West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice was in Bluefield Nov. 4 to kick off construction of a $58 million, 2.5-mile hydroelectric dam. Section of the King Coal Highway connecting the community of Littlesburg to the Mercer County Airport.

Construction on this section of the four-lane highway is expected to begin next spring. Kanawha Stone Co. of Poca, West Virginia, is the general contractor.

At the same event, Justice announced that the West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) awarded a construction contract to Triton Construction Inc. of St. Albans, West Virginia, for more than $77 million to complete the Kerens to Parsons section of the Corridor H/US Highway 48, including the construction of the Roaring Run Bridge.

To the south, the entire four-lane King Coal Highway stretches for approximately 95 miles. through McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Wyoming and Wayne counties, along or near existing U.S. Highway 52 from U.S. 119 near Williamson to Interstate 77 in Bluefield.

According to the Department of Justice, the Roads to Prosperity project is helping open Southwest Virginia to economic development.

“Years ago, I had a vision for Roads to Prosperity, and it has been implemented in ways I never imagined possible,” the governor said. “The King Coal Highway is one of our most important projects because it unlocks the potential for southern West Virginia. He fell by the wayside for 30 years until we had a leader who truly believed in our state and the benefits our roads could bring.”

“Today we celebrate another major milestone for the King Coal Highway, with even more projects on the way. We’re not slowing down or fading into the background – West Virginia is on the move, and we’re going to keep it rolling.”

Seven construction companies submitted bids for the highway project in a special tender conducted by WVDOH on September 24th.

“The Governor had three big priorities when he took office – King Coal, the Coalfields Expressway and Corridor H – and we have made significant progress on all three,” noted State Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston at the groundbreaking ceremony for the King Coal Highway. “We have also made significant progress in overcoming all the bureaucratic hurdles and there is still more work to be done to streamline these processes.”

Development of the King Coal Highway has been underway since the 1990s but failed due to lack of funding before the Justice Department revived the project in 2018. Section of route connecting Airport Road to Interstate 77, 4 miles. Section connecting US 119 to Belo north of Williamson and approximately 10 miles long. The route between Red Jacket and Mountain View is also open to traffic.

In addition, a flight of approximately 3 miles was made last December. The section from Airport Road to John Nash Boulevard near Bluefield became available for vehicular traffic.

Previously, Triton Construction was awarded a contract worth nearly $92 million in July 2023 to expand the existing four-lane highway by approximately 2.4 kilometers. from Mountain View and provide a connection to the town of Gilbert along Gilbert Creek.

“We are moving forward on another leg of a path that has been stagnant for decades,” Wriston added. “The people of southern West Virginia deserve this road that will open the area to business and make travel safer.”

The Justice Department also noted that an approximately $107 million project to extend the King Coal Highway from Montcalm to Littlesburg is currently in the planning stages.

The Roaring Run Bridge will complete an important portion of Corridor H

Justice described the separate construction of the Roaring Run Bridge as “another piece of the puzzle for Corridor H” and a “major milestone” toward the state’s goal of completing the section of the road from Kerens to Parsons.

“I've said it again and again: Corridor H is the most important project for West Virginia,” he said. “Celebrating these days feels great, and when we finally say Corridor H is finished, it will be a historic day for West Virginia.”

The section of Corridor H between Kerens and Parsons passes through some of the harshest terrain along the entire route, the Justice Department noted in a news release.

According to Wriston, reaching the point where construction of the Roaring Run Bridge can soon begin came after “many late-night work and after-hours meetings to coordinate with our partners (the Federal Highway Administration), the Army Corps of Engineers, USA.” Fish and Wildlife, Monongahela National Forest, local leaders, our design consultants and residents of local communities. With this project now underway, only two sections remain to achieve the ultimate goal of full completion of Corridor H.

When Justice became governor in 2017, he made completing Corridor H a priority of his administration. The four-lane highway begins in Weston and travels through central West Virginia, finally connecting with I-81 in Strasburg, Virginia.

The highway is designed to open some of West Virginia's most remote areas in Grant, Tucker and Hardy counties to economic development, connect the state's highlands to eastern ports, reduce travel times through the mountains, and provide a smooth, safe highway for travelers and residents .