Frustrations with oil and gas industry traffic were apparent April 20 at the Wetzel County Oil & Gas Task Force meeting. The meeting was held at the Mollohan Center and was attended by local and state officials, along with industry representatives.

Ray Renaud, with Wetzel County Office of Emergency Management, noted oil and gas development started in the area 12 years ago, while task force meetings began seven years ago.

Renaud said these meetings were dominated by safety issues involving trucks. He said, at this point, the task force elected to start a road safety committee. After listening to residents’ concerns and conducting research, this committee decided to “establish some best practices for using trucks on our highways.”

Renaud said the committee tried to approach the state Department of Highways, which is in charge of road use permits, to see whether or not the DOH would recommend the committee’s best practices.

“We aren’t asking for legislation. We are asking to look at the best practices and do what we can to keep the roads safe.”

Renaud said the DOH follows recommended federal guidelines; however, according to Renaud, these guidelines mainly pertain to oversized vehicles on major highways. Also, federal guidelines pertain mainly to reporting procedures, according to Renaud.

Renaud said, from the meeting with the DOH commissioner, “He has not assented to distributing our best practices. They said the federal guidelines are good enough.”

Bob Ashley, representative of Governor Jim Justice’s office, asked why the local DOH district was not represented at the April 20 task force meeting. Renaud noted the DOH was invited, but the representatives had prior commitments.

Renaud shared video, which monitored the road below his home. The video appeared to show oil and gas traffic constantly traveling the roadways.

Renaud said the video “goes on for half an hour.”

“I don’t want to bore you with this, but remember, I can’t stop this at my house. I have to watch this all the time.”

Renaud gave examples of the impact of gas development truck traffic. He said there are safety concerns, such as the danger of accidents and/or vehicle damage, or danger to pedestrians, children, and pets. He noted the traffic inhibits the quality of life, such as traveling delays. He said he is unable to open his windows for fresh air or sit on his porch.

Renaud said there have been cases of drainage ditches collapsing and ruptures in water lines.

“I am an emergency responder; I have to get my truck aligned twice a year,” Renaud also noted.

As to traffic accidents, Renaud said around four years ago, Southwestern Energy came to the area and started requiring the use of pilot vehicles. He said the amount of emergency calls related to oil and gas traffic incidents dropped dramatically. “This shows how effective best practices can be,” Renaud said.

One of the committee’s best practices is to use a pilot car escort for any truck that cannot maintain a turn. Also, Renaud recommends adequate distance between the pilot vehicle and the first truck so that traffic does not become gridlocked.

Furthermore, “We are proposing a maximum of three 18-wheelers in a convoy or five 10-wheelers,” Renaud said. “The problem is, they aren’t separated by enough distance to allow trucks to pull over for incoming traffic.”

Renaud showed a video example of a convoy that measured more than one mile long. He noted it took him 20 minutes to travel three miles due to the convoy.

Another recommended practice is for the trucks to utilize a placard on the front of the truck, to note the number of vehicles in the convoy. However, Renaud noted, he has found the placards are inaccurate. Therefore, Renaud recommended that the last truck in the convoy flash its lights.

He also recommended CB radios, requiring them and standardizing the use of frequencies.

“Consider road signs to let truckers know what channel to use,” Renaud added. He also requested trucking coordination.

“When multiple companies or multiple activities are taking place, we need to develop a system of scheduling so that the trucks don’t cause gridlock.”

Brian Jones, Director of Transportation for Wetzel County Schools, also expressed his frustrations with oil and gas industry traffic. He noted busses have been unable to complete routes due to oil and gas trucks getting stuck in the roadways; therefore, parents have to pick up their children to take them home.

“Asking parents to drive a number of miles to pick kids up it can produce a hardship, maybe not to you and maybe not to me”

“You deal with coils, and I deal with kids,” said Jones. He noted trying to move loads at two in the afternoon, when school is about to be released for the day, is “poor judgement, at very best.”

Jeremy Shepherd, bus driver, noted he has had near-misses due to smaller company trucks being driven by workers hurrying to get to the job site.

County resident Bill Hughes said he has attended task force meetings for seven years. He said many would “readily admit traffic management has gotten better.” He noted one current issue is that seven years ago there was one company. “It’s now gotten a lot more complicated with a lot more drillers, operators, and subcontractors in many more areas of the county.”

Hughes suggested “coordination, communication, and cooperation” to make the traffic flow better. He said certain companies utilize certain CB channels, which aren’t posted along the routes drivers use. “I think we can do some of these things, provide maps and directions, require CB radios, make sure drivers know the channels, and post mile markers along the road,” Hughes suggested.

“Get rid of the phones and give good directions. The companies are paying good money for expensive equipment on the back of the truck. It is probably important the driver gets to your site and doesn’t wander around without an escort, getting lost and getting the way of other residents and causing harm to themselves and others.”

As to a road repair update, Delegate Dave Pethtel noted he had spoken with Gus Suwaid, District Six’s DOH engineer. Pethtel said Suwaid is retiring from his position. Pethtel said Suwaid reported he had requested that OH/WV Excavating begin repairs to American Ridge. “(Suwaid) told me on Schupbach Ridge, that slip was so bad they are still trying to figure out what engineering technique to use to fix that slip.”

“I know people are really frustrated on both American and Schupbach ridges, especially American, because it has been closed for quite a while, way over a year,” Pethtel said.

Wetzel County Commissioner Larry Lemon agreed, noting the commission is applying its “pressure and influence,” to highlight the need for repairs.

Senator Charles Clements noted he had talked to representatives from the DOH, who noted they were moving equipment and supplies to American Ridge.