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Originally published Aug. 23, 2024
MARSHALL COUNTY, W.Va. – Drivers along West Virginia Route 2 in McMechen need to be vigilant.
That’s because you will travel through three different speed zones as you drive through this Northern Panhandle city located along the Ohio River in Marshall County.
The speed limit drops from 55 to 50 and then to 45 miles per hour.
River News Network spoke exclusively to McMechen Police Chief Robert Shilling about the variable speeds and what motorists can do to travel the road safely.
They need to pay attention to the signs. They are well-marked.
McMechen Police Chief Robert Shilling
Shilling says the speed limit is 55 miles per hour from I-470 to McMechen. It then drops to 50 miles per hour in the city. It drops a third time to 45 miles per hour at Industrial Drive after the West Virginia Department of Highways mandated that lower speed following a traffic fatality.
Shilling said drivers headed northbound should be alert to signage near the bridge.
Shilling became McMechen Police Chief in September 2022 and says he has seen a reduction in motorists speeding in the city. Still, there have been motorists barreling down Route 2 at almost double the speed limit, he says.
The West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety funding provides McMechen with money for overtime for afterhours shifts for officers, Shilling said.
With the Labor Day holiday fast approaching, Shilling advises motorists to stay vigilant, drive the speed limit and not operate a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol.