TEAYS VALLEY, W.Va. — Four members of the Putnam County delegation to the Legislature have signed onto a letter asking the state Division of Highways to take a closer look at the safety of U.S. Route 35.
The four-lane highway stretching from I-64 at Teays Valley to the Ohio River has been the site of multiple accidents. The most recent at the intersection of Plantation Road, claimed the life of a 61-year old woman. The woman pulled onto the highway in heavy fog and was struck by an oncoming vehicle.
The letter asks for a safety study and a specific look at six dangerous intersections on the highway: Crystal Springs, Hurricane Creek Road, Little Sixteen Mile Creek Road, Plantation Road, Stave Branch Road, and Tuckers Branch Road North. All of those intersections are identified as spots where there have been previous accidents and close calls.
“Those are the specific ones that at least up to this point seem to have the higher number of accidents. So that’s where we would like to at least start,” said Delegate Sarah Drennan, R-Putnam.
Along with Drennan, Delegates Kathie Hess Crouse of the 19th District, Jim Butler of the 18th District, and Jarred Cannon of the 21st District signed onto the letter.
“What we’re requesting specifically is a safety study. Any loss of life is tragic and if we can learn from it, take what information we gather and use it to continue to move forward and hopefully prevent a future loss of life, that’s what we’re going for,” Drennan told MetroNews.
The letter expressed an appreciation for the highway and the prosperity it has brought and will continue to bring to the region. However, the safety of the road appears to be a growing pain of progress.
“Route 35 is also becoming an increasingly traveled highway. That is a positive development for our communities and our economy, but with that growth comes increased traffic, more tractor-trailer traffic, and unfortunately, a greater potential for serious accidents,” read the letter.
“We recognize that when Route 35 was originally designed and constructed, today’s traffic patterns, volume, development, and increased use of this corridor may not have been fully anticipated. Conditions have changed, and we believe it is time to take another serious look at these intersections and determine whether the safety measures currently in place are adequate for today’s traffic.
“Tractor-trailers and other vehicles travel Route 35 at highway speeds. Drivers attempting to enter Route 35 from these side roads cannot always see far enough in either direction to safely judge approaching traffic, particularly given the speed at which vehicles are traveling. The size and speed of tractor-trailers traveling this corridor make those decisions even more difficult.”
The most recent fatal accident happened on a foggy morning. Foggy mornings are almost a guarantee along parts of the highway due to the proximity of the Kanawha River. The delegation expressed fears associated with the speed of large trucks and the limited visibility on a foggy morning or night. They feared the combination could be deadly again and again on the roadway without some kind of attention.
The letter seeks an “expedited, comprehensive engineering and safety review” of those intersections.
“I’m not sure what the engineering was prior to, but the very first step needs to be an engineering study just to make it safer across the board,” Drennan said.