W.Va. Division of Highways planning to repave MacCorkle Avenue
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The West Virginia Division of Highways (DOH) sat down with WSAZ Thursday to discuss its upcoming projects for MacCorkle Avenue.
“I think the whole community is just so fed up and frustrated,” said Dixieland Carpet Outlet Owner, Julie Schleider. “I mean we’ve basically given up and it’s really sad because, Kanawha City is a vibrant part of Charleston.”
On Wednesday WSAZ reported the Piggly Wiggly in Kanawha City called out the state with a message through its advertisement board stating “It’s past time to pave MacCorkle Ave. What a state embarrassment.”
DOH Chief Engineer of Development Jason Foster, told WSAZ on Thursday that DOH has a multi-part project coming up for the stretch of MacCorkle Avenue that runs through Kanawha City. The project will include repaving the road and rebuilding the sidewalks and curbs.
“We currently have awarded the ADA or Americans with Disabilities Act ramp improvements for the section from 41st to 58th street,” said Foster. “The significance of that is that work has to be done in advance of any paving projects.”
Foster said the ADA compliant ramps are expected to be finished up around mid-summer 2022.
In the meantime, DOH plans on awarding a contractor to rebuild sidewalks and do a full structural repaving of MacCorkle Avenue from 33rd Street to 40th Street.
“It’s not only in the works, it’s imminent to be awarded to a contractor,” Foster said. “So we would expect to see a lot of activity in the Spring on that project.”
Foster said the DOH has been working on revamping MacCorkle Avenue for over two years.
He said 41st Street to 58th Street will be the second part of their project.
“Starting Monday, we’re sending out crews to (measure) asphalt to determine total thickness of material between 40th Street and 58th so we can develop a complete structural repaving program for that segment of the road.”
Foster said due to the project still being in the early stages, they’re still finalizing costs and a timeline.
DOH Deputy Secretary Jimmy Wriston said the department is hoping to complete construction during the night time hours to avoid inconvenience to drivers and businesses.
“It’s a much anticipated project and folks want the project, it’s needed,” Wriston told WSAZ. “Bare with us as we get to this and get it done, we’ll get in and out as quick as we can and part of that two year development is just that, assessing how we can minimize the impacts to those businesses and to the flow of traffic through there so that’s very important too.”
“If you’re sitting in the drivers seat everything is from back of side walk, to back of side walk, so every feature from back of side walk, to back of sidewalk is changing in the section between 33rd to 40th so it’ll be a completely new look when we’re done,” Foster said.
“It’ll be a joyous occasion to see the day these roads are paved and completed,” said Schleider.
DOH anticipates the road work continuing into 2023.
Copyright 2021 WSAZ. All rights reserved.
