Charleston · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Charleston public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
West Side crosswalk safety
Councilwoman Faegre has waited two years for crosswalks at Washington Street/Park Avenue and Central Avenue/Park Avenue near West Side Middle School, and blames the state, not the city.
Patrick Street corridor and citywide bike plan studies
The city is putting up $100,000 to unlock over $450,000 in federal engineering and economic studies for the Patrick Street corridor, plus a citywide bike plan. Councilwoman Faegre urged attention to crosswalk safety at 7th Avenue and Patrick Street and to the needs of West Side residents.
Flood-Damaged Street Repairs
West Virginia Paving is repairing streets hit by recent flooding — Edgewood, Ivy and Chandler are done; Camden Market and Westmoreland are queued — under an added change order of about $40,000. Councilmember Faegre flagged leftover debris the contractor left on Edgewood.
Garrison Avenue no-parking extension
Cars parked at a steep, blind curve on Garrison Avenue force drivers into the oncoming lane, and one resident reported a mailbox run over recently. The extended no-parking area lets police finally write tickets in that stretch.
Oakwood Road paving partnership
The city will pay about $160,000 — half the cost — to pave Oakwood Road with the state DOH, prompting debate about why the city funds repairs on a state road while Mount Alpha Road goes unfixed.
$3.4M in state road, sidewalk and lighting funding
Three resolutions bring in $252,000 for downtown lighting, $2 million for sidewalk repairs (with a $500k city match), and $1.14 million to pave 4.6 miles of FANS routes (with a $284,800 match). Councilwoman Faegre repeatedly pressed that the state Division of Highways should maintain its own roads and rights-of-way.
Citywide Sidewalk Improvements
$2.5 million project (mostly federal money) fixes sidewalks on the busiest walking corridors downtown and toward Smith Street, including brick sidewalks like Capitol Street's. Some members flagged that residential neighborhoods still have bad sidewalks — there's a separate ~$700,000 sidewalk fund members want to plan around.
Paving of Federal Aid Non-State (FANS) Roads
Federal money covers $1.14 million of the cost to repave 4.6 miles of city-owned roads that qualify, including part of Chesterfield Road from 31st to 39th. The city's match is $284,800 from the paving budget — a strong 80/20 deal.
Crosswalk Safety on 7th Avenue
Councilman Jones asked the city to press the state Division of Highways for crosswalks on 7th Avenue to the recreation center, where kids cross a four-lane, 40-mph highway with no marked crossing.
Additional road salt funding for winter storm response
Water runs across a 10-foot section of Oakridge Road most of the year, causing ice, two bus wrecks, a hit gas line, and at least five more accidents. Snodgrass has asked engineering to fix it for three years and escalated it publicly tonight.
West Side neighborhood conditions
Councilmember Faegre flagged the United Dairy site, a pothole on Edgewood Drive (Mountain Air Gas's responsibility), an unmaintained state Division of Highways office area, loose dogs, and drug activity at basketball courts on Beatrice and Washington.
2026 Asphalt Street Resurfacing Program
The city is spending $3.15 million to repave city-owned and maintained streets. West Virginia Paving beat out three other bidders for the annual contract.
Stormwater flooding on Crestlyn Drive
Residents on Crestlyn Drive have dealt with runoff and yard flooding for over a year, made worse after a new school was built on the hillside, with no storm drains above Earl Street. Dawn Ashworth asked for a round-table with the city engineer to settle who is responsible for a fix.
Capitol Connector project funding gap
The road project now costs about $26 million but the federal grant caps at $25 million. Council covered the gap by sweeping leftover sinking fund money — no new taxes, but the city is on the hook for overruns.