Corridor H, a more than 150-mi. project approved back in 1965 as part of the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS), is undergoing continuous development and progress in West Virginia.
Michael Baker International Inc. photo
The four-lane expressway connects I-79 in West Virginia to I-81 in Virginia, also known as U.S. Route 48, and intersects with additional major state highways, including US Route 119, 55, 28, 219 and more. While the ADHS plan includes approximately two dozen corridors and affects 13 states in total, Corridor H begins in Weston, W. Va., and is the final corridor in West Virginia to be completed, after Corridor D, E, G, L and Q. When completed, Corridor H will connect to international ports including the Virginia Inland Port and Port of Norfolk, Va.
The port access will shorten truck drivers' trips and remains critical to manufacturers, and the new intersection with I-66 will increase local jobs and tourism that otherwise wouldn't exist. While connecting to major state highways, Corridor H also will connect to farms and local roads. According to the West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT), the completion of Corridor H will "improve east-west transportation through northwestern West Virginia, promote economic development in the region and preserve or improve the quality of life in the region."
What's Completed So Far
Corridor H consists of five major sections including Weston to Karens, Karens to Parsons, Parsons to Davis, Davis to Wardensville and Wardensville to Virginia. To date, approximately 116 mi. of Corridor H is complete or under construction within West Virginia. Although not expected to reach completion until 2034, major sections including Weston to Kerens (approximately 41 mi. in length) and Davis to Wardensville (60 mi.) are completed and open to traffic, the largest portions of the project.
Michael Baker International, an engineering and consulting firm that offers infrastructure solutions based in Pittsburgh, Pa., serves as the owner representative for the WVDOT and West Virginia Divisions of Highways. While Michael Baker International handles many details of the project including initial design, environmental permitting and geotechnical assessments, many contractors and subcontractors have been utilized to complete such a large project. Prime contractors include Kokosing Construction Co. Inc., EL Robinson Engineering, West Virginia Paving, Inc., JF Allen Company, A.L.L. Construction Group, GAI Consultants, Inc. and Triton Construction, Inc. Additionally, many subcontractors have been involved such as Skelly and Loy, a Terracon Company, The Thrasher Group, Braxton Enterprises Inc. and many more.
After more than 60 years of environmental evaluations, public meetings, designing and fundraising, Corridor H is expected to reach a total cost of nearly two billion dollars.
Projects In Progress, Under Way
To date, three sections of Corridor H remain unfinished, including Kerens to Parsons, Parsons to Davis and Wadensville to Virginia State Line.
• Kerens to Parsons
Michael Baker International Inc. photo
Kerens to Parsons, a 15-mi. section, remains under active construction in Tucker County, W.Va. While this section poses several challenges, including the Cheat River Bridge, a four-lane bridge more than 3,000 ft., as well as the overall rough conditions and terrain, it is expected to be open as early as this fall. Some of the largest bridge developments involving Corridor H include the Cheat River Bridge, the Goodwin Run Bridge and the Roaring Run Bridge. While some of the bridges still remain under construction, Kerens to Parsons should open next spring and is expected to increase traffic throughout Parsons.
• Parsons to Davis
"Approximately eight miles long, the Parsons to Davis Project is the final Corridor H link between I-79 and the completed 66 mile-long Davis to Wardensville section of Corridor H," according to the WVDOT website. US 219 currently exists as the main highway in the area, which WVDOT described as a "two-lane mountainous roadway with narrow shoulders, steep grades and sharp curves, and many no passing zones." Not only will the completion of Parsons to Davis offer a safer router to travelers, but it also will greatly reduce and relieve traffic in the existing area.
The Parsons to Davis section will be the final section of Corridor H in West Virginia and has not yet reached construction. The Parsons to Davis section has experienced several years of delay due to studies, findings and years of litigation. The design and environmental review is currently in process while WVDOT works to receive all the necessary permits. Estimated completion date of design and permitting is expected to finish in August of 2026. Construction is expected to begin in 2031 and reach completion in late 2034.
Right outside of Parsons, the construction of Roaring Run Bridge is expected to begin across US 219 as early as this fall and also could create delays and detours in the coming years. The Roaring Run Bridge is one of the final steps to the completion of Corridor H.
• Wardensville to Virginia State Line
Michael Baker International Inc. photo
The Wardensville to Virginia Project stretches nearly 7 mi. and the most eastern route of Corridor H, throughout the Potomac Highlands, George Washington National Forest and along WV 55/US 48. The existing, two-lane road currently has sharp bends, little-to-no paved shoulders and is a heavily trafficked area, despite the small community. The Wardensville to Virginia Project will expand the highway to four lanes while providing safer road conditions, wider shoulders, more gradual slopes and more pass-friendly lanes. The new highway will help mitigate traffic in downtown Wardensville, a small community of only 265 residents.
While construction has not yet started, it is expected to begin within the next few months, with construction completion expected in 2031.
In the works for more than 60 years, Corridor H, an overwhelmingly large project, continues to move forward and takes steps of progress toward completion. Although the majority of the project is complete, delays still exist, particularly in Tucker County, despite efforts. The finished product, however, will reduce roadway dangers and enhance driver safety, reduce congestion and traffic, and continue to build and boost the overall regions in West Virginia. CEG
