has never happened before with highways to have this much equipment for our guys to get out there and get these roads fixed with. This has never happened before.”
The DOH said 280 new machines and vehicles will be distributed throughout the agency’s 10 districts by this fall.
According to the agency the new equipment includes “20 Gradalls, 60 tandem-axle dump trucks, 60 single-axle dump trucks, 20 F-550 dump trucks, 23 DOH-grade mowers, 11 cranes, 8 pavers, 2 brine trailers, and 75 crew cab pickup trucks.”
At times during the last four months of increased emphasis on secondary road maintenance, Gov. Justice has pointed the finger at former governor, now U.S. Senator Joe Manchin. Justice said Manchin allowed some key pieces of equipment to be sold putting the state further behind in repairs. Manchin has denied the claims.
Justice directed his comments Thursday in a familiar direction criticizing “lifers in politics.”
“They don’t know what to do. They don’t have any idea what to do and that’s why you just struggle around and it’s like your in quicksand and you never go anywhere,” Justice said. “You get a business guy, who doesn’t want anything, who has real vision, look, just look.”
Justice also praised DOH workers.
“We talk about our seasons and natural resources and how close we are to the U.S. population but you are the treasure,” Justice said.