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Residents urge county to press state on Route 7 drainage after heavy rains wash rocks into roadways
Summary
Chad Matheny, owner of Core Mill Roofing and Supply, told the Monongalia County Commission on June 4 that heavy rains flooded Route 7 through the Dells/Little Richard area in several locations and that the county should help coordinate drainage repairs with state agencies and developers.
Chad Matheny, owner of Core Mill Roofing and Supply, told the Monongalia County Commission on June 4 that heavy rains flooded Route 7 through the Dells/Little Richard area in several locations and that the county should help coordinate drainage repairs with state agencies and developers.
Matheny described “3 or 4 locations” between Pass and Central Supply where water and large rocks washed into the roadway, creating hazards for drivers, especially after dark. He said residents reported boreholes drilled by the Department of Environmental Protection were overtopping during the rain event and that open boreholes posed an additional safety risk.
Resident Mary Ann Folz echoed the plea, asking the commission to work with the West Virginia Department of Highways and developers receiving tax-increment financing to address recurring drainage problems. “We just can’t have our drains cleared. There’s just no reason why that can’t happen in a county of the importance that we are,” Folz said.
Commissioners said they do not have direct control over state roads but that they would help identify and provide a contact at the Department of Highways. One commissioner noted the problem results from multiple factors, including private landowner actions, state roadway features and possible DEP issues.
Why it matters: Flooding and debris on state routes pose immediate public-safety hazards for motorists and may damage private property. County coordination can help connect residents, developers and state agencies to a remedial plan, but responsibility for state road surface and drainage typically rests with the Department of Highways.
Background and next steps: Matheny and Folz both asked the commission to press state agencies and developers that have benefited from local TIFs to address drainage that is causing localized flooding. Commissioners agreed to provide Department of Highways contact information and to press the relevant agencies for a solution; no vote or formal directive was recorded at the meeting.
