KERENS, W.Va. — For the last 25 years, travelers headed east on Corridor-H out of Randolph County ran into a road closed sign near the Kerens community. The four-lane highway ended there and the journey to Parsons continued on a winding two lane road. That came to an end Monday when the ribbon was cut to extend the completed highway to Parsons, W.Va.
“We’re opening up West Virginia to the world in a way that we haven’t before and that is something to celebrate,” said Governor Patrick Morrisey.
The stretch opened up Monday does not include the massive bridge over the Cheat River which stands hundreds of feet in the air. The bridge itself was one of the most difficult obstacles to navigate in a project filled with challenges. Work on the bridge stalled for a period of time, but has now resumed. With Monday’s ribbon cutting, the road ends about a mile north of Parsons on Route 72. When the bridge is completed, projected to be at the end of 2027 or early 2028, the highway will carry traffic to the area up Backbone Mountain to Tucker County High School.
The preferred route for the Division of Highways and Federal Highway Administration would continue the next stretch , about nine miles, to tie into the completed section at Davis. There remains a court fight over the stretch around Thomas and Davis. Opponents are challenging the highway be rerouted around Thomas with a “Go North” campaign to take the highway north of Thomas and Davis to tie into the existing road there. Advocates of the already approved path for the road say the northern route would be more environmentally sensitive and cost significantly more, whereas the planned route has already been full permitted and all environmental and historical studies complete. It’s unclear when the Parsons to Davis section will be put out to bid.
“For nearly 25 years West Virginians have dreamed of this day. There were times when many wondered if they would ever see it arrive, yet here we stand today celebrating the opening of another major section of Corridor H and another promise fulfilled to the people of West Virginia,” said state Senator Robbie Morris who presides over the Corridor H Authority.
The highway eliminates dangerous stretches of narrow and winding road which were never designed to handle the volume and size of today’s modern traffic. Each speaker ahead of the opening touted the road would bring safety as well as prosperity.
“By opening this 11 mile stretch we’re delivering a safe, modern, four-lane highway through some of the most rugged, geo-technologically challenging terrain in the entire Appalachian Highlands,” said Transportation Secretary Stephen Todd Rumbaugh.
Also on hand for the opening was Federal Highway Administrator Sean McMaster. Governor Morrisey offered a challenge to see if he could speed up the timeline on full completion of the road before the current deadline of 2034.
“I appreciate the Governor’s challenge to find a way we can accelerate. I accept that challenge and we’ll see what we can do. I’ll take that back to Washington DC and we’ll work at what we call the ‘Speed of Trump’ to try and get that done,” McMasters told the gathered group at Monday’s ribbon cutting.
The 11 mile stretch gives motorists a different perspective of the region’s mountains. Riders will be able to see them from a vantage point never before seen except by the few who helped to build the highway, and U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, who managed to get a preview a couple of weeks ago.
“It is so beautiful going through some of the most beautiful parts of our mountains. It’s breathtaking,” she said.
With the completion of the Kerens to Parsons section there remain three parts of the road to be done. The aforementioned Cheat River Bridge to take the road to Tucker County High School, then the controversial stretch from there to Davis and finally the six to seven mile stretch from Wardensville to the Virginia border. There are now 113 miles of the 130 mile project completed and open to traffic.