BECKLEY, W.Va. – Construction work on new transportation plazas moved forward Thursday in both Mercer and Raleigh counties after West Virginia Governor Jim Justice signed a bill that will allocate $150 million to paving secondary roads in West Virginia.
Justice visited Tamarac in Raleigh County along with Transportation Secretary Jimmy Liston, West Virginia Parkway Department Executive Director Jeff Miller and other officials.
During a brief ceremony, Governor Justice signed SB 1002, which allocates an additional $150 million in funding for highway projects across the state. Governor Justice was also updated on the ongoing renovation of transportation plazas along the West Virginia Turnpike, including the Transportation Plaza near Camp Creek in Mercer County and the Transportation Plaza near Tamarac in Raleigh County.
Work on the travel plaza began last year, with Paramount Builders LLC of St. Albans awarded a more than $122 million contract to demolish the old plaza and build a replacement.
Miller updated the governor and the public on the status of the plaza project before the governor signed SB 1002. The site of the new Beckley Travel Plaza can be seen from Tamarack.
Travel Plaza improvements include an expanded separate parking lot for cars and trucks, designated parking for buses, an RV dump station, picnic areas, expanded restroom facilities, new restaurant options, a Beckley drive-thru, a 24-hour convenience store and an expanded visitor information center.
“Think back to November 2022, when the Governor, Secretary Liston and myself gathered at the Tamarack Conference Center and announced that we would be completely redesigning and redeveloping the West Virginia Travel Plaza on the West Virginia Turnpike,” Miller said.
Miller pointed to a construction site in the background.
“You've been driving by here for two years now and wondering where we are,” he said. “I think we're making very good progress on these things. Behind me you can see the dramatic, beautiful canopy stretching over the buildings above the fuel station.”
The new Plaza will serve millions of travelers each year.
“The West Virginia Turnpike does 36.5 million transactions every year,” Miller says, “and 80 percent of that is commercial truck traffic from out of state. We have to give them a place to stop and rest, for families to refuel and get a snack. The glass homes from the '50s and '60s meant a lot to the area, so we saw the opportunity to redesign these homes with the help of our architects, HNTB, and contractor Paramount Builders.”
Miller added, “We really looked at what people wanted, and I think they came up with a beautiful design, one that meets modern standards but is a little reminiscent of what was once on the West Virginia Turnpike. So we're hopeful that by the end of the year, Governor Justice will cut the ribbon, not as a senator, but as governor, and we'd love to have it done by then.”
Justice said he is pleased to see construction on the plaza moving forward.
“When you pull the rope, things come to life,” Justice said. “We're spending over $122 million on the travel center and we know it will promote West Virginia to all those who travel through this great state. These are so important because they're part of the great experience for every visitor to West Virginia. I'm very impressed with the current construction and can't wait to see the finished product.”
The ceremony then proceeded to the signing of SB 1002.
Justice said he has asked the Legislature to approve the additional funding during its first special session in May. The funding would be in addition to the $190 million the West Virginia Department of Health received from federal highway funds.
“Signing this bill is a huge win for our roads, our people and the state of West Virginia,” Justice said. “Federal funding is limited, so this additional $150 million means our hard-working Highway Department staff can roll up their sleeves and work on even more roads. I'm very proud that we got this done and thank the West Virginia Legislature for making roads a priority. Now we can keep up the momentum and continue to make improvements to every corner of our state.”
The $150 million supplemental budget will be used exclusively for paving projects in districts across West Virginia. In southern West Virginia, these projects include 17 roads in Fayette, Greenbrier, Monroe, Nicholas and Summers counties. Additionally, 68 roads will be paved in McDowell, Mercer, Raleigh and Wyoming counties.
“Today's signing has resulted in an $816 million general revenue surplus over the last five years that has grown our economy. When we elected this guy in 2017, he promised to make infrastructure and education a priority, and we've done just that,” Liston said. “We've grown our economy, we've lowered taxes time and time again. This is a great day for West Virginia. This is truly a great day for West Virginians.”
The additional funds will not be used for the turnpike, he said.
“The project we're going to undertake for the people of West Virginia is paving secondary roads,” Liston said. “We're not going to put money into toll roads. This is going to go towards paving secondary roads.”
Liston said the additional funding comes courtesy of the governor's work.
“Once again, the Governor is leading the charge,” Liston said. “He has demonstrated time and time again that investing in infrastructure benefits our citizens. By calling the Legislature into special session and using surplus funds to pave our highways, our great people will continue to enjoy the benefits of a highway system that serves them well.”
