SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The RHL Boulevard connector from Jefferson Road has officially re-opened, marking progress in the ongoing Jefferson Road widening project.
The 420- foot bridge and connector road now features traffic signals that allow left turns between Jefferson Road and RHL Boulevard, helping ease congestion just in time for the holiday season.
This connector is part of the West Virginia Division of Highways’ (WVDOH) plan to reduce traffic on Corridor G and Jefferson Road. The project also includes widening Jefferson Road to five lanes between US-60 and Corridor G, as well as improving the Oakwood Road intersection.
The three-phase plan began with the RHL connector, which the contract was awarded to Triton Construction Inc. in October 2021 for $10.9 million. The connector provides an alternative route to the trace Fork Shopping Center from both Corridor G and Jefferson Road.
The second phase of this plan involved the installation of restricted crossing U-turns (R-CUTs) at the Oakwood Road Intersection of Corridor G, which was completed in September 2021. This improvement significantly reduced congestion, especially during school hours, as Oakwood Road provides access to several nearby schools.
The third and largest part of this project is the widening of Jefferson Road to five lanes between US-60 and Corridor G. This part of the project also addresses a challenging “dogleg” intersection at Jefferson Road and the Kanawha Turnpike, replacing it with a new bridge and roundabout. The contract was awarded to Kokosing Construction for $46.8 million in April of 2019 and this segment is expected to be completed by spring of 2025.
The WVDOH’s efforts are designed to streamline traffic flow, reduce delays, and improve safety for drivers in Charleston and South Charleston.