The design and construction of improvements to the transportation system are among the most complex and expensive of public works projects undertaken by government. To ensure that scarce public resources are used wisely, it is prudent to develop a plan to coordinate spending decisions regarding transportation. This will create a cohesive and logical system that will serve the public efficiently and cost effectively.

For that reason, in January 1998, the West Virginia Department of Transportation began the process to develop a new or revised plan for the transportation system in Marion County. In recent years, a number of significant transportation project proposals have been brought forward by local government and by citizens in the County. The purpose of this study is to evaluate those proposals as well as the condition and overall operation of the transportation system in the County, and to make recommendations regarding needed improvements. The planning period for this Plan extends from the present to the year 2020.

The flow chart diagram in Figure 1 illustrates the process used to develop this Plan. The planning process included an extensive public involvement component, which is described in the following section. An extensive program of technical data collection and analysis also occurred. A large amount of data was gathered regarding the current condition of the transportation system in Marion County. A detailed analysis was performed of existing traffic operations in the County, which led to recommendations for short-term operational improvements where feasible. A special study was performed of the parking situation in downtown Fairmont. A computer simulation travel demand model (QRS-II) was developed for use in evaluating the effectiveness of the proposed improvements. Special projections were prepared for population and employment in the County for the planning period.

All of this work, which provides the technical basis for the recommendations contained in this Plan, has been summarized in detail in a series of separate reports provided to the WVDOT (1). Where appropriate, material from these other reports is also summarized in this Final Report.

Figure 1 – Planning Process Diagram

Due to circumstances in Marion County, the development of this Plan occurred within an accelerated time frame. Work began on the study in March of 1998, with the goal of developing draft recommendations within a twelve-month period. Normally, this process would require 18 to 24 months to complete. With the support of the staff of the WVDOT

Planning and Research Division and the local Coordinating Committee, this demanding objective has largely been met.

The development of this Plan included an extensive public involvement process designed to ensure that the Plan reflects the desires and interests of the citizens of Marion County. This process included approximately twenty-six one-on-one key person interviews at the outset of the planning process, the involvement of a local Coordinating Committee, and public meetings held at various stages and locations throughout the process. More than 300 persons have participated in some fashion in the development of this Plan. Figure 1 provides a list of the dates and locations of the public meetings held during the development of this Plan.

For the first time on a WVDOT planning project, the Marion County process has also included use of a web site (www.mariontrans.org) with an e-mail feedback capability to allow interested citizens to track the Plan’s development, ask questions and make comments.

The local Coordinating Committee was established to assist in developing the Plan. This Committee included members from Marion County, the City of Fairmont, the other towns in the County, the Office of U.S. Representative Alan B. Mollohan, the Region VI Planning and Development Council, and the Fairmont/Marion County Transit Authority, as well as various other civic organizations in the County. The purpose of this Committee was to assist in articulating local issues and to guide the planning process, ensuring that it accurately reflects local interests and desires.

• Regional transportation plans generally share a common set of goals. Included in these are:
• Reduction of traffic congestion;
• Reduction of traffic accidents and improvement to public safety;
• Reduction of travel costs borne by the public;
• Provision of support for economic development and employment opportunities;
• Coordination of the transportation system with changing development and travel desire patterns;
• Minimization of cost and community disruption during implementation; and
• Improvement to the overall quality of life in the planning area.

In addition to these general goals, in June of 1998 the Coordinating Committee established set of objectives for this Plan that are specific to Fairmont and Marion County. With the consent of the Committee, the first objective was amended slightly in March of 1999, so that it more clearly reflected the circumstances in Fairmont and the Committee’s intentions. The objectives established by the Committee are:

• Make a logical, efficient link from I-79 to downtown Fairmont and the Fairmont State College/Locust Avenue area that heightens the image and visibility of downtown and resolves traffic congestion problems on Fairmont and Locust Avenues;
• Modernize the roadway system in Marion County, including adequate roadway widths, adequate shoulders, and efficiently functioning intersections;
• Provide good access to the County for commercial traffic without passing through downtown Fairmont;
• Provide an integrated transportation system that ties together the various transportation modes (i.e., automobile, public transit, bicycle, pedestrian, rail, truck and water), and that provides a greater range of transportation options including pedestrian and bicycle facilities in key areas;
• Provide improved access from I-79 to the western areas of Marion County;
• Create a plan that is feasible and affordable and makes good economic sense;
• Provide for quality traffic flow throughout the County;
• Provide infrastructure support for economic development;
• Provide access from I-79 to the northern areas of the County;
• Improve roadway links to adjoining counties other than the interstate to support commercial traffic;
• Provide for ongoing maintenance of transportation infrastructure;
• Promote revitalization of downtown Fairmont;
• Provide for improved access to identifiable tourist attractions such as the State Parks; and
• Provide safe and adequate access to growing residential areas.

These goals provided the overall framework that guided the development of the Plan described in this report. It is noteworthy that goals 1, 3, 5, 8, and 9 all pertain to obtaining improved access from various parts of Marion County to I-79.

(2)A sample of pages from this web site has been printed and is included in Appendix A of this report.

(3)Coordinating Committee members are listed in the front of this report.

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