The Tunnels are Reopening in Wheeling FINALLY!

It has seemed like forever but now the eastbound lanes of the Wheeling Tunnel are finally ready to open up. After 11 months of miserable traffic conditions officials are saying its as ready as it can be to reopen. READY AS IT CAN BE?!?! Yup, the work is not actually completed there will still be sections of missing tile on the walls and ceiling. Apparently they did not have enough time to get it all done. They are still finishing up last minute repairs and installations as I write this which makes me even more leery to drive through the Wheeling Tunnels. Granted the company hired to do this job, Vellota Co. out of Sharon Center Ohio, has had their fair share of problems and for the longest time the biggest mystery was why the tiles were not adhering to the walls. I guess when you go with the lowest bidder you don't get the expertise and quality materials needed.

I am sure the main two reasons why the tunnel is opening up incomplete is the Oglebay Festival of Lights and the Wheeling Christmas Parade. Visitors coming east to Oglebay would have to go through downtown Wheeling and then find their way back on to I-70 in order to see the Festival of Lights. This would be a traffic nightmare for most and if you were from out of town visiting then it would be a most unpleasant experience getting there. Now of course with the Wheeling Christmas parade that would just be a complete disaster, considering the parade goes right through town and Main Street is the only detour through town to get back on I-70 if you came of the Fort Henry Bridge. Could you imagine the amount of traffic! Traffic would probably be back up clear to the Ohio Valley Mall. So apparently the tunnels are being reopened for the sake of tourism and a parade whether or not it is even completed. Personally I am not so I sure I want to use the tunnels then if this was rushed just for this reason.

A concern of mine and probably many others is that with all the difficulty surrounding the tiles adhering to the walls why have we not heard recently just how well the tiles are staying in place now? It easy to report on the troubles surrounding the tunnel construction, but I think it would put the public's mind at ease of they knew that they could drive safely through the tunnels without a tile smashing though their windshield? I have seen or heard very little regarding inspections of the tunnels being reported and any report on just how safe they really are now. The only word that has come out was from Bob Jackson, superintendent for Velotta. He said "he job is not complete but the tunnel is safe for traffic". Well DUH, of course a spokesman from the company who was hired to do this will say that. I would like a state official form the West Virginia Department of Highways to come in and say that. If it was rushed and incomplete just for tourism and a parade, I would be there will be complications. I hope not but if one tile smashed into vehicle I am sure the lawsuits will start flying. Other than the obvious parade and tourism, our well known state Senator Andy McKenzie was very adamant about getting the tunnels opened up. His suggestion was to open them if they are safe and start back to work on them in March of 2008 when it's warmer again. His main reason for this is probably to help boost holiday business in downtown Wheeling. Well I have bad news for you Senator, Wheeling is dead. Between the Highlands and the St. Clairsville Mall, I seriously doubt Wheeling will ever seriously recover the consumer traffic. We have many people to tank for that spanning back to the '70's but that is a whole other story.

Bets of luck if you use the tunnels during this holiday season.