October 24, 2024 - The Tunnel Ridge Mine soon will be longwall mining again under Interstate 70, and this time it’s going to affect the eastbound lanes east of the Pennsylvania line, according to Ohio County Chief Deputy Nelson Croft.

Croft updated Ohio County commissioners on the project during their meeting Tuesday night, telling them what he learned during a recent meeting with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation officials in Claysville.

Ohio County commissioners Randy Wharton, left, and Zach Abraham listen to remarks during Tuesday's commission meeting.

Photo by Joselyn King

“Tunnel Ridge is going under the interstate to take one more swipe, and it’s going to affect mainly the eastbound lanes,” Croft said.

The work will be east of the West Alexander exit, he continued.

“The westbound will affect us if they have a crash, because that will divert traffic to U.S. 40,” Croft said. “The plan is now if something happens eastbound, traffic will be diverted to Elm Grove. (West Virginia) DOH is aware of that. They are part of the plan.”

This plan will affect Elm Grove and Triadelphia in the event of an accident, but there is no other option. Truck traffic cannot be detoured onto Dallas Pike or West Alexander roads, he explained.

The project is expected to last about 30 days, Croft told commissioners.

“The good thing is it’s a short piece of the highway – about 1,000 feet,” he said. “The bad thing is it’s going to be mid to late December when they do it, so we’ll have holiday traffic and (potentially) bad weather.”

The plan already was tested recently when eastbound traffic into Pennsylvania was shut down totally following an accident on I-70. It appeared to work well, according to Croft.

“Most of the people are patient. Most of the Triadelphia and Valley Grove people are patient,” he said. “The only problem we will have with U.S. 40 is the bridge at the park in Valley Grove. We will have to have a deputy man that area after hours if we have an emergency.”

Commission President Don Nickerson was ill and could not attend Tuesday’s meeting. He participated by phone while Commissioner Zach Abraham presided over the meeting, and Commissioner Randy Wharton was also present.

In other matters, Melissa Marco, project manager for Ohio County, gave commissioners an update about a delayed bus duct needed before a project to replace the heating and air conditioning system at the City-County Building can continue.

County officials were informed the bus duct wouldn’t be arriving until late February. But stakeholders worked together to determine a solution, and the project still could get started as soon as Dec. 1, according to Marco.

Abraham said he attended a recent meeting of the Ohio Valley Regional Transportation Authority (OVRTA) board. Members are selling six of the authority’s buses, three of which are still in “good shape,” according to Abraham.

He said members approved a governmental transfer that moves the three more desirable buses into the possession of Ohio County. The intent is for the buses to be reconditioned and used to transport visitors around The Highlands development, Abraham continued.

Offices at the City-County Building will be closed on Election Day, Nov. 5, and Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

The commissioners will next meet at 6 p.m. on Nov. 12 at the City-County Building, 1500 Chapline St., Wheeling.