The Martinsburg Pike (Rt 45) corridor vision plan incorporates “Complete Streets / Corridor Management” principles — a comprehensive, integrated approach to designing, constructing, and operating roads, streets, and adjacent rights-of-way to support safe and convenient travel along and across streets for pedestrians and bicyclists along with automobiles, commercial vehicles, and public transportation.
HEPMPO is drafting a vision plan for Martinsburg Pike to the west of Shepherdstown (Download PDF of Draft Vision Plan). This area has been identified as a growth zone for Jefferson County in its comprehensive plan. HEPMPO’s vision plan process is intended to identify options to improve accessibility between downtown Shepherdstown and the adjacent businesses, neighborhoods, and Shepherd University campus; to improve vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle safety; and to enhance economic development along the corridor. This vision plan kicked off with a field survey and stakeholder workshop in March 2021 to create inputs for an initial draft report. Approximately 30 individuals attended the public hearing held in Shepherdstown on June 15 (with an additional 15 individuals participating by phone conference) to review and comment on this draft report. The final version of the report is expected to be published later this summer.
The draft plan presented by HEPMPO envisions that the corridor improvements will take place within the existing state highway right-of-way. Most of the individuals commenting at the public hearing were supportive of the elements presented in the draft plan, although there were concerns about fitting all of the proposed enhancements within the right-of-way, the difficulties of trucks negotiating a round-about at the Potomac Farms Drive intersection, and the need to maintain the full width of the roadway to accommodate the transport of oversized farm equipment in the area.
All current planning documents and special studies from the past ten years are available on the web at HEPMPO.net. An interactive verison of the Martinburg Pike Corridor Vision Plan is available (link).
By Staff Contributor