WV ROAD IMPROVEMENTS AT STAND-STILL - State Now Has 33-Year Resurfacing Cycle

(03/14/2015)

West Virginia roads are roads of many patches. West Virginia is years behind in road building, resurfacing and repairing secondary roads. Also years behind in bridge replacements. The WV legislature has not come up with any improvement plan, except for yet another study, focusing primarily on roll-back legislation to make the state more business friendly and gun rights enthusiasts happy. The stalemated Congress cannot come up with a plan to improve the nation's antiquated infrastructure. Sen. Robert Plymale (D-Wayne) said that when he first came to the Senate in the 1990s, the Division of Highways repaved secondary roads in the state on 12½-year paving cycles. Currently, funding reductions have pushed that paving cycle down to once every 33 years. "The biggest issue that I get from constituents is road issues," he said. Plymale is lead sponsor of a bill (SB478) that has not been acted on this session, a bill that would have raised more than $300 million a year for the state Road Fund, using a 2 cent a gallon increase in the state gas tax, a dedicated one percent increase in sales taxes, and increases in various DMV fees. Plymale said the bill incorporates many of the yet-to-be finalized recommendations of the Governor's Blue Ribbon Commission on Highways, with the exception of a proposed $1 billion to $1.5 billion road bond, to be repaid by retaining tolls on the West Virginia Turnpike through 2049. Mike Clowser, executive director of the West Virginia Contractors Association, reiterated findings of a study released last week which indicated a $500 million a year increase in road funding would create 10,000 construction and permanent jobs and $1 billion a year of new economic activity. Sen. Art Kirkendoll, D-Logan, agreed, saying he believes poor road conditions are hurting tourism in the state.

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