Grafton Meeting

U.S. Route 50 Association
Minutes for November 16, 2005
Senior Center
Grafton, West Virginia

Present:

David C. Beard Garrett Commissioner - Jennifer Bonnette, Preston
Crady Hampshire, Brian WVDOH – Charleston, Vicki Preston
Commissioner, Larry Cooper Grafton, WV, Dick Feigley Grantsville, MD, Arvin Harsh
Preston/Eglon, Gary Mineral, Jon Blair Hunter WV Senate, Peggy Jamison Garrett, Dave Preston
Commissioner, James Smith –Taylor, Wayne Spiggle Facilitator/Mineral Com., David Preston,
L. Darwin Wolfe Preston Commissioner

Meeting was called to order by Dr. Wayne Spiggle at 1:00 p.m. and
self introductions were made around the room.

Minutes:

Minutes from the September 21, 2005 meeting were reviewed.

Regional Review:

Brian Carr presented a draft of the U.S. 50 Needs Study. He stated
that it is now in a user friendly format for the purpose of
leveraging funds from state and federal sources. He reported that
Maryland has not presented any items for the wish list. The group
still has time to review and make changes.

Wayne Spiggle recommended that Center Line Reflectors be installed
along Rt. 50 to help with visibility in foggy areas. Brian Carr
cautioned against reflectors because snow plows tend to destroy
them. He reported that the state instead favors repainting the road
lines. The group asked if the painting schedule could be more
frequent. Brian Carr reported that the painting schedule is based on
a statewide contract and that he would check the current schedule for
the group. He also recommended calling the district level with these
types of problems. Senator Hunter asked that local leaders write to
the state and request that the center lines be painted twice a year.
Arvin Harsh stated that painting the road lines would not be enough.
He asked that the group investigate further the idea of installing
Center Line Reflectors. Brian Carr stated that he would research the
reflectors.

Senator Hunter reported that for safety reasons and to help with
drainage, he is investigating paving roads to the birm.

Senator Hunter reported that he reviewed the Governor’s six year plan
and noticed that no new funding was allocated to address the group’s
projects. Brian Carr reported that at this point the only way one of
the group’s projects could be included is if one of the projects
listed in the plan would drop-off. He stated that the majority of
the funding will be going for long-term projects like King Coal
Highway and the Appalachian Highway System. The group recommended
investigating other avenues of funding. The group discussed past
trips to Washington, DC for the purposes of receiving federal funding.

Old Business:

No response from Taylor County officials regarding the group’s
efforts to receive input. The group felt that perhaps Taylor County
officials were not properly notified of the meeting. L. Darwin Wolfe
recommended that his office send a written invitation to the Taylor
County Commission informing them about the next U.S. Rt. 50 Meeting.
The group agreed with this request.

Adjourn:

The meeting was adjourned at 2:30 p.m. The next meeting is
tentatively scheduled for the third Wednesday of January in Garrett
County, Maryland at the Cornish Manor.