(BARBOURSVILLE, WV) — Even though Barboursville, West Virginia sits miles away from the actual Ohio River, other rivers that flow through the area have also backed up and flooded, causing traffic nightmares and making it hard just to get around for many people. It’s a problem many areas near the Ohio River are facing across the WOWK-TV viewing area Tuesday and likely well into Wednesday.
The main waterway through the area is the Guyandotte River which flows south to north but takes many twists and turns and those turns have been overflowing in many areas.
The main thoroughfare, U.S. Route 60, was closed in several areas as water rose across the road from various waterways. Motorists were able to get off at exit 18.5, the main Barboursville exit but could not venture toward Route 60 due to the Mud and Guyandotte Rivers backing up onto the roads.
Not far away, Cyrus Creek overflowed where it meets the Mud River, flowing into the Fellowship Baptist Church on U.S. Route 60 and threatening several other businesses.
A few miles away in the Williamsburg Colony subdivision, water from the Guyandotte River left neighbors stuck in their homes or paddling with canoes in the flooded street to get around.
Alternate Route 10, also known as Davis Creek Road, was flooded due to water from Davis Creek getting backed up as it could not flow well into the Guyandotte. This meant that the only real way in to the Barboursville downtown/main business area along U.S. Route 60 was to come in from the I-64 29th Street exit area. Traffic was at a standstill for a few miles during evening rush hour from Farmdale road all the way to the 29th Street exit.
As for when the water will go down, the Ohio River, where all of the Guyandotte River water dumps, it appear that the crest will take place late Wednesday. Once that water level begins to drop, all of the other rivers and streams and creeks that back up into the Ohio River will have a chance to fall once again.
Until the water can drop, expect more delays for the Wednesday morning commute, possibly extending into Wednesday evening. Water levels should fall more rapidly in time for the Thursday morning commute.
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