Kanawha Stone Company (KSC) was awarded multiple contracts by the West Virginia Division of Highways for the construction of a four-lane highway on Corridor H in northeastern West Virginia.  The company completed nearly 20 million cubic yards of excavation on eight combined projects, resulting in approximately 13 miles of four-lane alignment in the rugged mountain counties of Randolph, Hardy and Grant in West Virginia.

All projects included clearing activities, erosionand sediment control, drilling and blasting and drainage features. Each project provided unique challenges that were overcome by Kanawha Stone Company’s project planning and execution. Some notable achievements included:

• Elkins, WV – Approximately 1.1 miles of four-lane highway including a lengthy bridge crossing over a county road and wetland. The majority of the cut material was taken from one side of the bridge to the other for fill material, requiring Kanawha Stone to cross the county road and wetlands to place fill material. All activities were coordinated with proper regulatory agencies.

• Hardy County, Baker, Section 04 – This section required nearly 1.5 million cubic yards of borrow material and an extensive landscaping package due to historical property located adjacent to the project.

• Hardy County, Baker, Section 02 – This section required the coordination of trucking activities down a very steep haul road with seven switchbacks and a bridge crossing Lost River. KSC excavated approximately 3.7 million cubic
yards of material on this project. Project access was gained via two permanent bridges, one temporary bridge and two temporary access roads.

• Bismark to Foreman – KSC constructed a 2.9 million cubic yard project on Corridor H from Bismark to Foreman. The $15 million project was completed in 2010. KSC has constructed nearly 13 miles of four-lane highway through
Randolph, Hardy and Grant County, WV.

Challenges Overcome: The Corridor H project presented some of the most difficult geologic conditions including Oriskany Sandstone. Oriskany is highly abrasive and recognized by world-class experts to be some of the hardest rock in the world. Oriskany has been known to cause significant delays and cost impacts to projects, including the Welland Canal where many contractors were unable to operate when encountering the stone. KSC worked with local and global geotechnical experts, and equipment manufacturers to handle the Oriskany stone while staying on schedule and within project budgets.