A major project to completely renovate the Beckley and Bluestone travel plazas on the West Virginia Turnpike began today.
Food, restroom and parking facilities will remain available during renovations. Tamarack Marketplace, located next to the Beckley travel plaza, will also remain open during construction with expanded services for travelers.
“We’re fortunate at the Beckley travel plaza off Exit 45 that we do have Tamarack Marketplace located right there,” said Jeff Miller, executive director of the West Virginia Parkways Authority. “They have a full-service restaurant, restrooms, retail, and grab-n-go area.”
Miller said that beginning Saturday, April 1, 2023, the hours of the Tamarack Marketplace, located next door to the Beckley travel plaza, will expand. The facility will open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., a change from 6 days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Restroom renovations at the Tamarack Marketplace will be completed in a few weeks. The Tamarack Marketplace will also open ‘Country Roads Market.' The addition is aimed at supplementing the needs of interstate travelers with convenience store offerings such as food, drinks and car items.
In Nov. 2022, Gov. Justice announced the renovation plans after the West Virginia Parkways Authority officially approved them. Plans were based on results of a 2021 survey of Turnpike travelers.
Beckley and Bluestone travel plazas will be rebuilt from the ground up in a new, more user-friendly style. The newly redeveloped travel plazas will offer expanded food concepts, a 24/7 Mountain State Market convenience store, outdoor dining options, expanded parking for tractor trailers and passenger vehicles, EV charging stations, separated vehicle and tractor trailer fueling options, picnic area, and pet relief areas. The Beckley Travel Plaza will offer a drive through, increased restroom facilities, and bus parking, as well as enhancing and highlighting the Parkways Authority Tourist Information Centers.
Work is expected to be complete by late 2024.
Miller said drivers of tractor-trailers will not have to look for alternative locations from Beckley and Bluestone for meeting, switching equipment, and fueling.
“The fueling operations, which do contain restrooms and sell snacks and beverages, will remain almost through the entirety of the project,” Miller said. “We will be able to keep all of the parking open which is highly utilized for tractor-trailer parking.”
The Morton Travel Plaza near Burnwell will remain open until renovations to that facility begin in 2025.
