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BLUEFIELD, WV — Gov. Jim Justice on Nov 4th, announced the award of a $58 million contract for the construction of a 2.5-mile stretch of the King Coal Highway, connecting Littlesburg to the Mercer County Airport.
The King Coal Highway is a four-lane highway approximately 95 miles long running through McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Wyoming, and Wayne counties, along or near currently existing US 52 from US 119 near Williamson to Interstate 77 in Bluefield.
The Roads to Prosperity Project is helping open Southern West Virginia to economic development.
“Years ago, I had a vision for Roads to Prosperity, and it’s taken off in ways I never thought possible,” Gov. Justice said. “The King Coal Highway is one of our most crucial projects because it unlocks the potential for Southern West Virginia. It sat on the sidelines for 30 years until we had a leader who truly believed in our state and the benefits our roads could bring. Today, we’re celebrating another big milestone for the King Coal Highway, with even more projects on the way. We’re not slowing down or taking a backseat—West Virginia is on the move, and we’re going to keep it rolling.”
Seven construction firms provided bids for the project at a special bid letting conducted by the WVDOH on September 24, 2024.
"The Governor had three big priorities when he took office, King Coal, the Coalfields Expressway, and Corridor H, and we've made significant progress on all three," Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston, P.E. said. "We've also made significant progress in getting through all the bureaucratic hurdles, and there's still more to be done to streamline those processes. We're moving forward on one more section of a road that has languished for decades and decades. It's finally happening, thanks to the Governor's big, bold vision. We're ready to build this road. The people in southern West Virginia deserve this road, which will open up the area for business and make travel safer.”
Development of the King Coal Highway has been underway since the 1990s, but bogged down for lack of funding before Gov. Jim Justice revitalized the project in 2018. A two-mile section of the King Coal Highway connecting Airport Road to Interstate 77, and a four-mile section connecting US 119 to Belo north of Williamson are currently open to traffic. About 10 miles between Red Jacket and Mountain View is also open.
An approximately three-mile stretch from Airport Road to John Nash Boulevard near Bluefield opened in December 2023.
Construction of the section of the King Coal Highway from Littlesburg to the airport is expected to begin in the spring of 2025.
Development of the King Coal Highway continues. In July 2023, Triton Construction Inc. was awarded a contract for nearly $92 million to extend the existing four-lane highway for about 1.5 miles from Mountain View and create a connector to the town of Gilbert along Gilbert Creek.
An approximately $107 million project to extend the King Coal Highway from Montcalm to Littlesburg is currently in the planning stage.
Run Bridge project off the ground is just another piece of the puzzle for Corridor H,” Gov. Justice said. “This final piece for the Kerens to Parsons section is a massive milestone in our ultimate goal of finishing this corridor. These announcements bring us closer to running through the finish line on Corridor H. I’ve said it over and over again, but Corridor H is the most important project for West Virginia. Celebrating these days feels amazing, and when we finally say that Corridor H is finished, it will be a historic day for West Virginia.”
Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston, P.E. said. “This accomplishment involved many late nights of work and after-hour meetings involved in coordinating with our partners at FHWA, Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Monongahela National Forest, local leaders, our design consultants, and residents of the local communities. With this project now being underway, only two sections remain in achieving the ultimate goal of fully completing Corridor H.”
Kerens to Parsons carries Corridor H through some of the most rugged terrain on the entire route.
When Gov. Jim Justice took office in 2017, he made completing Corridor H a priority of his administration. The four-lane highway begins at Weston and travels across central West Virginia to eventually link up with Interstate 81 in Strasburg, Virginia.
The highway is expected to open some of West Virginia’s most remote areas in Grant, Tucker, and Hardy counties to economic development, connect West Virginia’s highlands with eastern ports, speed travel times through the mountains, and provide a smooth, safe highway for travelers and residents.