6 days ago
Taylor County road becomes latest casualty of mine activity in Thornton area
GRAFTON, (WBOY) — The West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) cites mine activity as the cause for a recent road closure in Taylor County after a road slip left a large hole in Glade Run Road/CR 52, rendering it unusable by vehicles 'until further notice.'
The map above shows the area of Glade Run where the road slip occurred.
The closure was announced on Friday, May 30, in a press release from the WVDOH:
'There will be a road closure on County Route 52, Glade Run Road, starting at milepost 3.23, beginning today, Friday, May 30, 2025, until further notice, for a slip that resulted in unsafe road surface for travel due to mining operations,' the release said.
'The alternate routes are as follows: County Route 09, Knottsville Road, County Route 52/3, Hovatter Road, to County Route 54/2, Thomas Farm Road, to County Route 54, Eby Road, to US 50, George Washington Highway. It is advised that the heavier traffic utilize County Route 09, Knottsville Road via traveling into town.'
At the site, a reporter on scene observed a steady stream of water flowing through the slipped area.
The closure of Glade Run comes just three weeks after drivers raised concerns over a section of Route 50 in Taylor County between Thornton Hill and Eby Road also due to mine subsidence. On May 14, 12 News reported that 'Rough Road Ahead' signs were posted in the area where Route 50 had partially collapsed. Sections of the road were blocked off with cones while flaggers directed traffic.
An engineer from the WVDOH District 4 confirmed that a section of Route 50 was experiencing 'minor subsidence from recent mining operations.'
But outside of damage to public roads, private property owners are also seeing damage to their land and buildings.
On April 14, John Christopher, a Pennsylvania resident who used to hunt frequently in Taylor County, said that large fissures had opened up across his property and caused some structural damage to the house he built there. The damage to the house has been mitigated with temporary measures, but Christopher said the subsidence in the area is only worsening over time, even after ongoing remediation efforts by CORE Natural Resources.
Since CORE began operations in the last year, Christopher said many of his neighbors have had to leave their homes due to the risk of land slips or methane buildup, which can be deadly indoors.
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