Michael P. Miano, assistant to the state highway engineer, and Mike
Mitchem, King Coal Highway executive director, visited with elected
officials of the five counties that the King Coal Highway is designed to
run through to provide an update of the latest information regarding the
project.
Their tour began in Wayne County June 15 and continued through Mingo and
McDowell counties. Miano explained, "The governor asked us to meet with
the folks in the five-county area that the King Coal Highway will be built
through to keep them updated and aware of the status of the project.
Because of safety concerns for those traveling in southern West Virginia,
he has made the highway projects in southern West Virginia a top priority."
Miano continued, "This project has many benefits. By building the King
Coal Highway, not only will a safer road be built for the residents of
southern West Virginia, but also many development opportunities, including
economic and land development, will come about as a result of this
construction. Increasing access for the residents of these counties could
open doors for commercial and industrial interests who would like to
expand their businesses in these counties."
Miano and Mitchem completed the tour June 16 in Wyoming and Mercer
counties. "The King Coal Highway is a much needed project that will create
a safer, more efficient way to travel in southern West Virginia," Mitchem
said. "The Division of Highways accident data from 1992 reports that
current US 52 has accident rates higher than the West Virginia average and
that 86 percent of the route had a higher percentage of accidents
involving fatalities and injuries than the state's average. The data also
reports that a portion of the highway had twice the number of head-on
collisions and 97 percent of the route had higher-than-average incidence
of sideswipe accidents."
Mitchem continued, "Accident rates will decline as a result of this new
highway and, in some cases, travel times will be reduced in half."
The meetings took place at the County Commission office in each county.