Trending
TUCKER COUNTY -- More than 5,000 individuals have now signed an online petition asking that the path of the Corridor H highway through Tucker County be changed to an alternative "northern route."
Thomas resident and Tucker County native Rachelle Davis initiated the petition, titled "A Better Route for Corridor H."
"The petition has been shared 1,365 times since June, so naturally, not everyone who has endorsed it is from the area or even the state," Davis said in a press statement. "It has reached a wide audience of locals, former residents, second homeowners, vacationers, and those who have other ties to the area or who just appreciate our unique region and the road's potential impact on us. People are especially familiar with Blackwater Falls State Park and the Blackwater Canyon, great areas of concern,"
Davis said she created the petition to make it convenient for local residents to voice concerns about the West Virginia Department of Highways' preferred route known as the Revised Original Preferred Alternative (ROPA).
"When public meetings resumed with DOH representatives, we were shocked to be presented with just one route. Many of us of fully expected to see at least two options," Davis explained.
A paper petition also is circulating locally, which "hundreds of individuals and business owners have signed … to support a different route from Parsons to Davis," according to the statement.
Both petitions state that the DOH-favored route would undermine the connection between the local communities, as well as making it dangerous to travel between the towns on foot or bicycle.
"An elevated four-lane highway through the beautiful Blackwater area is not in the interest of the local economy," the petitions state. "Valuing our natural resources and public lands adds to our quality of life and draws people to our communities. These visitors create jobs in Thomas, Davis, and Canaan Valley."
"The northern route preserves the historic and scenic integrity of the communities and landmarks through which the highway passes," Hendricks resident and Tucker County native Lucas Warner wrote in a comment on the Change.org petition site. "It is not only my home but is, in fact, one of the primary destinations of the corridor for folks traveling from both directions."
During a meeting of Davis City Council where project engineer Travis Long and other DOH representatives were invited to address questions, Saundra Goss, owner of a popular Davis restaurant, was on the agenda. She expressed frustration during the meeting, saying she feels those with valid concerns about the DOH-preferred route have been ignored. Goss hosted a fundraising event last year at her restaurant to support the Better Route movement.
"We all understand this highway is a permanent addition, and we only want the choice of location to be the best possible placement for our communities," Goss said.
More information, including maps and project history, is available at https://www.wvhighlands.org/highways/, https://www.saveblackwater.org/corridor-h, and https://transportation.wv.gov/.