What happens when we outgrow our historic mountain tunnels? It isn't always feasible to widen the road because there would be a danger of the tunnel collapsing. One of the longest tunnels in West Virginia has truly become more than an interstate passage through a mountain. It has grown to become something far more significant and important to public safety.

The Memorial Tunnel is a 2,802-foot roadway that passes through Paint Creek Mountain in the unincorporated community of Standard, located in Kanawha County.

Construction of the tunnel began in 1952, and it opened in 1954. The construction cost $5 million, a hefty sum at the time. It was the first tunnel in the U.S. to have a monitoring system via closed-circuit television.

The tunnel remained in use until 1987 when it was finally closed down because traffic through the tunnel created a bottleneck. This was because the 4-lane turnpike became two lanes in the tunnel.

A bypass was built to replace the tunnel, allowing for swifter traffic flow through the area.

But the life of the tunnel did not end there. From 1992 to 1995, it was used for experiments to better improve the ventilation of operational tunnels in the case of fire or other events that would cause smoke to become trapped.

It was in 2000 that the tunnel became known as the Center for National Response, a government training facility that prepares first responders for nationwide crisis situations.

The facility simulates real-world situations for first responders in the event of a major catastrophe on U.S. soil, including training for hazardous environments, disposal of explosive ordnance, underground search and rescue operations, and counterterrorism tactics.

One particular training operation, a three-day exercise for the 779th Aerospace Medical Squadron and 11th Civil Engineer Squadron called Black Flag, simulated several disaster scenarios.

For the operation, actual sets were constructed for members of the squadron in order to make the settings as realistic as possible.

In an article written by Senior Airman Joshua R. M. Dewberry for the U.S. Air Force website, the settings include:

"Decrepit office trailers, concrete rubble blocking at the end of the tunnel a half-mile into the mountainside, two-story buildings, caves, train stations, crushed cars with mannequins as victims, and chemical, biological and drug laboratory scenes with munitions stockpiles."

Through this form of realistic training, first responders will be well-prepared for crisis situations should a major disaster strike.

While the construction of the Memorial Tunnel in West Virginia began with the modest aspiration of simply improving traffic conditions in the region, it has now become a tool to save the lives of many people involved in a disaster situation, turning their terror into hope, and chaos into order.

Were you aware of the story behind the Memorial Tunnel in West Virginia? Do you remember the tunnel when it was still a public roadway? Feel free to comment and join the discussion.

The Memorial Tunnel is not the only one to become abandoned and repurposed. Check out this amazing hiking trail that takes you through abandoned train tunnels.