REP. JENKINS: PRIORITIZE SOUTHERN WV ROADS

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Evan Jenkins (R-W.Va.) has asked new West Virginia Transportation Secretary Tom Smith to prioritize much-needed, long-delayed highway projects throughout the Third Congressional District.

“I firmly believe the region must receive its fair share of resources to maintain and improve our transportation infrastructure. Underinvestment in our region will lead to a significant backlog of projects that need to be completed. Projects like the King Coal Highway, Tolsia Highway, Coalfields Expressway, Route 35 and Route 10, just to name a few, remain in various stages of completion – or lack thereof,” Rep. Jenkins wrote.

He urged Secretary Smith to use the highway funds provided by Congress in the FAST Act – the five-year highway law – to make these significant investments in southern West Virginia.

The FAST Act will bring nearly $2.5 billion in transportation funding to West Virginia over five years to build new highways, repair existing roads, and fix dilapidated bridges. Instead of making spending decisions in Washington, the FAST Act gives money to the states to decide which projects will be built and prioritized.

A PDF of the letter is available here. The text of the letter is also available below.

January 24, 2017

The Honorable Tom Smith
Cabinet Secretary
West Virginia Department of Transportation
1900 Kanawha Boulevard East, Building 5
Charleston, W.Va. 25305

Dear Tom:

It is my pleasure to welcome you as the secretary of transportation for West Virginia. I look forward to working with you for the betterment of our state’s citizens.

Southern West Virginia has many road projects that have been long promised but never completed. On a daily basis, my constituents ask me to find a solution to this critical issue. Too many of our roads are unsafe and are in need of repair, highways incomplete and bridges fail to meet safety standards. Funding West Virginia’s transportation infrastructure has been one of my top priorities during my time in Congress, and I have been successful in giving our state the resources and tools it needs to properly address these concerns through legislation signed into law last year.

The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, signed into law in 2015, authorized about $2.5 billion in transportation spending for West Virginia for five years. Key provisions also increase flexibility for states to better manage their own transportation priorities, so that local town and county officials can use available funding to complete projects that are critical for the well-being of their residents.

As you and your colleagues review the list of eligible transportation projects, I strongly encourage you to consider the needs of southern West Virginia. I firmly believe the region must receive its fair share of resources to maintain and improve our transportation infrastructure. Underinvestment in our region will lead to a significant backlog of projects that need to be completed. Projects like the King Coal Highway, Tolsia Highway, Coalfields Expressway, Route 35 and Route 10, just to name a few, remain in various stages of completion – or lack thereof. I urge you to use the funding and tools provided by Congress to advance highways, road and bridge projects in southern West Virginia.  

I look forward to working with you, Governor Justice and President Trump to find ways to complete vital transportation and infrastructure projects in our state. Please consider me a willing partner and join me in finding collaborative and innovative ways to complete these projects to southern West Virginia’s economy.

Sincerely,

Evan Jenkins
Member of Congress