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HB 5018

All lanes, cul-de-sacs, dead end roads, city streets and non-through routes with an ADT of less than 10 per .1 mile be eliminated from WVDOH maintenance. ROW will be maintained on paper only and county WVDOH budgets will not be reduced.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Chuck Sheedy

West Virginia bill removes low-traffic roads from state maintenance while keeping ownership, shifting responsibility without reducing county budgets.

To House Energy and Public Works
#roadsandtransportation
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 5018

Legislative bill overview

HB 5018 would remove certain low-traffic roads from West Virginia Department of Highways (WVDOH) maintenance responsibilities, specifically targeting lanes, cul-de-sacs, dead-end roads, and non-through routes with fewer than 10 vehicles per 0.1 mile daily. The state would retain ownership documentation but cease active maintenance, while county WVDOH budgets would remain unchanged.

Why is this important

This bill directly affects road maintenance in rural and low-density areas of West Virginia. The decision determines who bears responsibility and costs for maintaining thousands of miles of roads that serve residents, emergency services, and local economies—potentially shifting burden to counties, municipalities, or private entities with limited resources.

Potential points of contention

  • Maintenance responsibility gap: If roads are deeded to counties or municipalities unprepared for maintenance costs, it could strain local budgets or leave roads deteriorating, affecting property values and emergency response times
  • Safety and equity concerns: Rural residents on removed roads may face compromised road conditions; emergency services (fire, ambulance, police) may encounter hazardous routes
  • Definition ambiguity: The traffic threshold (10 vehicles per 0.1 mile) may be difficult to measure consistently and could change seasonally or with population shifts, creating disputes over which roads qualify
  • Budget accounting contradiction: Maintaining "paper only" ownership while claiming no budget reduction raises questions about actual cost savings and hidden expenses

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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