Editor,
“The squeaky wheel gets the grease,” or so they say. For context, refer to the January 4 and January 11, 2023, letters to the editor in The Parsons Advocate. You will find three letters opposing the current route of Corridor H between Parsons and Davis. After considering the arguments made by these individuals, I wonder, what world are these people living in? Then again, isn’t it obvious what the strategy is here? I propose that these letters can be summarized as such: Fake News, fearmongering, smoke and mirrors, disingenuous concern, and feigned anxieties. From all this noise, the ultimate goal is to obstruct, delay, and prevent the completion of Corridor H. Period. I would be more inclined to sympathize if their motives were not obscured by tone-deaf rationales.
On January 4, Ms. Susan Moore wrote that, following the completion of the Davis to Wardensville section of Corridor H, a “…new wave of tourism from the east…” resulted in “…an explosion of new businesses and commercial activity…”, higher property values, and new construction. This is good. Later, she laments that connecting Corridor H from Parsons will result in more people traveling through our county – only this time, it is bad. She argues that the current route will be noisy, have lots of traffic, will bring more drugs and crime, and will make the stars invisible in Davis. Mind you, the Tucker County Industrial Park is within, or adjacent to, Davis town limits and has direct access to the existing 4-lane. It seems she believes tourists will never return once Tucker County is more accessible to civilization than ever before, despite Corridor H being far removed from Canaan Valley, Timberline, and Dolly Sods.
On January 4, Mr. Bret Rosenblum argued that Tucker County is well-off as it is. He stated that the county has “…already reaped the economic benefits of the road that brings countless visitors from the east coast.” He stated that our economic figures indicate that everyone who wants a job, has a job; therefore, he believes our local economy does not need any more benefits that would come from completing Corridor H. Remember this as you wait 30+ minutes for an ambulance. Share this data with your loved ones and neighbors who drive out of county for a living wage, with your children who moved away, and with your local small business owner who is struggling. They can surely find work on the mountain.
Lastly, on January 11, Ms. Nancy Luscombe wrote that Corridor H will force motorists to share 2-lane Route 32 with large trucks – a safety hazard, in her opinion. Never mind the large trucks routinely barreling down Sugarlands, Leadmine Mountain, and Holly Meadows. Welcome to Tucker County, is all I can say (nearing my 500-word limit). This has been the locals’ plight for decades as we shared Route 219 with Kingsford’s truck traffic. Even more reason to finish Corridor H sooner rather than later!
Respectfully,
Steven P. Sponaugle
Parsons, WV