MORGANTOWN – According to a representative of the West Virginia Division of Highways, completion of the Morgantown Industrial Park access road and bridge project is currently anticipated in December 2027.
The contractor currently remains focused on earthwork and the placement of stormwater infrastructure for the alignment of the new road on both sides of the Monongahela River.
It was anticipated some 953,000 cubic yards of dirt would need to be moved for the project, which will connect U.S. 119 (Grafton Road) with an improved Rail Street in the Morgantown Industrial Park via a multi-span bridge.
A connection to Smithtown Road will also be constructed, and a portion of Master Graphics Road – connecting to River Road – will be improved and paved.
Barring complications, the DOH expects paving work on the industrial park side of the river could begin in April, followed by the start of work on the second bridge abutment as well as caisson work for abutment one and pier one.
Steel erection on the bridge structure is currently anticipated to begin this fall.
Triton Construction, of St. Albans, was awarded the $59.7 million project in August 2024.
Meanwhile, according to information shared during the most recent meeting of the Morgantown Monongalia Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Board, construction of the new Harmony Grove interchange could be ramping up around the time the bridge project is winding down.
Both projects are expected to vastly improve truck access between the interstate and the industrial park.
The long-discussed Harmony Grove interchange cleared a major hurdle in November, when the Federal Highway Administration signed off on the project’s interchange justification report.
MPO Executive Director Bill Austin said findings of the environmental review process mandated by the National Environmental Policy Act are expected around the end of April.
“A rough guesstimate on when construction could begin on that project is 18 months to two years,” Austin said. “Of course, we know these schedules do get drug out, but that’s as good an estimate as we have right now.”
