US Route 50 in West Virginia

U.S. Route 50 in West Virginia runs from the border with Ohio to Virginia, passing briefly through Garrett County, Maryland, and following the Northwestern Turnpike. Prior to the U.S. Highway System it was West Virginia Route 1 and in the 1930s, the road was not finished in Maryland. At that time, motorists had to open a gate at the state line and drive on a dirt path until again reaching the other state line. Today the section of US 50 from Clarksburg to Parkersburg on the Ohio River is part of Corridor D of the Appalachian Development Highway System.

Corridor D is part of the Appalachian Development Highway System is travels from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Bridgeport, West Virginia, where it meets Interstate 79. It travels US 50 for much of its eastern portion. The western portion of the road is known as Ohio State Route 32. ADHS Funding is separate from other Federal Highway funds.

History

One of the original 23 corridors, Corridor D (U.S. Highway 50) was to provide access to major urban centers along the east coast from the Midwest, while creating economic development for northwest and North-Central West Virginia and southeast Ohio.

Currently, construction of Corridor D has been completed from Clarksburg, West Virginia to the Interstate 77 interchange just east of Parkersburg. It will feature the Blennerhassett Island Bridge, a tied-arch bridge over the Ohio River into the town of Belpre, Ohio, where it will connect to U.S. Highway 50 and State Route 32.

West Virginia

The earliest segment of Corridor D, or US 50, to open in West Virginia was a six mile segment in 1967 from an isolated point near Sherwood in Doddridge County (MP 15) to WV 23 in Salem in Harrison County (MP 1.52). Two years later, a segment from Salem east to CR 11 at Wolf Summit (MP 7) opened to traffic.

In 1970, major portions of Corridor D opened to traffic:

• A brief segment in Wood County from MP 8 to MP 11 near Murphytown.
• A lengthy segment in Wood County from WV 31 near Deerwalk (MP 15.41) to MP 4 at Nutter Farm in Ritchie County near North Bend State Park, a distance of seven miles.
• A segment of US 50 in Ritchie County at WV 74 at Pennsboro (MP 17) east to Doddridge County at West Union (MP 5.5).
• Most of Corridor D opened a year later [2].
• A segment four-lane upgrade of US 50 opened in Wood County from Interstate 77 east of Parkersburg (MP 4) to MP 8 near Murphytown.
• A segment within Wood County from MP 11 near Murphytown to Sandhill (MP 15.41). This connected the disjointed segments between #1 and #2 listed above.

[Top]

The majority of Ritchie County's US 50 segment opened from MP 4 near North Bend State Park to WV 74 at Pennsboro (MP 17). This connected the disjointed segments between #2 and #3 listed above.

A segment in Doddridge County from MP 5.52 near West Union east to WV 23 near Salem (MP 15).

In 1974, a segment of Corridor D in Harrison County opened to traffic from CR 11 at Wolf Summit (MP 7) to the CR 11 at Wilsonburg (MP 11). In 1977, this was extended eastward to WV 20 at Montpelier east of Clarksburg (MP 15.5), and a year later, to Interstate 79 west of Bridgeport (MP 18.25).

Completion into Ohio

Construction began in 2000 with the start of the Godbey Fields complex in Parkersburg, West Virginia. The $6.5 million 40-acre athletic complex was finished in 2001. Several contracts were let soon after, which included grading and drainage for part of Corridor D, a new Corning Glass Bridge for WV 47, and another span that would carry US 50 over WV 47 and 7th Street in Parkersburg.

On September 8, 2003, the first segment of Corridor D opened. The 1.9 mile four-lane controlled-access highway stretched from Interstate 77 to WV 47 in Parkersburg.

On September 20, 2004, the second portion of Corridor D opened from WV 47 to WV 14, which included the construction of a Little Kanawha River crossing. With this segment open to traffic, 1/3 of the Parkersburg Corridor D segment was complete.

On March 9, 2005, a tied arch Ohio River crossing design was chosen from four designs as it was the "most economical and least intrusive on the environment of Blennerhassett Island. The $120 million eight-span bridge will include an 880-foot tied arch over the main channel of the Ohio River and will stretch for 4,009 feet from both abutments with a 69 feet vertical clearance. It is being constructed from weathering steel and will connect WV 892 to OH 618. At the time of its contract letting in April 2005, it was the largest single highway contract in West Virginia's history. The bridge is expected to be complete in 2007.

On July 12, 2005, it was announced that the final Corridor D contract in West Virginia was to be awarded. This would complete paving and signing operations of 1.32 miles from the WV 892, WV 95, and WV 68 interchange to River Hill Road. In Ohio, a single contract was announced that would connect the Ohio River span to U.S. Highway 50 which would be completed in 2007.

In August 2005, Corridor D was opened to traffic from WV 14 to WV 68.

In mid-September 2005, Corridor D was completed from Fifth Street in Parkersburg to WV 892, WV 95, and WV 68. This segment was constructed under five contracts and required the completion of ten bridges.

As of April 23, 2006, the Ohio River crossing was 37% complete and is on target for completion on September 10, 2007. Construction on the Corridor D mainlines from Interstate 77 to WV 892 is all but complete. The last segment, from WV 892 to the WV 892, WV 95, and WV 68 interchange, was slated to open in August.

On August 31, 2006, it was announced that from WV 892/WV 68 to the WV 892 interchange, Corridor D was open to traffic. This 1.32 mile four-lane divided freeway is the final roadway section of the corridor from Clarksburg and Cincinnati sans the Ohio River crossing. The Blennerhasset Bridge, scheduled to open in fall 2008, is the last Corridor D project.

There are long-range plans to expand the diamond interchange at Interstate 77 into a fully-directional interchange at a cost of $60 million. It is ranked 75th.

[Top]

Notes

• The official sign for Corridor D in West Virginia, while not utilized on full-sized shields, is a blue background shield with a West Virginia state outline in white with a blue letter in the center.
• In late 2006, there were recent additions of mile markers every 1/2 mile along Corridor D between Parkersburg and Clarksburg. These mile markers feature the official sign for Corridor D as described above.

References

• "Background." Appalachian Corridor D. West Virginia Division of Highways. 18 July 2006.
• Release Date Report. West Virginia Department of Transportation. August 2003.
• "New Godbey Fields under construction." Appalachian Corridor D. 25 Apr. 2000. West Virginia Department of Highways. 18 June 2006.
• "DOH Corridor D Briefing Set for October 25." Appalachian Corridor D. 19 Oct. 2000. West Virginia Department of Highways. 18 June 2006.
• "DOH to Open 1.9-Mile Segment of Corridor D." Appalachian Corridor D. 25 Aug. 2003. West Virginia Department of Highways. 18 June 2006.
• "Division Street of Corridor D Set to Open." Appalachian Corridor D. 15 Sept. 2004. West Virginia Department of Highways. 18 June 2006.
• "Island bridge bids opening March 1." Appalachian Corridor D. 28 March 2005. West Virginia Department of Highways. 18 June 2006.
• Payne Jr., Dave. "W.Va awards bridge contract." Appalachian Corridor D. April 2005. West Virginia Department of Highways. 18 June 2006.
• Bevins, Evan. "Final Corridor D contract to be bid." Appalachian Corridor D. May 2005. West Virginia Department of Highways. 18 June 2006.
• Bevins, Evan. "Final Corridor D contract to be bid." Appalachian Corridor D. May 2005. West Virginia Department of Highways. 18 June 2006.
• Payne Jr., Dave. "New section of Corridor D to open next week." Appalachian Corridor D. 6 Oct. 2005. West Virginia Department of Highways. 18 June 2006.
• Brown, William. "Corridor D continues to progress." Appalachian Corridor D. 23 April 2006. West Virginia Department of Highways. 18 June 2006.
• "DOH to Open Final Roadway Section of Corridor D." 26 Oct. 2006. West Virginia Department of Transportation. 30 Oct. 2006.
• "Sheet 1." West Virginia Department of Transportation. 1 Nov. 2006
• wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_50_in_West_Virginia
• wikipedia.org/wiki/Corridor_D