[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 38 (Wednesday, April 6, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S3288]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SARBANES (for himself and Ms. Mikulski):
  S. 719. A bill to extend Corridor O of the Appalachian Development 
Highway System from its currnet southern terminus at I-68 near 
Cumberland to Corridor H, which stretches from Weston, West Virginia, 
to Strasburg, Virginia; to the Committee on Environment and Public 
Works.
  Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, today I am introducing legislation to 
add a 35.5 mile segment of a proposed new highway, extending south of 
Interstate 68 near Cumberland, MD to Corridor H in West Virginia, to 
the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS). Joining me in co-
sponsoring this legislation is my colleague Senator Mikulski.
  The development of a north-south Appalachian highway corridor has 
long been a priority for elected officials, community leaders and 
citizens in the Potomac Highlands region of western Maryland, West 
Virginia and neighboring Pennsylvania counties. At least two Maryland 
State economic development task forces over the last decade have 
identified a north-south corridor as their leading priority for the 
region. In order to help determine the need, potential alignments as 
well as the projected economic benefits and the social, transportation 
and environmental impacts of upgrading north-south corridors, six years 
ago, I helped secure a grant from the Federal Highway Administration to 
support a multi-state study. That study was completed in 2001 and 
identified two corridors as having the greatest potential for 
benefiting Appalachian economic development the US 219 Corridor in the 
north from I-68 in Maryland to the Pennsylvania Turnpike and the US 220 
Corridor in south from Corridor H in West Virginia to I-68 in Maryland. 
The study also found that upgrading US 220 South of Interstate 68 would 
support the largest number of potential new jobs, 7,800-8,600 jobs, 
with the highest relative growth--19 percent--of any of the corridors 
and have fewer impacts than the alternatives.
  While US 220 north of I-68 is part of the ADHS, the segment south of 
the interstate is not currently part of the system, although it serves 
Appalachia. This area in Allegany County, MD--a county that has 
experienced some of the highest rates of unemployment and poverty in 
the State--has been targeted for economic development and job growth in 
the ``One Maryland'' economic development program. Major employers in 
the area--American Woodmark, Aliant Techsystems and MeadWestvaco--as 
well as others that might look at this region for the location of their 
next plant currently depend on a two-lane roadway running through 
residential neighborhoods and commercial areas. The area is well served 
by an important east and west corridor, I-68 (ADHS Corridor E), but 
North South transportation is inadequate and hampers the economic 
prosperity potential of Allegany and Garrett Counties and many of the 
surrounding Pennsylvania and West Virginia communities.
  Over the past four years, and with additional funding provided by the 
Congress in the Fiscal 2003 Transportation Appropriations bill, 
Maryland and West Virginia have been undertaking a detailed project 
planning phase of the 35.5 mile segment of US 220 south that was 
recommended in the feasibility study. Improvements which have been 
proposed include a four-lane divided highway, most of which would be on 
a new alignment, with at-grade intersections. Fifteen miles of the 
proposed road improvements are in Maryland and 20.5 miles in West 
Virginia.
  These upgrades would increase safety and alleviate traffic congestion 
between Cumberland and Keyser and provide an important link to the 83.2 
miles of Appalachian Development Highways in Maryland and in the system 
of 28 corridors throughout the 13 Appalachian States. The corridor 
would interconnect several important ADHS corridors including the East-
West Corridors P in Pennsylvania, E (I-68) in Maryland & West Virginia, 
H in West Virginia and Virginia along with the ADHS North-South 
Corridor O and Corridor N from Pennsylvania to the North. Currently ARC 
Corridors O & N dead end at I-68, and the closest interstate quality 
road continuing south is I-81 seventy miles east, or I-79 that is 
seventy miles to the west. The new Appalachian highway would also 
provide important linkages to the bi-State, Maryland and West Virginia, 
Greater Cumberland Airport, rail facilities in the area, and population 
centers of Cumberland, Maryland, Keyser, West Virginia, Romney, West 
Virginia, and Moorefield, West Virginia.
  The Congress recognized the need to help bring the Appalachian Region 
into the mainstream of the American economy in 1965 when it created the 
Appalachian Region Commission and authorized the Appalachian 
Development Highway System. Now, some 40 years later, with the original 
ADHS more than 85 percent complete or under construction, it is time to 
provide critical linkages to the east-west ADHS corridors, population 
centers, other inter-modal facilities such as air and rail, and the 
existing interstate system and to further boost the region's 
opportunity to advance towards economic parity. I hope that the 
Congress will swiftly approve this legislation.
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