King Coal Highway I-73/74 Authority Board Members Visit Washington, DC

Representatives of the King Coal Highway I-73/74 Authority recently made a successful trip to Washington, D.C. to meet with West Virginia’s congressional delegation and present letters from Authority President David B. Akers requesting $50 million for the King Coal Highway and $50 million for the TOLSIA Highway to aid in completion of the two highways.

Mike Mitchem, executive director of the King Coal Highway Authority, presented the letters to Congressman Nick Rahall and the staffs of Senators Byrd and Rockefeller. An additional letter requested $400 million for projects for the King Coal and TOLSIA highways in the area the Authority covers, which includes McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Wayne and Wyoming counties.

Among the Authority delegation were Mercer County Commissioner Karen Dissibio, Coalfields and Convention Director Cleeta Mullens, Matewan Development Director Sheila Miller and Wayne County Commission representatives Jerry Deboer and his wife. The representatives spoke out for the highways’ completion and listed the safety and economic development benefits it would reap. Although the budget is tight because of the situation in Iraq, Congressman Rahall and the staffs of Senators Byrd and Rockefeller listened intently to Authority concerns and proposals.

Group members also attended a morning workshop for the American Highway Users Alliance, at which Senate Finance Chairman Chuck Grassley and ranking member Max Baucas spoke. They also attended a reception by the same group, where Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chair James Inhofe, ranking member James Jeffords, Transportation Subcommittee Chairman Christopher Bond, ranking member Harry Reid and House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Highways and Transit Chairman Tom Petri spoke to them.

The King Coal Highways is a corridor of I-73/74 which will link Sault St. Marie, Michigan, with Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with a connection to Chicago. The nation’s number-five high priority, I-73/74 passes through or near to cities containing over seven million people, according to 2000 census figures. Southern West Virginia’s position as one of its hubs should increase economic development as well as tourism in the area.

For more information on the King Coal Highway Authority, call (304) 664-6200 or write to Box 1448, Gilbert, WV 25621.