U.S. Route 52 in West Virginia - King Coal Highway

King Coal Highway

The King Coal Highway is defined to run from West Virginia Route 65 and Corridor G (US 119) near Belo, West Virginia to Interstate 77 at its US 52 interchange near Bluefield. Interstate 66, Coalfields Expressway (US 121) and the Shawnee Expressway will connect to the King Coal Highway.

The travel time, currently over 120 minutes from Williamson to Bluefield, will be reduced to 87 minutes. South of Ikes Fork, a two hour trip to Bluefield will be reduced to 44 minutes.

Interchanges and intersections proposed for the King Coal Highway include:

• Mingo County:
  • Near Head of Isaban
  • Near Taylorville, West Virginia
  • Near Twisted Gun Gap, West Virginia
  • Near Delbarton
  • Near Sharon Heights
• Logan County:
  • Horsepen Mountain at Mountain View
• McDowell County:
  • Johnny Cake Mountain
  • Sandy Huff
  • Davy
  • Welch at Indian Ridge
  • Carswell Hollow near Kimball
  • Burke Mountain near Keystone
  • Near Crumpler
  • Near the head of Long Pole
  • Near the head of Isaban
• Wyoming County:
  • Indian Ridge near Steeles
  • Near Fanrock and Bailysville at Davy Mountain on Indian Ridge
  • Near Head of North Springs
  • Head of Burke Mountain near Herndon
• Mercer County:
  • Near Crystal
  • Near McComas
  • Near Sandlick
  • West Virginia Route 20 near Littlesburgh Road
  • Near Rock
  • Near Godfrey
  • West Virginia Route 123 - Airport Road
  • John Nash Boulevard

Construction began in 1999 on the three-level diamond interchange on Indian Ridge near Welch that will facilitate traffic between the King Coal Highway (US 52, Interstate 73/74) and the Coalfields Expressway (US 121). Initial site work was completed in 2003, with grading evident; this required the filling in of a large valley. It will also be the site of a new state prison along with future industrial development.

Work has progressed on the four-lane upgrading of US 52 in Mercer County just east of Bluefield. On November 24, a contract totalling $2,057,914 was let to move approximately 500,000 cubic yards (380,000 m3) of dirt and to grade and drain .22 miles from the recently completed $27 million interchange with Corridor Q (US 460) east of Bluefield to US 19 just north of James P. Bailey Lake. Six buildings will be demolished. This is the first of several projects that will extend the King Coal Highway to West Virginia Route 123 (Airport Road) north of Bluefield. Extending this project east, another contract was awarded December 15 and totals $1,371,251. The contract calls for more than 200,000 cubic yards (150,000 m3) of excavation to grade and drain .18 mile of the King Coal Highway from county route 25 just north of the US 460 interchange to south of the old Raleigh-Grayson Turnpike. 36 buildings will be demolished. A future contract will include a bridge over US 19 which will cost $15 million.

Work is set to begin on a 1.37-mile (2.20 km) stretch of roadway in Raleigh county at a cost of $12.2 million. This includes paving, guardrail installation, pavement marking, and signing operations for this segment.

Design work is being commenced on a 11-mile (18 km) segment of the King Coal Highway from Horsepen Mountain to Isaban and from the Mercer County Interchange to West Virginia Route 123/Airport Road. The work being done on a 2.5-mile (4.0 km) section of highway near Horsepen Mountain is being done by mining companies that will save taxpayers over $20 million.

The total cost for both the Tolsia and King Coal Highways will be over $2 billion.