I thought this portion was to be finished and usable this winter.  I just read on the Corridor H website that this portion MIGHT be finished by Sept. 2016!!  Anybody know what happened to delay this section, and what is open now and what will be open this coming winter?

Hopefully the section around the Mt Storm lake and power plant will be available this winter.  And a new 2 lane section from past the power plant to Davis would be grand.

The Colonel

Currently open across the Stony River bridge for a few miles beyond the power plant.  Intermittent use of some of the new roadway (single lane) for a few more miles, and then back to the old single lane for the final few miles to Davis.

Remaining miles to complete look like "easy" construction.

Clearly won't be done to Davis until next year, however.  Some of the remaining sections are just semi-graded gravel strips at this point.  

Almost had a head on collision at the point where the highway currently ends last night.  We were traveling westbound towards Davis around 10pm.  A car traveling eastbound was apparently confused by the cone lane markings (which are very confusing and poorly marked, natch) and headed onto the westbound lane, which at that point is down to one lane.  Luckily they were paying attention and dove off onto the shoulder.  If WVDOH does not get their [stuff] together and do a better job of markings and signage, not to mention rethink some of the ridiculous 90 degree turns hopping from old to new pavement, it seems to me that there is a huge risk of very bad accidents once we get to winter with blowing snow, fog, etc.

I found out yesterday that the corridor H is designated as the extension of I-66 which was actually originally proposed to go across the country based on its namesake US Route 66. But the 12 mile or so section in Virginia is being held up supposedly due to lack of demand. Once I-66 goes into WV they can bring the corridor H to Interstate standards and rename it I-66 but the timeline looks like many years and much politics. It also has little support in some other states. Maybe it's the ghost of Route 66 keeping from happening ;-{

Norsk wrote:

Clearly won't be done to Davis until next year, however.  Some of the remaining sections are just semi-graded gravel strips at this point.  

Almost had a head on collision at the point where the highway currently ends last night.  We were traveling westbound towards Davis around 10pm.  A car traveling eastbound was apparently confused by the cone lane markings (which are very confusing and poorly marked, natch) and headed onto the westbound lane, which at that point is down to one lane.  Luckily they were paying attention and dove off onto the shoulder.  If WVDOH does not get their [stuff] together and do a better job of markings and signage, not to mention rethink some of the ridiculous 90 degree turns hopping from old to new pavement, it seems to me that there is a huge risk of very bad accidents once we get to winter with blowing snow, fog, etc.

As I think you know, it was like that last year.

Be especially carefull on holiday weekends when tourists and rooks are driving that stretch.

jkaplenk wrote:

 Once I-66 goes into WV they can bring the corridor H to Interstate standards and rename it I-66 but the timeline looks like many years and much politics. 

You got some bad info.  Corridor H is/will be named US-48.  It will never be an Interstate highway.  Interstates have no "at-grade" intersections and use only controlled access intersections.  To bring Corridor H up to Interstate standards would involve massive costs and reworking all the way from its western terminus at I-79 in Weston WV.  The section from Weston to Elkins ,which is currently designated US-33, has three signal controlled intersections with a few additional ones being considered.  When the section between Davis and Elkins is completed, the Corridor H portion of US-33 will become US-48.

Also US Route 66 was never in this area.  It ran from Chicago, Ill to Santa Monica, California.

wvrocks wrote:

jkaplenk wrote:

 Once I-66 goes into WV they can bring the corridor H to Interstate standards and rename it I-66 but the timeline looks like many years and much politics. 

You got some bad info.  Corridor H is/will be named US-48.  It will never be an Interstate highway.  Interstates have no "at-grade" intersections and use only controlled access intersections.  To bring Corridor H up to Interstate standards would involve massive costs and reworking all the way from its western terminus at I-79 in Weston WV.  The section from Weston to Elkins ,which is currently designated US-33, has three signal controlled intersections with a few additional ones being considered.  When the section between Davis and Elkins is completed, the Corridor H portion of US-33 will become US-48.

Also US Route 66 was never in this area.  It ran from Chicago, Ill to Santa Monica, California.

 

If you look up future I-66 corridor H on Facebook it clearly explains here and in several other places that I-66 in WV would follow corridor H  just google I-66   I know about US Route 66. I lived in Chicago and passed the start of it many times and lived in multiple places either a block or a couple of miles from it   I've travelled Historic Route 66 many times  it is on my bucket list to travel Historic Route 66 

Also interstateguide.com/I-066.html and other sites explain why some politicians wanted to capitalize in the U.S. Route 66 name  it is because of the 66 not the route

Also If the intersections are designed properly it is not so difficult to change a stoplight to an overpass  I've seen it done many times. it is also not much more than building the overpass in the first place   So they went the cheaper rote for now.

If they continue I-66 in WV  it would give a direct route to Chaleston and not do the jog down that is done now  it would also make it easier to get to Canaan Valley and Timberline 

Google is your friend and mine

The Interstate 66 East-West Trans-America Freeway was an idea hatched by Wichita business people in the early 1990s as a means to bring more business to southern Kansas. Interstate 66 was envisioned to connect Fresno, California, with Washington, D.C., via the Four Corners, Wichita and the width of Kentucky. They saw the business that Interstate 40 and Interstate 70 brought along their respective corridors, and felt southern Kansas should have that kind of business too. Capitalizing on the fabled number "66," they determined that a new, coast-to-coast route would bring Kansas additional business. So the businessmen brought the idea to their politicians, and the politicians managed to get the idea listed as an ISTEA high priority corridor. Included with that congressional act was funding for a million dollar feasibility study.

Basically a pipe dream in today's reality.  At grade intersections are not going to be changed to overpasses...not in my lifetime and certainly not yours or your grandkids.  Just not going to happen.  As far as VA building the 15 or so miles from Strasburg to Wardensville...not going to happen anytime in the next 20 years.  Va can't even get the existing parts of 66 to handle the amount of traffic in the NoVa area let alone worry about funding highway projects in the middle of nowhere.  Senator Byrd did everything he could to help the citizens of WV.  God rest his soul.  And lastly, when did Facebook become the defacto standard for highway projects in this country.  US 48 is what it is...a safer, quicker route over the Allegany Front.

I side with WVRocks on this.  Corridor H was originally conceived as a regional economic development project, not as an extension of I-66 and a national interstate road.  Google Corridor H instead of I-66 and you can read the history, long before some crazies from Kansas thought about it.  Be assured that when the Weston to Buckhannon section and the short stretch outside of Elkins were built in the 70s, there was no consideration that they would ever be part of the interstate system.  The maps I saw in the very early 80s, when the original project via Seneca Rocks was canned also showed the eastern terminus at New Market, not Strasburg, so it was more of an upgraded US Route 33, than anything else. 

As far as the last 15 miles, with the GW National Forest in the way, I doubt it will ever be built---up 259 to Route 50 would be possible. 

KeithT wrote:

I side with WVRocks on this.  Corridor H was originally conceived as a regional economic development project, not as an extension of I-66 and a national interstate road.  Google Corridor H instead of I-66 and you can read the history, long before some crazies from Kansas thought about it.  Be assured that when the Weston to Buckhannon section and the short stretch outside of Elkins were built in the 70s, there was no consideration that they would ever be part of the interstate system.  The maps I saw in the very early 80s, when the original project via Seneca Rocks was canned also showed the eastern terminus at New Market, not Strasburg, so it was more of an upgraded US Route 33, than anything else.

As far as the last 15 miles, with the GW National Forest in the way, I doubt it will ever be built---up 259 to Route 50 would be possible.

Yeah, that may have been the original intent, but it has been hijacked as there are multiple references on the Internet that connect Corridor H with I-66. Google is your friend. As far as my comments were concerned they were about the economic benefits, certainly what someone does in another state may not be relevant here, and the history doesn't really matter here for economic purposes either. But if I-66 continues on it will more easily open up access to the CanaanValley

BTW,I  was just out in Elkins and saw the confusing lanes on the upgraded road going into Elkins. I wasn't sure I was in the correct lane and they just had cones down the middle of the two lanes in each direction. I was to the left of the cones and wasn't sure if I should have been to the right of the cones. . I saw a car coming up highway before the split and fortunately I was in the proper lane.

KeithT and Snapdragon have it correct.  I'll state again, Corridor H will NEVER be an Interstate, for myriad reasons.  We are talking about a road here that isn't even completed.  We'll be lucky to see it completed to I-81 in the next 20 years in my opinion.  Even if WV finishes their portion, VA will still have to do their part. 

Just for fun, I counted how many intersections there were on the existing section from Weston to Kerens.  I counted 63 that are not up to Interstate standards.  The costs associated to upgrade or eliminate that many intersections would be staggering.  Its not just a matter of throwing up some overpasses.  Other specifications must be met for Interstates as well; maximum grades, site distances, horizontal and vertical curve radii, superelevation rates, median widths, etc.  Corridor H was most likely designed with a lower Design Speed than an Interstate which several of those elements rely on during design.  

Real Estate costs alone would be enough to derail such an upgrade.  In even 10 years the amount of development along the corridor would make those costs even higher.  You can't just take businesses and property and turn it into road, its has to be bought.  Cutting off access and removing homes and businesses doesn't typically increase public support, which is already somewhat lacking.  

WV can not adequately maintain the roads they have with existing funding. To think that they could even come up with the 20% match for federal funding for a project of that scope is laughable.

You may choose to believe what you read on the internet but my 15 years as a Highway Engineer with WVDOH paint a very different picture on the topic.

OK. Gotcha. All the Internet discussion and groups pointed to this being the next phase, but it is what it is. If VA were the only obstacle along with a few overpasses, I'm sure the politicians could work something out, but this seems a lot bigger.

Maybe you could post your comments to the Facebook page for Future I-66 Corridor H page https://www.facebook.com/Future-I-66-Corridor-H-141583105900875/timeline/ with your observations. I'm sure it would be quite helpful coming from a highway engineer that has analyzed it.

Further down the Facebook page there are some interesting articles and videos just about the Corridor H process, future plans and some of the political discussions and meetings on it.

There is another link at http://www.wvcorridorh.com/

Joe

Ah yes, the Internet.

You don't have to be a highway engineer to realize Corr H won't be an Interstate-grade highway (unless through some serious political horsestrading and the standards are waived. Or there are some pretty interesting pictures or vidoes of someone doing something to someone/something else..) All you need is to have driven the road once (in daylight) and have a lick of common sense.

Most of the at grade intersections are literally someone's driveway. Corr H replaced the old WV Rte 55 (in many sections), which was a 2 laner. I don't see how it would be economically feasible to build an acess ramp for the "Wilson" homestead. Or even to build a parallel road to connect to the nearest highway-compatible intersection.

Sorry for piling on, but Facebook as an info source? Srsly? DCSki is on the Internet, but most of the posters on here (myself included) have been frequenting these areas and driving these roads for decades.

OK. I admit it. I haven't driven it as corridor H . I've done alternate routes from Northern VA.

It was not just on Facebook but other sites that had a lot  information in articles, links and videos about I-66 and Corridor H.   So they were either misinformed or hopeful.

So to do WV I-66 they wouild need an alternate route which would be difficult to justify having spent money on Corridor H which would probably run parallel  to I-66.

OK on to other topics.

Had to run up for a HOA meeting this past weekend.  Came across the Mtn and it looks like another section of H will be opened this week or so.  If I recall, the signs flashed new traffic pattern for Oct 28 or somehing.  Not sure on how much road, but every little bit helps.

They way I see it is some day VA will want to use our nat gas to fuel power plants and, once the current import gas terminal is converted to export, pipe it to that terminal.  Oh, don't forget VA's desire to grow their shipping port capacity, to do so they need expanded road networks points west.  If VA politicians were smart, they would start the bartering now before NC gets all the gas.  Some day VA will do their part.

http://www.theintermountain.com/page/content.detail/id/591229/-209M-lowest-Corridor-H-bid.html?nav=5014

Towards the end of the article, they mention the section east of Davis opening "later this year."

http://wvmetronews.com/2015/11/11/next-corridor-h-section-ready-for-traffic/

Just saw this today. Does this have anything to do with our discussion? Seems to... just wasn't sure WHICH portion of H we were discussing now. 

Also, as a season pass holder at Snowshoe, does this make my drive any easier? Or does it mostly/completely benefit any drives to Davis/Canaan?  

No impact for Snowshoe-bound traffic -- this is 10 miles from Davis/Thomas.  Small improvement for folks headed to the Canaan Valley (every little bit helps).

So the highway is or isn't open all the way to Davis (from the East) ??

http://parsonsadvocate.com/corridor-h-opens-nearly-three-mile-stretch/

Love the second sentence of the article:

"Governor Earl Ray Tomblin was slated to be on hand for the ribbon-cutting, however, wind gusts of more than 50 mph prevented his helicopter from making the trip."

I believe it stops 5-7 miles shy of Davis at tis time.

US-48 now runs well past the the juvie center going west into Davs (maybe a half a mile from 32).  Once past Mount Storm going west, traffic stays on east bound potion of US48 which is now 2-way until the west bound lanes are completed sometime next summer.

Thanks for the update!

The Colonel