Leaders from the West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) District 10 met with local residents at the Ghent Volunteer Fire Department to listen to community feedback and detail action plans for the ongoing Beckley Z-Way project. Led by District 10 Engineer Ryland Musick, P.E., agency engineers and consulting partners outlined targeted improvements to enhance safety and efficiency throughout the active construction corridor.
| Project Element | Details & WVDOH Commitments |
|---|---|
| Affected Corridor | US 19 through the communities of Beaver, Shady Spring, and Beckley |
| Meeting Date & Location | Tuesday, February 18, 2025 | Ghent Volunteer Fire Department |
| Core Meeting Topics | Pothole repair, road striping, temporary traffic control, and long-term construction logistics |
| Design Upgrades | Expansion to a three-lane facility (one lane in each direction with a center two-way left-turn lane) |
| Projected Completion | Late 2027 |
“Our district wanted to hold the meeting because of the outcry from the community asking for a meeting,” said District 10 Engineer Ryland Musick, P.E. “We can make the pledge that there will be an enhanced effort to keep the workzone throughout the project as safe, as smooth, and as efficient as possible.”
Key Action Items & Work Zone Enhancements
In response to community input, the WVDOH vowed to implement a series of aggressive maintenance and communication protocols to minimize traveler disruption:
- Pothole Maintenance: Crews have committed to regular, ongoing pothole repair and surface maintenance within the active construction zones to protect vehicles.
- Travel Surface Paving: WVDOH is coordinating with contractors to secure an asphalt paving company to open and pave existing worn travel surfaces.
- Work Zone Safety Audits: Officials will continuously review signs, warning lights, and barricades to ensure proper placement, visibility, and optimal traffic flow.
- Enhanced Utility Coordination: “The communication and coordination between the contractor and the utility contractors shall be enhanced to minimize traffic delays as much as possible,” Musick noted.
Project Scope and Long-Term Goals
The Beckley Z-Way project combines two separate construction contracts aimed at significantly alleviating congestion on US 19. The finished configuration will feature a continuous three-lane facility extending from the junction of WV 3 in Shady Spring to the William C. Brown Bridge on South Eisenhower Drive.
To achieve this design, sections of existing US 19 will be widened, while other portions will be entirely realigned to make room for the three-lane footprint. Once complete, the project will allow motorists to travel more freely to and from the East Beckley Bypass (Governor Clarence W. Meadows Memorial Boulevard).
