By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
The much anticipated opening of the approximately 15 mile Kerens to Parsons section of Corridor H has been delayed until June, according to the Corridor H Highway Authority.
The delays were reported to be from weather delays that hindered progress over the winter. These delays have reportedly pushed back the opening deadline to the end of June, officials state.
While the West Virginia Department of Highways is planning a ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening, no date or time has been set, Corridor H Highway Authority chairman Robbie Morris informed the Parsons Advocate’s sister paper The Inter-Mountain.
Once the new section of road from Kerens to Parsons is opened, the 15 mile stretch will offer drivers direct, high speed four lane travel directly from Elkins to Parsons, drastically reducing travel times between the cities and improving safety along Highway 219.
Historically, WV 219 is noted as one of the most hazardous highway stretches in West Virginia. It has been reported over a studied, multi-year period, approximately seven fatal crashes occurred in Tucker County alone. Contributing factors to accidents along this stretch include the area’s narrow, sharp curves and windy roads, along with rugged rural terrain. Statistics also place alcohol-related traffic deaths relative to overall fatalities in West Virginia at 45% in Tucker County, near the highest in the state.
It is not just everyday drivers that have to deal with the current WV 219 curves and cliffs, Tucker County is a high risk corridor for tractor-trailer drivers due to the curvy, sharp turns, narrow roads, two lane nature, mountainous terrain and significantly heavy tractor-trailer traffic along the road. Statistics show that as of 206, rural, non-interstate roads, such as the current WV 219 experience fatal crashes at nearly double the rate of other roads.
Recently, incidents along Route 219 near Tucker County High School involving tractor-trailers have resulted in road closures on a number of occasions due to accidents, especially during inclement weather. The hairpin turn and rapid deceleration in speed can be contributing factors even when the roadways are dry.
The rural nature of the roads can also lead to the exacerbation of obstacles on the road such as animals. Many accidents along the roadway are caused by animal-related incidents that cause loss of control. A 2023 accident was even reported to involve a tractor-trailer braking from a cow.
However, there are key risk factors for truck drivers along 219 in Tucker County. Speeding and aggressive driving has been an upward trend, according to statistics, with 57% of fatal crashes from 2016 to 2020 involving speeding or aggressive driving. Roadway hazards contribute to the majority of truck fatalities in rural areas due to roadway departures or rollovers, opposed to collisions, often caused by speeding on curved, undivided roads.
The mountain itself is a largely contributing factor, as well. Its steep grades and narrow, winding lanes increase the risk of brake failure (even with the existing pull off lanes) rollovers and loss of control for heavy vehicles. Tucker County is also known for snow and icy conditions, which are known to contribute to crashes.
Overall, in West Virginia, the state had the 3rd to 5th highest traffic fatality rate in the nation, according to 2024-2025 data, with an upward trend. Large trucks were involved with approximately 10.9% of fatal crashes in West Virginia, a rate higher than the national average of 9.3%. The large majority of those fatal tractor-trailer crashes in the state are head-on or side-impact collisions, with many occurring in rural, non-interstate roads, such as Route 219.
