CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A state highways official says keeping up with all the slips and slides with West Virginia roads is a never-ending battle.
Jimmy Wriston, the Department of Transportation’s deputy secretary, told legislators Wednesday the Division of Highways is further behind on work since last June when the Legislature allocated another $50 million for road maintenance.
“When I asked for you $50 million to address some of those, I could have just as easily asked for $500 million and it would have still taken five or six years to catch up,” Wristen told the Senate Finance Committee.
Wriston said the number of slips that need to be repaired has increased from 1,700 last summer to 2,000, even though the Division of Highways has stabilized 300 slides during that period.
“I can tell you we are doing everything we possibly can. We are using every tool we have to tackle these slips,” he added.
Road conditions have been an ongoing issue in the state; West Virginia voters approved the Roads to Prosperity bond issue in 2017 to raise an estimated $1.6 billion for highway construction. The Legislature later allocated $50 million for work, and Gov. Jim Justice instructed state officials to put more emphasis on routine maintenance.
The result has been a flurry of road construction and maintenance, but officials say there is a massive amount of work to be done following years of neglect. The state is additionally responsible for over 35,000 miles of roads, many that run along the side a mountain or next to a creek where slips and washouts are more common.
“We have grossly under-invested in our infrastructure,” Wriston said.
According to the Department of Transportation website, the Division of Highways has patched, ditched or stabilized more than 24,000 miles of roads, but slips and slides continue forming.
“There is no silver bullet,” Wriston said, “and all slides are not created equally, and all slips are not created equally. We’re taking a more direct approach at trying to get the right fix for the right slides.”
He said the Division of Highways is experimenting with new stabilization technology that is cheaper and less time-consuming.