Sen. Byrd Earmarks $1M for Railyard
By CARRA HIGGINS, Staff WriterFunding for a 10-year goal of Randolph County Development Authority is the preliminary stages in the U.S. Congress. U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., announced Monday that the Senate Appropriations Committee approved legislation to award $1 million for infrastructure and roadway development at the Elkins Railyard.
Although the funding must still be approved by the U.S. Senate, House and president, RCDA Executive Director Jennifer Giovannitti couldn't help but be excited upon hearing the news.
"We have been busting the pavement for years," Giovannitti said with enthusiasm in her voice. "This is beyond anything we thought we could achieve."
According to Giovannitti, RCDA members lobbied Byrd by discussing their aspirations for the railyard. She said since the RCDA does not receive taxes from the property it sells, the entity does not have the money to make the area functional and aesthetically pleasing.
If the bill passes, Giovannitti said the RCDA will use the funding to complete sidewalks, landscaping and the roadway around the town square.
The Corridor H project in Grant County could also benefit from recent actions. Byrd added $10 million for the highway project to the Fiscal Year 2009 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill.
"With work now complete on all of our other corridors, we can focus our efforts on Corridor H," Byrd said in a prepared statement. "There is much work to be done. Corridor H is a critically important undertaking for West Virginia, and I am committed to seeing it through."
According to information from Byrd's office, to date the senator has secured $341.2 million for Corridor H. The money is in addition to the funds West Virginia receives under the ADHS formula program, which was also made possible by Byrd as part of the 2005 Transportation Authorization bill (SAFETEA-LU).
"I have worked to secure funding for these important road projects because I know that they will contribute to new economic development in our state, while providing safer travel for local residents and visitors. As chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I remain committed to ensuring that the Mountain State has safe, efficient and modern highways and roads," Byrd said.
A total of $41.5 million has cleared the appropriations committee for highway and road projects throughout the state. If approved, the funding will create jobs, relieve congestion and make travel safer in West Virginia, according to Byrd representatives.
Other projects approved by the appropriations committee are: $7 million for state Route 9 in the Eastern Panhandle; $5 million for state Route 10 in Logan County; $5 million for slide repair work along U.S. 60 in eastern Kanawha County; $5 million for the Coalfields Expressway in Raleigh, Wyoming and McDowell counties; $5 million for King Coal Highway in Mercer County; $2 million for the Kanawha Trestle Rail-Trail Project in Charleston; $1.5 million for improvements to Potomac Street in Harpers Ferry; and $4.5 million support activities at West Virginia Airports.
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Wrath11
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07-15-08 6:33 PM
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Sounds like Jennifer Giovannitti is planning on putting that money to good use. The RCDA is so adept at bringing in worthwhile projects and developing meaningful, well paying jobs. GEEESH...
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ltlabner
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07-15-08 4:11 PM
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If we want Randolph County and Wv to really expand to the 21 Century "Corridore-H" is the Key to Big Company Business and Factories come into this area. If Virginia side of Corridor H was approved 2 Rt-81 completed you would see the DC/VA/MD people to WV. The Governor VA doesn't want it. WV drives into VA to escape tax's and etc. Gov. Kaine is a smart cookie. Robert Byrd should put the screws to him and send him packing. He does have this power! Robert Byrd is a wonderful Senator and we will miss him when gone! Nobody,will ever fill his shoes! How many men work till his age! The Randolph County personnel would have retired at his age long ago! God Bless Robert Byrd!
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