The West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) on Nov. 3 awarded a series of special-bid contracts to repair damage from the floods that closed more than 200 roads across the state earlier this year. In McDowell County, six separate projects totaling approximately $1.97 million will focus on slope stabilization and resurfacing where landslides and washouts compromised routes during the February–June storms.

The largest contract in the county, $481,669, covers a piling-wall slide repair on West Virginia Route 103. Micropile slide repair and resurfacing work is planned for Panther Mohawk Road at $442,090, and for West Virginia Route 83 at $387,456.50. A piling-wall slide repair on West Virginia Route 83 received an additional $199,948. A slide repair and resurfacing near Bradshaw on WV 80 was awarded $277,818, and a micropile slide repair and resurfacing on the Black Diamond Highway was awarded $183,576. In total, the awards aim to address slope failures and pavement damage that interrupted daily life and local commerce during the spring flooding.

Micropiles are deep foundation elements used to anchor and stabilize weakened slopes, while piling-wall repairs rebuild or reinforce retaining structures that failed under saturated soils. These methods are commonly used in narrow, steep corridors such as those found throughout McDowell County, where rugged topography and hollows concentrate runoff and increase landslide risk. Stabilizing these slopes and repaving will be essential to restore safe travel lanes and prevent recurring closures when heavy rains return.

For residents of McDowell County, the repairs will affect everyday life and public safety. The designated stretches include roads that serve residential areas, connect to state routes, and carry local traffic for schools, emergency responders and small businesses. Repaired pavement and secured slopes should reduce the likelihood of sudden closures that previously forced detours across challenging terrain and lengthened emergency response times.

The awards are part of a broader WVDOH campaign to recover from the season’s flood impacts statewide. Officials have cited more than 200 flood-related closures earlier this year, prompting targeted emergency contracting to accelerate repairs ahead of winter weather, when freeze-thaw cycles can exacerbate damaged roadways and embankments.

While the contracts announced Nov. 3 mark a significant step toward restoring connectivity, the work will take time to complete and requires careful staging in steep, sometimes remote locations. The projects also underline a continuing need for investment in resilient infrastructure as communities across the region confront increasing weather extremes. For McDowell County residents, however, the immediate promise is clearer roadways, reinforced slopes and a return toward more reliable daily travel on routes critical to local life and livelihoods.