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Recognizes 6th anniversary of Roads to Prosperity
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CHARLESTON, WV — Governor Jim Justice, along with State Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston, P.E., and local officials, today celebrated the early opening of a new road connecting Jefferson Road and the Trace Fork shopping center in South Charleston. The project was funded through the $2.8 billion Roads to Prosperity road construction program initiated by Governor Justice. This opening is timely for the upcoming holiday shopping season.
"This is a fantastic day and more proof our Roads to Prosperity program is working off the charts," Gov. Justice said. "This project has been on the books for over 20 years, and it took the right people working at the right time to make it happen. Isn't it unbelievable what our Department of Transportation and Division of Highways have done? It's truly incredible. They deserve a gigantic round of applause, because this is another fantastic ribbon-cutting for a huge project.”
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This connector, part of the West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) efforts to alleviate traffic congestion on Corridor G and Jefferson Road in Charleston and South Charleston, complements the construction of two Restricted Crossing U-Turns (R-CUTs) at the Oakwood Road intersection on Corridor G, completed in September 2021 which significantly reduced congestion during peak hours and shopping seasons.
"We're really thrilled this project is done," South Charleston Mayor Frank Mullens said. "I want to thank the Governor for helping us get this completed. The Roads to Prosperity project name is fitting because this is just that for us here in South Charleston. We're very excited for all the people who come out to these stores."
The new connector road is expected to further reduce congestion on Jefferson Road and Corridor G and enhance safety for drivers. Its early completion ensures smoother traffic flow for the holiday season.
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"This is another great project," Secretary Wriston said. "When the Governor introduced his vision for Roads to Prosperity, this is exactly what he was talking about. I hardly have time to do my work because we are turning around to cut another ribbon on another project we do. Thanks to Governor Justice, we have accomplished project after project, and this one is special."
Additionally, the RHL Boulevard connector is part of a broader project to widen Jefferson Road to five lanes between US 60 in South Charleston and Corridor G. This $46.8 million project, awarded to Kokosing Construction Company in April 2019, includes upgrading the Kanawha Turnpike and Jefferson Road intersection with a new bridge and roundabout. The Jefferson Road widening project is anticipated to conclude by 2024.
The Governor also took time to recognize the 6th anniversary of the Roads to Prosperity Program.
Roads to Prosperity, initiated on October 7, 2017, with overwhelming support from West Virginians, provided over $2.8 billion for road and bridge construction and maintenance. These investments have made it possible to tackle large-scale projects that were previously unfeasible, as well as attend to smaller road projects across the state. Since its inception, the West Virginia Department of Transportation has completed 1,200 out of the 1,263 Roads to Prosperity-funded projects. These initiatives have also freed up additional funds for the Governor's Secondary Roads Maintenance Initiative, enabling extensive highway maintenance work, such as patching, ditching, mowing, and paving.
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Notable projects under Roads to Prosperity include the rehabilitation of 26 bridges and ramps on Interstate 70 in Wheeling, the construction of the Nitro World War I Memorial Bridge on Interstate 64, and progress on the "Big Three" rural highway projects: Appalachian Corridor H, Coalfields Expressway, and King Coal Highway.
As these projects near completion, West Virginia is gearing up for another significant construction program funded through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), expected to bring $5.5 billion to the state through 2027. These funds are already being put to use in various grant programs, with $100 million allocated for Corridor G, $25 million for the Coalfields Expressway, and over $16 million for a streetscape project in Wheeling. The IIJA will also assist local communities in bridge replacement and rehabilitation efforts.
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