CDS funds can be used on CFX, King Coal
bluefield — Years ago it was a common practice for lawmakers to use federal earmarks to help build highway projects across West Virginia.
Locally, some of the earliest segments of the Coalfields Expressway and the King Coal Highway were started as a result of federal earmarks secured by lawmakers, including the late U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd.
Byrd, a powerful Democrat in Washington at the time, faced frequent criticism for his efforts in securing federal earmarks for West Virginia. A number of years later the use of earmarks fell out of favor with Congress, and the practice was ultimately supended.
However, in more recent years, earmarks have returned with a new name. They are now called Congressionally Directed Spending awards, and are considered on an annual basis.
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., was recently asked by the Daily Telegraph why Congressionally Directed Spending awards are not currently being used to help with highway projects like the Coalfields Expressway in McDowell County and the King Coal Highway in Bluefield.
Capito said the West Virginia Department of Transportation is, in fact, seeking Congressionally Directed Spending awards for those and other highway corridors across the Mountain State.
She was also asked whether or not elected officials in Mercer and McDowell counties had requested such federal funding support for the highway projects in their respective counties.
'There is no reason why I cannot ask for a Congressionally Directed Spend in those areas,' Capito said in reference to the Daily Telegraph question during a recent media call with West Virginia reporters. 'Whether it is King Coal or Coalfields Express or Corridor H or whatever — Route 2 has some issues too on expansion.'
Capito said her office is in regular contact with the West Virginia Department of Highways with regards to the transportation needs of the Mountain State.
'I am generally working with the West Virginia Department of Transportation to see where their priorities are so they can get, so we can cobble together the funds to actually have success,' Capito said. 'I know we just got recently a grant for the King Coal Highway. It came through. It was a discretionary grant. So that is good news. And we just gotta keep plugging away. These are massively expensive highways but they need to be completed.'
Capito said the DOH will sometimes ask the counties to join in on funding requests for specific transportation projects.
'Mainly the big ones you are talking about will come from the West Virginia DOT and we work hand in glove with them.' Capito said. 'And they have requested these.'
The Daily Telegraph has asked the DOT for information on the recent funding award for the King Coal Highway project, but has not yet received an answer.
Years ago the local DOH offices were able to answer media questions, but in recent years all such questions must now be forwarded to the DOH's public relations office in Charleston. That practice was in place during the administration of former Gov. Jim Justice and is now continuing with current Gov. Patrick Morrisey.
The King Coal Highway is West Virginia's local corridor of the future Interstate 73/74/75 routing.
In West Virginia, the King Coal Highway will ultimately extend 95 miles through Mercer, McDowell, Mingo, Wyoming and Wayne counties along or near currently existing U.S. 52 from U.S. 119 near Williamson to Interstate 77 in Bluefield.
In the bigger picture, the final Interstate 73/74/75 routing will extend from Detroit, Michigan to Myrtle Beach, S.C, opening up a large swath of Southern West Virginia to interstate access.
According to the National I-73/74/75 Corridor Association, the project will bring growth along the interstate within six states: Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Sections of the interstate corridor are already open in other states, including North Carolina and South Carolina.
The Coalfields Expressway is a new four-lane corridor that will extend through both West Virginia and Virginia.
The full West Virginia routing of the Coalfields Expressway will take the new four-lane from Welch in McDowell County toward Pineville in Wyoming County and Beckley in Raleigh County. In neighboring Virginia, the Coalfields Expressway will extend through Buchanan, Dickenson and Wise counties.
Contact Charles Owens at
cowens@bdtonline.com
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