Slide repairs completed in Mercer, McDowell counties

Aug. 29—PRINCETON — Large numbers of slips and slides impacting roadways in Mercer and McDowell counties have been repaired so far this year while more are scheduled, the West Virginia Department of Highways announced Monday.

Gov. Jim Justice and Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston, P.E., have placed a special emphasis on taking care of the state's secondary roads and making the WVDOH a true maintenance organization, not just building and paving roads and bridges but taking care of them so they will last as long as possible for the people of West Virginia, according to a statement from the WVDOH. Tracking, monitoring and repairing slides on roads is part of that process.

"First of all, Secretary Jimmy Wriston and Gov. Jim Justice have put us in a good financial spot where we can fix of lot of these slides," said Ryland Musick, district engineer for District 10 of the WVDOH.

The district includes both Mercer and McDowell counties.

"We keep our own people busy," Musick said.

Some of the work is done by contractors, but Wriston is "adamant about using a good in-house/contractor balance," Musick said. "We can't do it without each other."

Various techniques are used to repair roadway slips and slides. One involves using the soil nail technique. A machine similar to an excavator, which is fitted with a drill head instead of a bucket, drills long steel cables into the earth and literally pins it together, Musick said.

Southern West Virginia has a karst topography, a type of terrain in which dissolving rock creates problems such as sinkholes, sinking streams and caves around roadways. The mountainous terrain adds to the slips and slides since water running down this terrain softens the earth. Sometimes the problem is caused by a manmade source such as a faulty waterline. Traffic going over roadways adds to the problem, he said. Highway crews are working constantly on roadway slips and slides.

"We work on slides year round, 365 days a year, not counting holidays and stuff," Musick said. "We are dedicated to keeping these things up and repaired. Unlike other seasons like paving season with a short cycle, we're able to make repairs on slides year round."

And there is a difference between a slip and a slide, Musick said. A slip is when the soil has moved below the road, and a slide — such as a mudslide — is when the soil goes over a road.

In all, the WVDOH has completed more than 100 slide repair projects so far in 2023, with another 59 under construction or scheduled, according to the agency's press release.

McDowell County repairs which have been completed include the following roadways:

—Fifteen slide repair projects on Anawalt Ridge Road including nine piling walls and six soil nail projects. All work completed by July 18.

—Havaco-Wilcoe soil nail project, completed Feb. 17.

—Bull Creek Road soil nail project, completed June 8.

—Three piling walls on Skygusty Highway, completed in May.

—Yukon-English piling wall, completed Aug. 4.

—Welch-Gary piling wall, completed Aug. 10.

Mercer County repairs which have been completed include the following roadways:

—Brush Creek Falls Road piling wall, completed March 29.

—Falls Mills Road piling wall, completed Feb. 11.

—Bluecort Road soil nail project, completed July 14,.

—Old Matoaka Road soil nail project, completed Aug. 15.

Slide repairs under construction or scheduled for work in McDowell County include:

—Yukon Substation piling wall.

—Panther-Mohawk Road piling wall.

—Belcher Mountain Road piling wall.

—Cucumber Creek Road soil nail project.

—Premier-Welch piling wall.

—Atwell Branch Road soil nail project.

Slide repairs under construction or scheduled for work in Mercer County include:

—Two piling walls on Ada-Ingleside Road.

—Cheesy Creek Road piling wall.

—Rock Road soil nail project.

—Sandlick Road piling wall.

—East End Slip soil nail project.

—Old Bramwell Road soil nail project.

—Rock Road piling wall.

— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com

Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com