WV 2 Widening Design, Kent to Franklin Road

The West Virginia Department of Transportation initiated a project to widen West Virginia (WV) 2, Kent to Franklin Road, from two to four lanes. The improvements added capacity as well as improved traffic operations and safety. Lochner was selected to lead design efforts and prepare maintenance of traffic plans.

Because WV 2 parallels the Ohio River and is located between a CSX railroad line and a steep rising hillside, Lochner’s widening design includes a complex alignment that accommodates the additional lanes by vertically adjusting the roadway. The grading for the project will excavate 1.2 million cubic yards of earth, resulting in cuts in excess of 200 feet in height. This solution reduces earthwork on the east side of the corridor and avoids impacts to the railroad. The constraints of the existing topography also presented a unique challenge for the drainage, erosion, and sediment control design. With over 50 acres of earth disturbance sediment, Lochner’s design uses sumps to avoid ponding on the roadway, making the roadway safer for motorists.

During construction, no viable detours are available so two‐way traffic must be maintained. Lochner developed construction phasing plans that would build the two northbound lanes first while traffic is maintained on the existing WV 2. Once construction for this portion is complete, traffic will shift to the newly constructed northbound lanes, allowing the two southbound lanes to be constructed without closures.