GO NORTH ALLIANCE
TUCKER COUNTY, WV – In the past week, at least 7 people in northern West Virginia have died in flash floods, brought on by swift yet heavy storms. Across the state, local waterways and infrastructure were completely overwhelmed. Several people are still missing.
This horrific disaster happened just days after a press conference held by West Virginia Governor Morrisey, who spoke of a “culture change” coming to the West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT). The Governor went on to say that the agency is “basically out of money” and that “we were designing and starting construction on highways all over the state but we had no way to pay for it.”
Shifting from new road construction, Morrisey said that “right now maintenance is going to come first.” This is great news for those affected by the flooding, as local authorities are still assessing the millions of dollars in damages to roads, bridges, and public water systems.
However, WVDOT still has significant and expensive projects going on. Corridor H, the four-lane highway originally designed in the 1960s, has two remaining sections left. One section, from Parsons to Davis in Tucker County, is estimated to cost upwards of a billion dollars, and is expected to begin construction by the end of next year.
Corridor H is a controversial project, with local nonprofits, business owners, and citizens worried it’ll destroy their small towns, recreational economies, and pristine environment. As currently proposed, Corridor H will pass through the Monongahela National Forest and divide the sister-towns of Thomas and Davis. The coalition “Go North Alliance” was formed in 2022 to advocate for a less disturbing route.
Go North Leaders said “in light of the recent flooding, Governor Morrisey’s statements on WVDOT’s changing goals are more relevant and critical than ever. Instead of building massive highways locals don’t want, WVDOT should focus on fixing and maintaining the roads West Virginia already has.”
According to the Federal Highway Administration, between 2020 and 2023, West Virginia had the highest percentage of bridges in “poor” condition of any state. In 2025, that number stands at 18% of bridges.
They continued, “hopefully the Governor will stick with his cost-cutting strategy and bring about the maintenance West Virginia’s old roads and bridges desperately need.”
For more information, visit: https://go-northcorridorh.org. Loki Kern, Campaign Coordinator at Friends of Blackwater, can be reached via email: loki@saveblackwater.org.
