By Steven Allen Adams
For The Intelligencer
St. Albans – Gov. Patrick Morrisey thanked the West Virginia Legislature Tuesday for providing additional funding next fiscal year for road and bridge maintenance projects and the passage of bills to increase safety for highway workers.
Morrisey held a ceremonial bill signing ceremony in St. Albans in Kanawha County Tuesday morning at Triton Construction, a company that specializes in road and bridge construction.
“When you’re looking at the challenges facing West Virginia, we know that having good, strong infrastructure is one of them,” Morrisey said. “That’s part of the reason I am so focused on providing the extra resources to fill in the potholes, pave the roads and making a big difference here in West Virginia. We’re also putting pen to paper on critical safety measures.”
Morrisey thanked lawmakers for including $125 million for road and bridge maintenance in the back of Senate Bill 250, which sets the general revenue budget for fiscal year 2027 beginning July 1.
The back of the budget includes $245.4 million in appropriations, with items being paid out in the order they appear based on how much tax revenue surplus is available at the end of the fiscal year ending June 30.
“We know that that’s anticipated to make a big difference, and that alone can cover, we believe, over 500 more miles of good upkeep and help with other bridges. That makes a big, big difference,” Morrisey said. “And that $125 million, that’s on top of all the resources that we already have through the transportation fund and the federal dollars, the matching dollars that come in. So, we’re hopeful that makes a real difference.”
Money for West Virginia’s roads and bridges comes from the State Road Fund, consisting of motor fuel taxes and vehicle and registration fees. More than 10% of West Virginia’s total budget expenditures goes to the state Department of Transportation. More than $2.1 billion has been budgeted for the State Road Fund, including federal money, for FY27.
West Virginia’s burden of maintaining nearly 71,000 miles of roads makes it the sixth largest state-controlled highway system, according to the Reason Foundation.
“We were out there every day managing one of the largest state-owned systems in the country,” said Todd Rumbaugh, the cabinet secretary of the Department of Transportation and commissioner of the Division of Highways. “It’s a massive task, but it is made much easier when you have a governor who truly understands that infrastructure is the foundation of everything we want to achieve in West Virginia.”
Morrisey signed Senate Bill 692, authorizing the use of green flashing warning lights for Division of Highways vehicles and other equipment specifically approved by the commissioner.
“It enhances safety and visibility by authorizing green flashing lights on Division of Highways vehicles while they’re working on the roads,” Morrisey said. “You’re still going to see the familiar amber lights, but the addition of the green is going to make it a little bit more visible during the snow and other times of the year, especially in bad weather. That’s going to help the drivers and the first responders, and that will make a difference in terms of safety.”
Morrisey also signed House Bill 4538, increasing fines and criminal penalties for motorists who disregard traffic signals or speed limits in highway construction zones. The new law nearly triples fines for first and second misdemeanor convictions for speeding and other traffic violations, such as distracted driving, in work zones.
“The fines that were around $200 can now reach up to $500 for some lower-level violations, and up to $1,000 more for serious speeding offenses,” Morrisey said. “The bill is also going to increase some penalties for behaviors, like texting while driving or ignoring a flagman. When drivers ignore these warnings, they’re putting lives at risk. And if you’re going to make that choice, there’ll be consequences and accountability.”
The Department of Transportation has been working to fix damage from this past winter’s hard freezes, with more than 18,000 miles of pothole repair completed. Morrisey and Rumbaugh estimate that winter weather pothole repair should be completed by the end of May. Morrisey urged the public to contact the Division of Highways and report any outstanding potholes.
“We want to make a difference, and I want to make sure that you’re calling up DOT, you’re calling us up, and make sure that that happens,” Morrisey said. “I’m going to hold the secretary and the whole department accountable for that and I’m going to be accountable. Let’s make a difference to help get these potholes addressed.”
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