MOUNDSVILLE, W.Va. — A member of the House of Delegates said Monday he’s tired of raising his hands and complaining about secondary road conditions.
Del. Del. Joe Canestraro, D-Marshall, said Gov. Jim Justice hasn’t done what he promised to do when he visited the county nearly two months ago.
“He promised that we would see a lot of work done before the start of school here in August. Well, we are in mid-July now and we’re not seeing the work,” Canestraro said during a Monday appearance on MetroNews “Talkline.”
Canestraro said some work has been done but not nearly enough. He called what’s been accomplished in the last few months “the tip of the iceberg.”
.@JoeC4WV joins @HoppyKercheval to discuss the current road issue in Marshall County #FTDR. WATCH: https://t.co/wkudfIAoe1 pic.twitter.com/mo3AX6y1k3
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) July 15, 2019
State acting DOH Commissioner Jimmy Wriston said last week on “Talkline” much has been accomplished statewide in the last three months but much remains.
“We have probably in one fiscal quarter done as much ditching and patching that we have done in one full year in the past,” Wriston said, noting 13,000 shoulder miles of ditches cleared, 93,000 tons of asphalt used in patching and the paving of more than 1,000 miles of secondary roads.
The state has 22,000 miles of secondary roads.
Canestraro said the counties that have the roads in poorest condition should get the most attention.
“I think you’re seeing work being done in other places, other parts of the state and other counties. Quite frankly, I believe that it’s not as bad in other areas as it is in Marshall County because we have 700 slips,” Canestraro said.
Wriston and state Transportation Secretary Byrd White have repeatedly said it’s going to take months to catch-up but Canestraro said he’s lost his patience.
“I receive emails on my house email account every day with a new road complaint coming in, about another area that’s popping up. It goes on and on,” Canestraro said.
Wriston said all of the roads will be fixed but it’s going to take time.
“There’s 22,000 miles and we’re going to do just like Secretary (Byrd) White says, ‘It’s like eating an elephant one bite at a time,'” Wriston said.
The Department of Transportation will soon have a long-promised interactive map on its website that will allow residents to follow road repairs, according to Wriston. He also said the next two quarters of secondary road work planned will be posted in the coming days.
Jimmy Wriston, WVDOH Commissioner, joins @HoppyKercheval to give a road update and different road projects in the works. WATCH: https://t.co/wkudfIAoe1 pic.twitter.com/jW05lDiFnN
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) July 12, 2019