CULLODEN, W.Va. –Cabell County Sheriff Chuck Zerkle is among those who like the idea of a new Culloden exit on Interstate 64.
Zerkle, who formerly served as the chief of police in Milton, is well aware of the congestion created at the Milton and Hurricane exits during peak traffic hours. The Culloden exit, which would be split between the two, would likely eliminate a lot of the congestion.
“I believe it’s going to benefit Hurricane and Putnam County as much as it is Cabell,” Zerkle told MetroNews Tuesday. “You lean one side you’re in Putnam County and you lean the other side you’re in our county. I don’t see how it could do anything but help.”
The state Division of Highways held a public meeting Monday with maps of proposed options for the exit. The tentative plan would create a diamond-shaped exit near Benedict Road that would go into a a three-lane connector between I-64 and U.S. Route 60.
There are six miles between the Milton (exit 34) and Hurricane (exit 28) exits.
“A lot of people get off at Hurricane to go back toward Teays Valley and then a lot get off at Hurricane just to come back toward Milton. It will be a win -win for everyone,” he said.
The DOH is working through a preliminary environmental study. Once approved it could move to the next phase next spring. Officials estimated the exit would require the relocation of about 10 homes in the Culloden community.
Interstate 64 between Charleston and Huntington is the busiest stretch of interstate in the state.