The West Virginia Division of Highways has released a Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the six-mile Wardensville-to-Virginia state-line stretch of Corridor H, with an estimated price tag of $474 million. Yet Virginia has no intention or plan to extend the highway to I-81. This means the highway will dead-end at the state line indefinitely, dumping high-speed traffic onto Virginia’s two-lane Route 55 and nearby local roads. Moving ahead under these circumstances is fiscally reckless and places communities and the environment in both states at needless risk.

As proposed, the route would:

• Bypass downtown Wardensville, diverting customers away from beloved local Main Street businesses;
• Cross the town’s Wellhead Protection Area, with blasting nearby that could jeopardize the drinking‑water supply for hundreds of residents;
• Uproot families and sever multigenerational farms;
• Construct five lanes of new road across the George Washington National Forest, permanently fragmenting wildlife habitat and sensitive watersheds;
• Slice the Tuscarora Trail (part of the Great Eastern Trail) in half, forcing trail users to navigate an unsafe crossing through a five-lane high-speed highway. 

The last full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for this section was completed in 1996. Wardensville has changed dramatically since then, and a limited SEA simply doesn’t address today’s realities. Our goal is 500 public comments demanding a modern Environmental Impact Statement that looks at safer, less costly alternatives like targeted upgrades to existing Route 55. Your voice will help us get there.

Here’s how you can help:

• Submit a comment before June 1. We’ve made it quick and easy for you to do that here. Personalize your message with a few sentences about why clean water, public lands, or strong small-town economies matter to you. 
• Share this with friends, family, and colleagues who care about Wardensville and the Highlands.

Every individual comment goes into the public record and influences the final decision. Let’s make it clear that our communities expect thorough environmental review and smarter solutions.

Thank you for lending your voice.