Charley Creek project on hold

 

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — At least two of the county’s high profile transportation projects are on target.

That was the report given by county officials at the KYOVA Interstate Planning Commission technical committee meeting.

The advisory panel met Friday at KYOVA’s Huntington’s headquarters.

County Engineer Doug Cade reported that his office is in the process of reviewing Stage 3 of the Ironton traffic flow and signalization project. That phase of the four-prong project focuses on the analysis of the current system and future implementation including outdated traffic signals and patterns.

“We are on target for the bid letting,” Cade said.

That is expected for summer.

Also on track is Phase II of the intermodal river facility at The Point industrial park at South Point. That phase is the $5 to $6 million construction of a dock on the Ohio River to feature a boom crane to transport product from barges to truck and rail. If additional federal funding is available, the plan is to build a bridge crane on a second dock.

That project is expected to be put out to bid in 60 days with completion date scheduled for June 30, 2013, according to Dr. Bill Dingus, executive director of the Lawrence Economic Development Corp.

However, the Charley Creek Project is in a holding pattern, according to Cade. The goal of that project is to straighten out a section of the highway between U.S. 52 and County Road 1.

In December economic development planners were saying it could go to bid this summer. However the project has stalled. It was originally part of an overall $4.4 million project that included the construction of the Comfort Inn and Suites at the Chesapeake site, land acquisition and road, water and sewer access. What is left is to eliminate the dogleg section of the roadway by the hotel.

“We are going to meet with (the Ohio Department of Transportation) to get it back on track,” Cade said.