Infrastructure
Preston County has a number of infrastructure advantages that help position businesses for success. The benefits businesses find when locating in Preston County are described below.
Transportation
Businesses and residents of Preston County are a short drive from two airports. The Morgantown Municipal Airport offers daily service to Washington Dulles Airport and Pittsburgh International Airport via Southern Airways Express. The airline has partnerships with both American Airlines and Alaska Airlines, allowing passengers and freight from Preston County to reach anywhere those two major airlines fly. The North Central West Virginia Airport in Bridgeport has the longest commercial service runway in West Virginia at 7,800 feet. Major carriers serving the airport include Allegiant and United Express, offering connectivity to international hubs around the country.
Local businesses requiring rail options will find immediate and dependable service from CSX Transportation. CSX is a leading supplier of rail-based freight transportation in North America and serves the I-68 corridor with access running through the southern portion of Preston County.
Highway, rail and air transport from Preston County lead to another world-class transportation option at the Port of Baltimore, which handled 43 million tons of international cargo in 2019, according to the State of Maryland. It was ranked first in the nation in handling automobiles, light trucks, farm and construction machinery imported sugar and gypsum and second in exporting coal. Local businesses can get their products on their way to Canada, Mexico and beyond in short order.
Utilities
Mon Power is Preston County’s electricity provider. As a FirstEnergy Company, Mon Power was named in 2021 as one of the nation’s leading utilities for promoting economic development by Site Selection Magazine for the third year in a row. Natural gas is provided in Preston County by Cardinal Natural Gas, a Utility Pipeline company, and Mountaineer Gas. Most water and wastewater services are provided by organizations like Preston County PSD1, Preston County PSD4 and various local-level authorities.
Broadband
The broadband access and coverage in Preston County is excellent, especially considering the area’s mountainous and rural nature, allowing residents the ability to work remotely and experience an extremely high quality of life. The West Virginia Broadband Enhancement Council has other information regarding broadband availability, projects and more.