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Look out for potholes, cracks and slips on the state's highways this summer after the harsh winter, continuing rains and
floods. The state DOT says not all the problems will get attention this year.
Calhoun County had two small stretches of highway paved last week, and crews are working on repairing other road
damage.
Crews are working on the north side river road in Grantsville, where major slippage has occurred. Steel piling has been
placed on a Route 16 slip near Minnora.
New slips and landslides continue to appear with rainy weather.
Highway crews expended the last bit of stockpiled salt and cinders. The DOH budgeted $25 million for snow and ice
removal and spent $64 million
Now the highway department has cut $48 million from their summer budget.
Secretary of Transportation Fred VanKirk says it will be tough to fill those potholes and cracks, but the department will do
all they can with what money they have left. There's been a constant debate over coal trucks traveling secondary roads in the
state but not much has been mentioned about the Turnpike, until now.
Now there are concerns over the quality of the surface on the West Virginia Turnpike.
Greg Barr with the Turnpike Authority says there's growing concern over the coal trucks traveling the road near Cheylan and
Sharon. He says the trucks are heavy and are causing damage to the West Virginia Turnpike. Barr says there is also a
problem with dust from the loads. It is starting to coat the roadways and the medians.
Coal trucks have been excluded from paying tolls on the turnpike by the State of West Virginia, which causes a problem,
according to Barr. The turnpike does not get any state funds for upkeep, relying only on tolls.
Barr says West Virginia's new 120,000-pound weight-limit may cause some problems on federal highways, with the turnpike
now designated as I-64 and I-77, where the weight-limit is still 80,000 pounds.
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