Bids sought for King Coal Highway bridge
BLUEFIELD – Five years after construction halted, the state is seeking bids to resume work on the King Coal Highway.
King Coal Highway supporters hailed Monday’s announcement that the state Department of Transportation is advertising for bids for a $20 million bridge spanning U.S. 19 in Mercer County.
“That’s excellent news,” said Nelson Walker, executive director of the Interstate 73/74 Corridor Association. “I’m happy to hear that. It’s a good-sized bridge. It’s good news and we need it really bad. I’m glad to see that something is now going on in the southern part of the state for that highway.”
A contract is expected to be awarded in late spring for the project, which will take about two years to complete, said Brent Walker, a Department of Transportation spokesman.
Work will begin at the K.A. Ammar Interchange in Bluefield, where construction on the highway stopped five years ago.
When completed, the 95-mile highway will run from Bluefield to Williamson, where it will join the Tolsia Highway.
Source: www.dailymail.com
