CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Kanawha County Commission on Thursday agreed to retain counsel for addressing issues with Blue Creek Road in Elkview.
The motion came as residents continue raising concerns about the safety of the road with a worsening rockslide. The Kanawha County Emergency Management Office reported the road was blocked for several days in 2015 because of a large boulder and several times in 2018 because of mud.
County officials say Blue Creek Road is the only means of access to more than 200 homes.
“This is not trying to do anything to anybody other than trying to get this situation fixed,” Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper said.
The county commission reached out to the state Department of Transportation about fixing the rockslide, to which the department noted the rockslide is on private property. State crews have cleared the road on multiple occasions.
Carper said the commission needs to know about all communication between the property owner and transportation officials, as well as identifying the property owner and which party is responsible for addressing the rockslide.
“People up there don’t care. Two hundred families live up there. About 600 people,” he said. “This needs to end.”
Carper stated commissioners will consider a report on the rockslide at the body’s Jan. 28 meeting.