MORGANTOWN – The West Virginia Division of Highways is hopeful work can resume on a portion of the West Run Road widening project next month.
Work on the 0.86-mile section stretch between Stewartstown and Point Marion roads has been idle for several months due to utility relocation delays.
DOH District 4 Manager Earl Gaskins said the DOH is still waiting on two communication lines to be relocated. One is scheduled to be completed by Friday. The other is still being reviewed for approval.
Gaskins said the DOH is tentatively anticipating work will resume around the beginning of August.
“Initially, this work will be confined to the section of West Run Road from the West Run Apartments to the intersection with Point Marion Road, consisting of the installation of retaining walls,” Gaskins said.
Morgantown’s Anderson Excavating was awarded a $14.4 million contract to widen that stretch of road in January 2024.
Gaskins said the anticipated completion date for the project is spring 2028.
A March update from the Morgantown Monongalia Metropolitan Planning Organization indicated the second phase of the West Run Road widening work – focusing on the 1.86-mile stretch between Stewartstown and Van Voorhis roads – was entering a design study process.
According to correspondence from the West Virginia Department of Transportation to former MPO Director Bill Austin, that design study is to be undertaken during fiscal years 2026 and 2027.
The letter further explained that upon completion of the study, the DOH planned 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.
