Adam RollinsThe state of West Virginia is overhauling its transportation priorities, committing $1.2 billion for fiscal year 2026 to better maintain and manage its roadways.
For years, the state’s transportation infrastructure has been steadily aging, resulting in many of the existing roadways and bridges being in a state of disrepair. West Virginia nationally ranks 50th in infrastructure and 49th in transportation, with 56% of its roads in fair or poor condition and 14% of its bridges rated poor.
According to Gov. Patrick Morrisey, the West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) is in substantial debt and severely underfunded due to historic financial mismanagement. To course correct, the state is restructuring its administrative framework and injecting a significant amount of money to realign priorities and restore a state of good repair.
The governor was inaugurated earlier this year and left tending to the conditions left by the previous administration. The renewed focus on repairing and preserving roads and bridges is a pivotal aspect of the governor’s future goals, prioritizing the needs of residents and raising infrastructure integrity. New measures that will be implemented as part of the state’s updated transportation agenda include:
- Prioritizing resources for long-overdue maintenance.
- Reducing administrative overhead and investing savings in roads and bridges.
- Protecting core maintenance funding to secure long-term stability.
- Offering greater transparency into ongoing projects and commitments.
Transparency is a key focal point for the new administration as it works to offer greater insight into WVDOT’s operations. Plans to encourage greater transparency include restructuring the department’s website to provide available information on state funding usage for transportation infrastructure.
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