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MORGANTOWN - The West Virginia Department of Transportation on Wednesday announced it has officially opened bidding for the first phase of the Interstate 79 Chaplin Hill Gateway Project that will reconfigure Exit 155.
The initial phase of work will include replacement of the I-79 bridges over Chaplin Hill Road and is expected to begin in the spring.
Additional improvements, to be bid in future construction packages, will include the reconfigured divergent diamond interchange, a new flyover ramp that will improve traffic flow through the US 19 and WV 7 intersection, roadway widening and construction of multi-modal connections.
"This is a significant milestone for a project that has been nearly a decade in the making. Getting to the point where the first phase is actually being advertised for construction is the result of years of planning, persistence and partnerships between the Monongalia County Commission, the West Virginia Department of Transportation, WestRidge and our federal partners," Monongalia County Commissioner Sean Sikora said.
"The Chaplin Hill Gateway Project is much more than an interchange project. It addresses a major transportation bottleneck, improves safety and access, and creates infrastructure that will support continued economic growth in western Monongalia County for decades to come."
In 2023, the WVDOT, the Monongalia County Commission, and developer WestRidge were awarded a $54.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation through the competitive Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant program. These funds, coupled with $67.2 million from the WVDOT and an additional $10 million in local support from Monongalia County and WestRidge, provided the funding needed to advance the project.
In July 2025, the parties signed off on a three-way agreement that spelled out the responsibilities of each in financing the $135 million undertaking.
"The vision for the I-79 Chaplin Hill Gateway Project began nearly a decade ago," West Virginia Transportation Secretary Stephen Rumbaugh said. "It took teamwork, perseverance, and a shared belief in this project, but we got it done. Along with our partners, the Mon County Commission and WestRidge, we've been able to successfully leverage the investment needed to make this project a reality."
Bids for Phase 1 of the Exit 155 project will be accepted through Oct. 20.