MORGANTOWN – The West Virginia Division of Highways has approved a request from the Morgantown Monongalia Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Board to use MPO funding to expedite improvements to the five-legged intersection of Stewartstown, Point Marion, Canyon and Farm View roads.
During Thursday’s meeting of the policy board, MPO Executive Director Bill Austin shared a letter from the DOH indicating the state intends to use a portion of the MPO’s suballocated Carbon Reduction Program money to do an initial design study and accompanying environmental review.
While the money does come with some restrictions in terms of use, suballocated funds are largely discretionary dollars provided to the MPO through the Surface Transportation Block Grant and Carbon Reduction Program.
Annually, the MPO receives about $400,000 through the Carbon Reduction Program and about $470,000 from the Surface Transportation Block Grant. Between the two, the MPO had a balance of about $3 million as of December 2025.
That’s around the time the policy board voted to speed up the timeline for high-priority improvements to the convoluted intersection by getting directly involved with their funding.
The state concurred.
“The DOH would like to move forward with the design study utilizing $1.2 million of your MMMPO suballocated Carbon Reduction Program funds for this stage of development. Upon completion of this study, we will evaluate funding options for further development,” the DOH letter states.
The intersection is composed of a busy crossroads – Point Marion, Stewartstown and Canyon roads – complicated by the proximity of an offset access point for large housing developments (Farm View Road).
Austin has said MPO review indicates the intersection is failing during both the morning and afternoon peak travel times.
The MPO notes movement through the intersection is hampered by a number of factors, most notably the fact that Farm View Road connects with Point Marion Road near, but not at, the existing traffic signals, leading to driver confusion regarding right-of-way.
According to information previously included in the MPO’s Metropolitan Transportation Plan, there have been two prevailing options for improving the situation.
The first would realign Farm View Road with Stewartstown Road across from Cathy Drive.
The second would keep all five approaches as they’re currently situated and replace the intersection with a 120-foot single-lane roundabout.
Whether either of those options is ultimately deemed favorable will be chief among the questions answered by the design study.
“At this level, it is uncertain what improvements are needed and the expected costs of such improvements,” the DOH explained, noting the design study process will include opportunity for public involvement.
“We’re very excited about that. That will be a very positive study,” Austin said. “I think everybody recognizes the issues with that intersection.”
In other transportation infrastructure news, the DOH has set a timeline for the second phase of the West Run Road widening project addressing the 1.86-mile stretch between Stewartstown Road and Van Voorhis Road.
According to correspondence from the DOH, a design study will be performed over the next 15 months.
Upon completion of the study, the DOH plans to focus on engineering in fiscal year 2028, followed by right-of-way acquisition in fiscal year 2029 and the start of construction in fiscal year 2031.
The announcement comes as the opening phase of the project addressing the 0.86-mile section between Stewartstown Road and Point Marion Road, including the Point Marion intersection, has been idle for an extended period of time due to a snag with utility relocation efforts.
Morgantown’s Anderson Excavating was awarded a $14.4 million contract to widen that stretch of road in January 2024.
“That project, theoretically, should be beginning real construction sometime soon,” Austin said.
