WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced a $100 million grant for the West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH). The grant was awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects (NSFLTP) program, and funding will support the construction of Corridor H—specifically, an interchange at the junction of Corridor H and WV 72, along with 4.6 miles of roadway and a bridge spanning Cheat River.

“From my first day in the Senate, I have advocated for Corridor H and similar projects that will strengthen our transportation infrastructure, and I was thrilled to work with the administration and Secretary Chao to deliver this much-needed investment,” Senator Capito said. “Projects like Corridor H are not only beneficial for travelers and those living in nearby communities, but they have the potential to substantially improve our state’s commerce and economic potential by connecting West Virginia to other transportation hubs across the nation. As West Virginia continues to reorient and diversify our economy and create new opportunity, the backbone of these efforts is a continued investment in infrastructure projects, and I will continue working to help deliver the resources to build on these efforts and complete critical projects.”

CAPITO EFFORTS IN SUPPORT OF $100 MILLION DOT GRANT: 

  • As a member of the Senate EPW Committee, Senator Capito worked to pass a five-year highway bill in 2015 known as the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. The bill included language creating the new NSFLTP grant program to support the construction of significant transportation projects on federal lands.
  • Senator Capito voted for the FAST Act, which ultimately passed and was signed into law in December 2015.
  • As a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, Senator Capito helped to secure an appropriation for the NSFLTP program—the source of funding for the Corridor H NSFLTP grant.
  • In December 2018, Senator Capito sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao expressing support for the state’s application to fund the Corridor H project.
  • As chair of the Senate EPW Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Senator Capito met with Federal Highway Administration Administrator Nicole Nason and requested $100 million for the Corridor H project from the NSFLTP program.
  • On February 14, 2019, Senator Capito met with Secretary Chao, identified Corridor H as a high-priority project, and personally asked the secretary to award the $100 million grant to aid in construction.

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