West Virginia Route 193

West Virginia Route 193
Route information
Maintained by WVDOH
Length:	3.6 mi[1] (5.8 km)
Existed:	Winter 2005 – present
Major junctions
South end:	US 60 in Barboursville
	I-64 in Barboursville
North end:	WV 2 near Lesage
Location
Counties:	Cabell
Highway system
West Virginia Routes State • County ← WV 180 WV 210 →

West Virginia Route 193 (also known as the "Big Ben" Bowen Highway) is a north–south route extending from U.S. Route 60 at Barboursville to West Virginia Route 2 just east of Huntington.

History

WV 193's northern terminus; the ridge in the background is located in Ohio

WV 193 is also called the "Big Ben" Bowen Highway

Construction began in 1999 on the Merritts (or Merrick) Creek Connector, a four-lane divided highway from U.S. Highway 60 in Barboursville to WV 2 near Lesage. A 1/2 mile segment opened in 2000 that linked U.S. Highway 60 in Barboursville to County Route 19. A new interchange at Milepost 18 on Interstate 64 was completed as part of this phase ^[2].

In 2001, a 1.64-mile (2.64 km) ^[2] northern extension from County Route 19 to County Route 24 was completed at a cost of $13.35 million. Signage and all traffic elements were completed but the road was not opened to traffic as it connected to a one-lane county route that was inadequate of handling large traffic volumes.

In late 2003, work began on the final segment of the Merritts Creek Connector that extends from County Route 24 to WV 2 near Lesage after a long delay due to a lack of funding. The final 1.45-mile (2.33 km) segment to be completed was projected to cost $15 million and was to be open by October 2004, however, it did not open until March 2005. Later that year, it was revealed with new signs that the Merrick Creek Connector would be designated West Virginia Route 193.

On September 8, 2006, Governor Joe Manchin officially declared that the route would, in addition to its WVDOT designation, would also be named the "Big Ben" Bowen Highway after Ben Bowen, an area toddler who died from cancer.^[3]

Major intersections

The entire route is in Cabell County.

Location	Mile	Destinations	Notes
Barboursville	0.0	US 60
	0.3	I-64	Exit 18 (I-64)
	0.8	CR 19	Southern terminus of CR 19, CR 19 joins WV 193
Lesage	3.6	WV 2
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

1. ^ Calculated using trip planning software
2. ^ ^{a b} Ross, Jim (2000-04-25). "New connector already paying off". Herald-Dispatch [Huntington]. 
3. ^ http://www.herald-dispatch.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060909/NEWS01/609090316/1005/NEWS10

1. Connector Awaits Federal Funds. 12 March 2003. The Herald-Dispatch. 20 March 2003 [1].