Stop the $474 million “Road to Nowhere”
Corridor H, a 4-lane highway, currently extends through 157 miles of West Virginia, ending 6.8 miles shy of the Virginia border. Decades ago, WV Department of Highways (WVDOH) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) officials proposed extending the highway to Strasburg, Virginia but met massive local opposition, so scrapped the plan.
Now, despite this past opposition, WVDOH is moving forward with the plan, investing substantial public funds ($474 million) to complete the 65 mph highway through the George Washington National Forest right to VA’s border without Virginia’s input nor its consent. WVDOH and FHWA released a Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) and are asking for public comments on the project with a deadline of June 1. The environmental and safety ramifications of this plan are many, and time to challenge its initiation short.
VWC's concerns about the SEA for this segment of Corridor H are:
1. The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is outdated and insufficient. Since this highway project first began, the landscape, road infrastructure, and our associated knowledge has evolved. The EIS completed three decades ago, is outdated. More species are at risk due to pressures from a changing climate, human activity, and landscape alteration. Additionally, these decades have experienced changes in industry and economic drivers, populations of both rural and urban areas, and advancements in safety technology. While this project would drop heavy, fast traffic right at Virginia’s border (where adequate infrastructure does not exist and has not been analyzed to accommodate such an influx), impacts on Virginia were omitted from the newly released SEA. It would be irresponsible to move forward with additional highway construction without a new EIS that analyzes impacts on Virginia.
2. Human Safety. As is, this project would dump traffic moving east at 65 mph onto a 2-lane curvy highway that cannot handle the volume or speed. Adding to this hazard, hikers, bikers, and equestrians using the Tuscarora and Great Eastern Trails would face serious risk when they have to cross this road. This is a dangerous situation for trail users and drivers alike.
3. Major Environmental Consequences for our shared public lands. This highway as planned would would carve into the Great North Mountain Area, an ecologically valuable part of the George Washington National Forest, inventoried as a Virginia Mountain Treasure by VWC and The Wilderness Society, and part of the proposed Big Schloss National Scenic Area. This 6,681-acre region is known for its mature forests, clean headwater streams, and wildlife habitat. Fragmentation will have serious effects on a forest that provides clean water for municipal and fisheries use, outdoor recreation activities, and wildlife corridors, impacting at-risk species, such as the wood turtle and migratory species.
4. In lieu of a 4-lane highway, improvements to the existing road would be a less destructive, less expensive, and safer alternative.
If you are concerned by any or all of these points, it is important to ACT TODAY. Comments on this project are due by June 1.
To submit comments to WVDOH, click here.
To see VWC's full letter to WVDOH, click here.
To see the Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) supplied by WVDOH, click here.
To see VWC's Big Schloss National Scenic Area proposal, click here.
Now, despite this past opposition, WVDOH is moving forward with the plan, investing substantial public funds ($474 million) to complete the 65 mph highway through the George Washington National Forest right to VA’s border without Virginia’s input nor its consent. WVDOH and FHWA released a Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) and are asking for public comments on the project with a deadline of June 1. The environmental and safety ramifications of this plan are many, and time to challenge its initiation short.
VWC's concerns about the SEA for this segment of Corridor H are:
1. The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is outdated and insufficient. Since this highway project first began, the landscape, road infrastructure, and our associated knowledge has evolved. The EIS completed three decades ago, is outdated. More species are at risk due to pressures from a changing climate, human activity, and landscape alteration. Additionally, these decades have experienced changes in industry and economic drivers, populations of both rural and urban areas, and advancements in safety technology. While this project would drop heavy, fast traffic right at Virginia’s border (where adequate infrastructure does not exist and has not been analyzed to accommodate such an influx), impacts on Virginia were omitted from the newly released SEA. It would be irresponsible to move forward with additional highway construction without a new EIS that analyzes impacts on Virginia.
2. Human Safety. As is, this project would dump traffic moving east at 65 mph onto a 2-lane curvy highway that cannot handle the volume or speed. Adding to this hazard, hikers, bikers, and equestrians using the Tuscarora and Great Eastern Trails would face serious risk when they have to cross this road. This is a dangerous situation for trail users and drivers alike.
3. Major Environmental Consequences for our shared public lands. This highway as planned would would carve into the Great North Mountain Area, an ecologically valuable part of the George Washington National Forest, inventoried as a Virginia Mountain Treasure by VWC and The Wilderness Society, and part of the proposed Big Schloss National Scenic Area. This 6,681-acre region is known for its mature forests, clean headwater streams, and wildlife habitat. Fragmentation will have serious effects on a forest that provides clean water for municipal and fisheries use, outdoor recreation activities, and wildlife corridors, impacting at-risk species, such as the wood turtle and migratory species.
4. In lieu of a 4-lane highway, improvements to the existing road would be a less destructive, less expensive, and safer alternative.
If you are concerned by any or all of these points, it is important to ACT TODAY. Comments on this project are due by June 1.
To submit comments to WVDOH, click here.
To see VWC's full letter to WVDOH, click here.
To see the Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) supplied by WVDOH, click here.
To see VWC's Big Schloss National Scenic Area proposal, click here.