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. |
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