The Beckley Z-Way project, a highway and infrastructure project totaling more than $111 million in Raleigh County, W.Va., continues to progress as both sections currently remain under active construction.
Beginning in Spring 2024 and expected to last approximately two years, the Beckley Z-Way project has made great strides in a short window of time. Broken down into two major sections, Shady Spring to Beaver and Beaver to S. Eisenhower, the project spans approximately 5.5 mi. into Beckley, W.Va, a highly traveled and regularly congested area. With more than 17,000 residents and known for its long history of coal mining and ties to the Appalachian culture, Beckley, W.Va., resides near the New Rover Gorge National Park and Preserve and offers attractions like shopping, locally made arts and crafts, miles of hiking and even underground mining tours.
Troy Walker/WVDOT photo
Ranked as the ninth most densely populated city within West Virginia and with more than 16,000 traveling vehicles passing through daily, the need for improved infrastructure and work to major highways US 19, WV 3 and I-64 only grew.
Section One: Shady Spring to Beaver
Section one of the Beckley Z-Way project involves widening a three-lane roadway and converting a two-lane road into a three-lane road by adding a center turn lane within US-19 and WV-3 and stretches 3.6 mi.
Mountaineer Contractors Inc., awarded section one and based in Kingwood, W.Va. and a part of MCI Group, specializes in highway and utility work and work in eight states across the eastern side of the country including Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and more.
Troy Walker/WVDOT photo
Section one, consisted of 10 phases, currently has six active construction sites. These phases include relocating and reconfiguring utilities to the area, installing culverts and retaining walls, roadway build-up and more. Travelers can expect delays during underground line and pole relocation and overhead line work, which may extend beyond the project deadline. Areas most heavily affected include Glenwood Lane, Ransom Drive, Glade Springs/Lake Drive, Raleigh Center Road, the Green River Garden Center and Bobcat of Beckley. Minor detours include temporarily shifting into the existing shoulders — reduced to 10 ft. — and existing lanes. Paving began the second week of October 2025.
Once these phases are complete, Mountaineers Contractors will move the highway and infrastructure work to Raleigh Center Road, 4-H Lake Road, Regency Drive and Granby Circle. The bulk of remaining work consists of water line and sewage line relocations, drainage structure installation, roadway build-up and roadway widening. Once complete, Granby Circle will then tie into the second section of work, the Beaver to S. Eisenhower project.
Section Two: Beaver to S. Eisenhower
While section two of the Beckley Z-Way project only consists of a total of 1.93 mi. and 6,000-9,000 travelers daily, the complexity of the work, including relocating and adding a roadway as well as realigning a stream, requires an experienced contractor. West Virginia Division of Highways awarded Kanawha Stone Company for the specialized work, a family-owned and -operated company. Based locally and with years of experience across the Appalachian region, Kanawha Stone Company began its work in late 2024.
Troy Walker/WVDOT photo
First, Kanawha Stone Company began blasting sections between Old Crow Road and Airport Road in late 2024. While the project has required blasting intermittently within the past year, roads have remained open and operational with the exception of a few overnight, full closures. Simultaneously, Kanawha Stone Company cleared trees and began relocating utility lines in the first steps of early construction.
Today, Beaver to South Eisenhower remains under active construction while Shady Springs to Beaver maintains traffic patterns while under construction. The new connector off Exit 124, US Route 19, remains under active construction at the 164 S Eisenhower Interchange.
In addition, Kanawha Stone Company is building nearly 2 mi. of new roadway at Beaver to S Eisenhower. Previously two lanes, the completed roadway addition will feature a third lane and center turning lane. The work involves construction to an overpass bridge as well as newly constructed connectors from Old Crow Road, Ritter Drive, Skyline and Orchard Hill Road and Airport Road and Whispering Pines.
While roadway widening takes place at Granby Circle, Shady Spring and Beaver Road, entry work of relocating Beaver to S Eisenhower has begun. The addition of a middle lane from the Route 3 and Route 19 intersection also has begun.
With only two contractors involved, the Beckley Z-Way project continues to make great strides within a short amount of time. Once completed, the Beckley Z-Way project will greatly alleviate traffic and congestion while offering safer, more efficient and less complicated routes to everyday residents' and tourists' benefit. CEG
(All photos courtesy of Troy Walker/WVDOT.)
