WVDOH continues open houses statewide

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The West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) continued its series of open houses on Thursday, October 17, 2024, with an open house in Charleston for the District 1 counties of Boone, Clay, Kanawha, Mason, and Putnam.

WVDOH Chief Engineer of Operations Joe Pack, P.E., met with state and local officials, members of the public, and local media to discuss the WVDOH's activities in the region, as well as future plans.

WVDOH engineers developed 26 projects over the course of 2024 for upcoming construction. On tap for 2025 are 23 major bridge projects totaling approximately $42 million, 14 federal paving projects, and numerous slide repair projects. Replacement of 15 smaller bridges is also on the schedule.​

Pack said most problems with roads are the result of water degrading pavement over time, washing out earth beneath roads, or dumping mud and rocks onto roads. The WVDOH devotes a lot of time an effort to keep water off roadways by keeping ditches clear, putting in culverts and other drainage structures, and cutting limbs and branches from over roadways to allow the sunlight in to help dry wet roads.

District 1 also showed off new electronic equipment simulators used to train personnel on how to run machines like excavators, bulldozers, and backhoes.

Similar to a giant video game, the simulators are set up like the cab of a real piece of construction equipment, with the same controls and responses. A video screen shows would-be-operators what they would see if they were in the real thing, with similar sensations to what they would experience out in the field.

The simulators allow new trainees to get the feel for operating heavy equipment before transitioning to the real machines out in the field.

The next open house is scheduled for 2 p.m. at District 2 headquarters, 801 Madison Avenue, Huntington, 25712. District 2 includes Cabell, Lincoln, Logan, Mingo, and Wayne counties.