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Critics of the uncompleted, lightly traveled Corridor H say its cost is too high.

WARDENSVILLE, West Virginia (CNN) - After more than 40 years and $1.5 billion, West Virginia's massive "Corridor H" project is getting another boost from the Obama administration's economic stimulus package, despite questions over whether the project will ever be completed.

The plan is to build a 100-mile, four-lane highway through the Appalachian Mountains, connecting West Virginia to the eastern seaboard. It has been receiving federal money for decades, largely due to Sen. Robert Byrd, the Democrat who has represented West Virginia in the Senate since 1958.

Byrd has steered hundreds of millions of dollars to the project, including a $9.5 million earmark in the $410 billion spending bill signed by the president Wednesday. Another $21 million will come from the nearly $800 billion economic stimulus bill Obama signed into law in February.

Corridor H has been billed as a way to promote economic development in the impoverished state. But most of it remains on the drawing board. It's not projected to be complete until 2035 - and neighboring Virginia says it has no plans to add on to the eastern end of the highway, meaning the road will end in West Virginia, 10 miles from the state line.

So why keep building it?

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CNN's Joe Johns speaks with professor Ron Walters about black members of Congress who supported Sen. Clinton.

(CNN) – Members of the Congressional Black Caucus have some of the safest seats in Congress. Many come from heavily Democratic districts where the only contest that really matters is the primary: Forget November, if you can keep any Democratic rivals out of the primary, you’re on the path to victory.

The formula for holding these seats is relatively simple: stay in touch with your constituents, stick to the well established liberal policy agenda, gain seniority, and use that seniority to convince voters they need your power in Congress.

It’s worked. Until now.

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Watch Palin discuss her thoughts on being VP.

(CNN) - Would Gov. Sarah Palin join the Republican ticket if asked? The Alaska governor is among the popular names being tossed out there as a possible vice presidential running mate.

In many ways Palin is considered a good match for Sen. John McCain: young, conservative, a reformer who took on and beat Alaska's old guard Republican machine, and hugely popular.

On the other hand, Alaska may be geographically large, but in the presidential race it’s the electoral map that counts, and Alaska only has three electoral votes.

CNN Correspondent Joe Johns put the question to the governor in a recent interview.

CLICK here for her answer.