BRISTOL, Va. – The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), Pioneer Group and Alpha Natural Resources recently signed an agreement allowing the final design and construction of the Hawk’s Nest portion of the Coalfields Expressway to begin.

Alpha Natural Resources will construct the rough grade road bed at a cost of $10 million, a savings of over $90 million by coordinating the roadbed development as a part of an active surface mining operation.  Once the Hawk’s Nest portion of the expressway is constructed it will overlap with a section of the Route 460 Connector, currently being designed. 

“This is the first construction project for the Coalfields Expressway corridor in Virginia and is a major milestone for the project,” VDOT Commissioner David Ekern said. 

In April, Governor Timothy M. Kaine announced a $5 million Transportation

Partnership Opportunity Fund grant for VDOT to advance construction of the Hawk’s Nest section of the proposed route.  VDOT and Alpha Natural Resources are currently pursuing an additional $5 million partnership grant to fund the remainder of the Hawk’s Nest project.

The Coalfields Expressway – U.S. Route 121 – is a proposed four-lane highway stretching 51miles from Pound in Wise County through Dickenson and Buchanan counties to the West Virginia line.

Designated as part of the national highway system, the new road will link Interstates 64 and 77 in West Virginia with Routes 23 and 460 in Virginia.  (END)