 | Planning for Prosperity in Appalachia: Comprehensive Transportation Corridor Management
Putnam County, West VirginiaAbstract"Planning for Prosperity in Appalachia" is a project to create a planned and managed "corridor of opportunity" focused upon the new US35 alignment in Putnam County, West Virginia. The Putnam County Commission and diverse stakeholders seek to guide the citizens through a proactive, participatory process to realize their vision of this important economic and transportation corridor. Public reaction to poorly managed growth and development has stimulated strong citizen and business concern and a bias for action. The presence of a new Toyota manufacturing plant can serve as a catalyst and driving force for the development of "value-added" employment, highest and best use of land, and strong economic benefits. Innovative land and access management approaches will be developed consistent with the regulatory climate. Development performance standards will assist in preserving and enhancing the visual quality of the Corridor and the natural beauty of the Kanawha River Valley. The project involves the development of a comprehensive transportation corridor management plan in conjunction with the planned construction of US35 through Putnam County, a priority-funded TEA-21 project. New US35 will include the construction of a new, four-lane, limited access highway through primarily undeveloped agricultural and forested land in one of the fastest-growing counties in West Virginia. The project also involves the acquisition of two large, developable parcels by the Putnam County Commission (the Boyer Woods Estate) and the Putnam County Development Authority (the Fraziers Bottom Industrial ParKB). Both of these parcels abut and/or are adjacent to old US35 and new US35 and will provide unlimited opportunities for industrial, commercial and recreational land uses managed by local government. Fundamental to the success of the new US35 transportation corridor of opportunity will be the ability of the county to achieve a critical balance between economic development, sound land use management and appropriate transportation policies. The proposed project, "Planning for Prosperity in Appalachia", will facilitate this goal and serve as a model for similar road construction projects in West Virginia. Previous Page |
