It’s dark and it’s dingy and now that the colder months of the year are quickly approaching in the Wheeling area, rehabilitating the lighting inside Wheeling Tunnel is a priority for one local lawmaker.
W.Va. Sen. Laura Wakin Chapman (R-1) reported yesterday on River Talk’s “Novotney Now” radio program that a multipurpose project soon will take place on the inside of both the eastbound and westbound tubes. Wheeling Tunnel opened on Dec. 7, 1966, connecting Interstate 70 with the Fort Henry Bridge that spans the Ohio River. The tunnel project took three years to complete at a cost of $6.9 million.
“I got a phone call from a constituent a few weeks ago (and) she said that the lights were out (and) that it was dirty and there’s a lot of potholes,” Chapman explained. “I’m usually home with the kids during the evening hours so I didn’t realize how bad it was, and that’s also why I didn’t realize so many of the tunnel’s lights were out.
“I sent an email and made a follow-up phone call, and it was within a week when officials from the DOH said they would get on it,” the senator reported. “So, in the next month or so, we should be seeing some good improvements inside the Wheeling Tunnel.”
The project is expected to address the need for cleaning the tiled interior, the potholes, and the illumination system that’s been in place for a little more than a decade.
“They’ll be repairing the lighting and replacing the lights that are now out, and the tunnel will be cleaned because it’s very dirty right now. And the potholes will be fixed, too,” Chapman said. “My goal is to make sure it’s safe before we get into the winter months because we never know how our winters will be in this area.
“I have a good relationship with state roads in District 6, and they are very receptive when I send them issues that constituents have all of the time. It’s a big district,” she said. “It’s six counties so they’re not able to be everywhere all of the time so when we can let them know about some concerns, it’s always a good idea. And it’s my understanding that they’ve been trying to get this project done for a couple of years.”
Reported Problems
It was in 2007 when officials with the state’s Department of Transportation designed and scheduled a three-month rehabilitation project for Wheeling Tunnel, but a number of issues pushed the timeframe – and the budget – to nearly three years instead of three months and almost double the money.
The contractor, the Velotta Company, experienced troubles with acquiring tiles for the interior walls, an adequate adhesive for the tile replacement, and contractors found the two tubes had worse-than-expected drainage issues, too. Chapman doesn’t expect any issues, however, with the future project’s punch list.
“Funding is always an issue for everything we do,” Chapman said. “Plus, there’s an issue with getting the right people here to do it because, apparently, tunnel rehab is a specialized thing that our regular state road crews can’t handle. I did not know that.
“So, in the near future, we’ll likely see some lane closures in a couple of weeks ad I know that’s a pain for everyone, but this project needs to take place,” she said. “These improvements will make a big difference and will increase the safety for everyone.”
The state senator is unaware of any other significant projects scheduled for this fall or winter in District 6, an area that covers counties from Tyler County north through the Northern Panhandle to the tip of Hanock County. The WVDOT oversees a total of 10 districts in the Division of Highways.
Chapman, however, has communicated to the District 6 office several complaints she’s received from local residents over the past several months.
“I have a list of roads that I have been told about by constituents, and I am hopeful there will be action in those areas, too. I know I’ll keep pushing for those projects to take place,” the first-term senator said. “Several rehab projects have taken place in the district over the summer, and I’m grateful for all of them.
“But there are several others that need to be done, and I’ll keep pushing for them,” she added. “I fight for the funding every time, and I’ll also keep fighting for a bill I have to give state road workers a raise because they are not getting paid enough to do the dangerous work they do every day.”
