Corridor D


In the United States, Corridor D is part of the Appalachian Development Highway System. It travels from Bridgeport, West Virginia to Cincinnati, Ohio. It travels US 50 for much of its eastern portion. The western portion of road in Ohio is known as State Route 32. ADHS Funding is separate from other Federal Highway funds.

Route description

West Virginia

The east end of Corridor D begins on US 50 between Clarksburg and Bridgeport, West Virginia, at Interstate 79. US 50 continues on its westerly heading toward Parkersburg and intersects Interstate 77 just outside downtown Parkersburg. The highway continues over the Ohio River on the Blennerhassett Island Bridge.

Ohio

After crossing the Ohio River into Belpre, Ohio, the highway joins with State Route 32 and starts southwest for about then turns northwest for another reaching Athens. The combined US-50/OH-32 makes another turn southwest for about. Then, US 50 and OH-32 diverge. US-50 begins heading west, OH-32, southwest. Corridor D follows OH-32 about to Jackson, where it is intersected by U.S. Route 35. The highway heads due west for about and intersects U.S. Route 23, Corridor C between Portsmouth and Chillicothe. OH-32 continues west for about into Cincinnati, crossing U.S. Route 62, U.S. Route 68 and Interstate 275, Cincinnati's beltway, in the process.

History

One of the original 23 corridors, Corridor D was to provide access to major urban centers along the east coast from the midwest, while creating economic development for northwest and North-Central West Virginia and southeast Ohio.
The Blennerhassett Island Bridge, a tied-arch bridge, opened to traffic on June 13, 2008 over the Ohio River thus completing Corridor D in its entirety.

West Virginia

The earliest segment of Corridor D, or US 50, to open in West Virginia was a six-mile segment in 1967 from an isolated point near Sherwood in Doddridge County to WV 23 in Salem in Harrison County. Two years later, a segment from Salem east to CR 11 at Wolf Summit opened to traffic.
In 1970, major portions of Corridor D opened to traffic:
  1. A brief segment in Wood County from MP 8 to MP 11 near Murphytown.
  2. A lengthy segment in Wood County from WV 31 near Deerwalk to MP 4 at Nutter Farm in Ritchie County near North Bend State Park, a distance of seven miles.
  3. A segment of US 50 in Ritchie County at WV 74 at Pennsboro east to Doddridge County at West Union.
Most of Corridor D opened a year later.
  1. A segment four-lane upgrade of US 50 opened in Wood County from Interstate 77 east of Parkersburg to MP 8 near Murphytown.
  2. A segment within Wood County from MP 11 near Murphytown to Sandhill. This connected the disjointed segments between #1 and #2 listed above.
  3. The majority of Ritchie County's US 50 segment opened from MP 4 near North Bend State Park to WV 74 at Pennsboro. This connected the disjointed segments between #2 and #3 listed above.
  4. A segment in Doddridge County from MP 5.52 near West Union east to WV 23 near Salem.
In 1974, a segment of Corridor D in Harrison County opened to traffic from CR 11 at Wolf Summit to the CR 11 at Wilsonburg. In 1977, this was extended eastward to WV 20 at Montpelier east of Clarksburg, and a year later, to Interstate 79 west of Bridgeport.

Completion into Ohio

Construction began in 2000 with the start of the Godbey Fields complex in Parkersburg, West Virginia. The $6.5 million athletic complex was finished in 2001. Several contracts were let soon after, which included grading and drainage for part of Corridor D, a new Corning Glass Bridge for WV 47, and another span that would carry US 50 over WV 47 and 7th Street in Parkersburg.
On September 8, 2003, the first segment of Corridor D opened. The four-lane controlled-access highway stretched from Interstate 77 to WV 47 in Parkersburg.
On September 20, 2004, the second portion of Corridor D opened from WV 47 to WV 14, which included the construction of a Little Kanawha River crossing. With this segment open to traffic, 1/3 of the Parkersburg Corridor D segment was complete.
On March 9, 2005, a tied arch Ohio River crossing design was chosen from four designs as it was the "most economical and least intrusive on the environment of Blennerhassett Island. The $120 million eight-span bridge will include an tied arch over the main channel of the Ohio River and will stretch for from both abutments with a vertical clearance. It is being constructed from weathering steel and will connect WV 892 to OH 618. At the time of its contract letting in April 2005, it was the largest single highway contract in West Virginia's history. The bridge is expected to be complete in 2007.
On July 12, 2005, it was announced that the final Corridor D contract in West Virginia was to be awarded. This would complete paving and signing operations of from the WV 892, WV 95, and WV 68 interchange to River Hill Road. In Ohio, a single contract was announced that would connect the Ohio River span to U.S. Route 50 which would be completed in 2007.
In August 2005, Corridor D was opened to traffic from WV 14 to WV 68.
In mid-September 2005, Corridor D was completed from Fifth Street in Parkersburg to WV 892, WV 95, and WV 68. This segment was constructed under five contracts and required the completion of ten bridges.
As of April 23, 2006, construction on the Corridor D mainlines from Interstate 77 to WV 892 is all but complete. The last segment, from WV 892 to the WV 892, WV 95, and WV 68 interchange, was slated to open in August.
On August 31, 2006, it was announced that from WV 892/WV 68 to the WV 892 interchange, Corridor D was open to traffic. This four-lane divided freeway is the final roadway section of the corridor from Clarksburg and Cincinnati without the Ohio River crossing.
The last Corridor D project, the Blennerhasset Bridge crossing the Ohio River, was opened on June 13, 2008.
There are long-range plans to expand the diamond interchange at Interstate 77 into a fully directional interchange at a cost of $60 million. It is ranked 75th.