| State highways officials have announced the roads expected to be repaired as part of the $1.25 billion in federal funding for coronavirus expenses, though concerns remain about whether the repairs are allowed.
A review of the 95 Medical Access Roads projects unveiled Monday by the Division of Highways shows that a majority of the projects have one thing in common: They’re miles away from the nearest hospitals.
The West Virginia Division of Highways unveiled Monday afternoon its Medical Access Roads program. The project is being funded with $50 million of the $1.25 billion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act distributed to West Virginia for state, county, and municipal coronavirus-related expenses.
The Medical Access Roads program in Calhoun appears to be improvements in the Leatherbark area of US 33, allocated $450,000.
The project includes 95 roads in all 55 counties, totaling 217.3 miles, allegedly connecting 68 hospitals and 307 primary care facilities.
Justice first unveiled his idea for “COVID-19 related highway projects” June 26 when he announced his proposed C.A.R.E.S. Act spending plans. Originally, Justice planned to spend $100 million on these COVID-19 highways projects, but that was reduced to $50 million with another $50 million set aside for broadband expansion projects to help with virtual learning, telemedicine and remote working during the pandemic.
Bailey Glasser, an outside law firm handling C.A.R.E.S. Act issues and legal assistance for the state, signed off on the state’s proposal for the Medical Access Roads program, though its opinion has not been released to the public.
Justice’s plan to use C.A.R.E.S. Act funding for his Medical Access Roads program has come under fire since the day he announced it. Both Republican and Democratic legislators have decried the decision in letters asking for a special session to have a say in the appropriation of the $1.25 billion.
Kanawha County Commissioner and Democratic candidate for governor Ben Salango has said the money would be put to better use for making schools safe to reopen during the pandemic. U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., has been a frequent critic of Justice’s handling of C.A.R.E.S. Act funds.
“The governor is using this as a political slush fund,” Manchin said during a conference call with reporters last week. “No governor should be able to use that money at their discretion.”
During Monday’s coronavirus briefing, Justice was asked whether the projects in the Medical Access Roads program would be reimbursable under the U.S. Treasury Department’s guidelines for C.A.R.E.S. Act spending.
“We vetted this through every vehicle we can find to vet it,” Justice said. “I’ve got to have confidence in our people. We have checked this, checked this, and checked this as to how we can use these funds in regard to this from the standpoint of the medical emergency stuff that we’re doing.”
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