Culloden Interchange plans to relieve I-64 traffic in Hurricane and Milton

CULLODEN, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Progress is underway for a road project some drivers believe has been needed for a long time.

The West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) said the Division of Highways has bidding open for 20 projects including a $32 million project for an interchange near Interstate 64 in Culloden.

The project will connect U.S. 60 in Culloden with Interstate 64 between Hurricane and Milton.

Timothy Loudermilk has lived in Cabell County near Culloden for 13 years. He said the project would improve his life.

“We’ve always wondered why it was such a great distance between Milton and Hurricane and before they could have an interchange because, you know, that’s, that’s another way to go and then you have to come all the way back,” he said.

“It’s, you know, just extra mileage extra gas and I’m glad they’re gonna finally do something about it.”

Some in the area are worried, like Derek Spangler, the President of the Great Teays Soccer Club. He has been worried an interchange could effect the club’s fields given its location near the interstate.

“It’ll make it tougher to have practices throughout the week, we’ll have to adjust between because we have from youth leagues, four-year-old teams, all the way up through 18-year-olds some seasons,” he explained.

“We have some seasons up to 400 kids and 30 some teams so trying to fit everybody on what we have [on our other field] all that work will be pretty tough logistically.”

Hurricane Mayor Scott Edwards said there will need to be some sacrifices for the interchange to be complete, but it will result in a little bit of prosperity for everyone.

“We believe we can have some more control growth during this whole process,” he said.

“Hurricane, Teays Valley, and now Culloden will grow even more, it’s it’s actually coming at the best time ever.”

He said safety in the area will also improve.

“With the backup of traffic on the interstate, sometimes it backs up out in their state at rush hour times,” he said.

“If the Culloden Interchange can help alleviate that, then that’s another good thing.”

“I’m used to the construction, so that’s not a big deal,” Loudermilk said.

“It’s going to make it a whole lot easier to just get if I’m going to Huntington and come back.”

“We understand that area needs this standard change, it really able to help with traffic in Hurricane,” Spangler said.

“It’ll help with business in everything here, but it just we’re just the byproduct of progress, I guess, we have to just work through it.”

The interchange will be funded through Gov. Jim Justice’s Roads to Prosperity Program.

Nineteen other projects across the state have also opened for bid letting.

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