PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — Governor Jim Justice and state highway officials gathered Tuesday in Parkersburg along with local dignitaries to celebrate completion of one of the projects under the Justice Administration’s “Roads to Prosperity’ program.
Paving was recently finished on the project for an almost three mile stretch of State Route 14 between Vienna and Parkersburg. The stretch is often called the “Miracle Mile” in Vienna.
“Now it’s truly a miracle because you’ll be able to roll smooth on this thing,” Deputy Transpiration Secretary Jimmy Wriston told the gathered group on hand for the dedication.
The road, which is Murdoch Avenue in Parkersburg and Grand Central Avenue in Vienna, is a seven lane thoroughfare connecting the two cities. Transportation officials estimate 37,900 vehicles a day travel the road. Justice said it’s a key piece of economic development for the region.
“It connects these two incredible cities, and just image a traffic count of right at 40,000, it’s astronomical,” Justice said. “Goodness comes to these communities like crazy.”
Justice believed the upgraded road would help in the ongoing effort to lure investment in the region’s petrol-chemical industry and other economic development possibilities in the Parkersburg area. The project, completed by contractor Kelly Paving, included 2.99 miles-worth of paving, spanning from 26th Street in Parkersburg to 28th Street in Vienna. Roadwork began on July 24, 2020, lasting just over two months. The cost was $2.8 Million, which included federal money and a state match. .
Governor Justice said it’s another credit to those who supported Roads to Prosperity at the ballot box.
“Seventy-three percent of people said, ‘Let’s go.’ In doing so, there was a lot of skepticism about whether or not you were going to have to raise taxes. I told people we weren’t going to have to do that. Low and behold. This is the result,” the Governor said.