Bids for the next section of the King Coal Highway in Mercer County accepted by the West Virginia Division of Highways

MERCER COUNTY, WV (WVNS) — Bids were accepted for a part of the King Coal Highway in Mercer County by the West Virginia Division of Highways.

According to a press release, bids were accepted by the West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) for the part of the King Coal Highway in Mercer County.

The 2.5-mile section of four-lane highway will run from Littlesburg to the Mercer County Airport, and construction is expected to start in spring 2025.

The Governor had three big priorities when he took office, King Coal, the Coalfields Expressway, and Corridor H, and we’ve made significant progress on all three. We’ve also made significant progress in getting through all the bureaucratic hurdles and there’s still more to be done as far as streamlining those processes.

We’re moving forward on one more section of a road that has languished for decades and decades. It’s finally happening, thanks to the Governor’s big, bold vision.

We’re ready to build this road. The people in southern West Virginia deserve this road, which will open up the area for business and make travel safer.

Jimmy Wriston, P.E. | Transportation Secretary

The WVDOH held a bid letting on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, and there were seven construction firms that offered bids for the King Coal Highway project.

The King Coal Highway, made to help economic development in southern West Virginia, is a four-lane highway which will span around 95 miles through McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Wyoming, and Wayne counties from US 119 near Williamson to Interstate 77 in the Bluefield area of Mercer County.

The press release stated that construction of the highway started in the 1990s, however it was delayed due to lack of funds until Governor Justice restarted the project in 2018.

Parts of the King Coal Highway are accessible to traffic, such as a two-mile section from Airport Road to Interstate 77, a four-mile section connecting U.S. 119 to Belo north of Williamson, and around ten miles between Red Jacket and Mountain View. In addition, around a three-mile section Airport Road to John Nash Boulevard near Bluefield, West Virginia opened in December 2023.

A contract for almost $92 million was given to Triton Construction Inc. in July 2023 to add on around 1.5 miles to the existing highway from Mountain View to connect to the town of Gilbert by Gilbert Creek.

In addition to the accepted bids for a section of the King Coal Highway, around a $107 million project is being planned to extend the King Coal Highway to Littlesburg from Montcalm.

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