The West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) has been awarded a regional 2026 America’s Transportation Award from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). The award was presented during the Southern Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (SASHTO) annual conference in Greenville, South Carolina, on Tuesday, August 25, 2026.
The recognition honors a December 2025 demonstration in which Electra aircraft company flew its EL2 hybrid-electric Ultra Short Takeoff and Landing aircraft from regional airports and landed directly atop Snowshoe Mountain. The demonstration was in partnership with Snowshoe Mountain Resort, Bristow Group, and WVDOT.
The demonstration highlights West Virginia’s leadership in testing and integrating next-generation transportation solutions that can improve access to rural and mountainous communities, support tourism and economic development, and expand multimodal connectivity across the state.
“Our partnership and working relationship with Electra has been outstanding,” said Stephen R. Connolly, Interim Commissioner of the West Virginia Division of Multimodal Transportation Facilities. “Together we have taken the first steps toward revolutionizing how people move in the 21st century—bringing safe, quiet, clean, efficient and safe air access closer to the places West Virginians live, work, and play.”
Electra's hybrid electric blown-lift technology allows a fixed-wing airplane to take off and land in as little as 150 feet — unlocking a new form of regional air travel known as Direct Aviation. A video documenting the award-winning flight can be found here.
The America’s Transportation Awards program recognizes outstanding state DOT projects that deliver meaningful benefits in categories such as Best Use of Technology & Innovation. Regional winners advance in the national competition, with final national honors to be announced later in 2026.
The Division of Multimodal Transportation Facilities and WVDOT remain committed to advancing multimodal innovation—including aviation, rail, transit, and ports—to strengthen West Virginia’s transportation network and position the state at the forefront of emerging mobility solutions.
