| By Bob Weaver
The long-proposed highway projects that would bring at least a modern two-lane highway through west central WV counties are not on the state's list of highway projects.
The Blue-Gray Highway project, which would upgrade, straighten and modernized U. S. 33 the Ohio River through Jackson, Roane, Calhoun and Gilmer County has not made the cut since a committee was organized in the early 1960s.
The Little Kanawha Parkway, whose idea sprung from Calhoun County in the 1970s, while receiving a small amount of funding for development purposes, is only a glimmer in the eye of regional residents.
The Parkway would be a connector road between I-77 at Mineral Wells and come up the Little Kanawha area through Wirt, Calhoun and Gilmer to I-79 near Burnsville in Braxton County.
Meanwhile, the "black hole" counties have the same cow pasture roads originally built in the 1920s and 30s, with some getting surfaced in the past 60 years.
The lack of a highway to transport goods in and out of the region, or in recent years, provide a modern highway for workers to travel the 50 to 100 miles for employment, maintains a serious economic crisis.
The rural counties with sparse population get little attention, other than making the news about high unemployment, failing to pay their regional jail bill, unable to pay for mandates issued by the legislature - or being the subject as good candidates to be swallowed by by larger counties.
State highways officials say they will focus on U.S. 35 in Putnam County, Appalachian Corridors H and D and two other major state road projects over the next six years.
Another dozen or so projects would gain attention as their specially earmarked appropriations are received from Congress, said Highways Commissioner Paul Mattox.
No projects in this region are on the list.
The Appalachian Regional Commission, in operation for over 40 years to help the most underdeveloped counties in Appalachia, have focused most of their poverty funding on areas (urban) that have the highest potential for growth.
The poorest, most underdeveloped counties, have received little funding, although ARC says they are going to do better.
| 
