MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Monongalia County commissioners held a joint work session with representatives from the Department of Highways (DOH) District Four to get updates on local projects for the summer of ’23.
DOH District Four Construction Engineer Jason Nelson said the Mileground Road project is scheduled to be closed to traffic at the beginning of football season. Contractors are completing drainage and grading work in preparation for paving later this summer. Nelson said paving Mileground Road will be a time-consuming process that will likely create traffic problems.
“The paving on that is going to take a little time because of the phasing and making sure we’re not creating waterholes because everything lays flat,” Nelson said.
The proposed project at Collins Ferry Road and University Avenue will go forward, but the current contract has been cancelled due to right-of-way issues. The project will be rebid and awarded again when the issues are resolved.
“Rather than us keeping our contract and submitting costs to us, we dropped the contract, and it will have to be rebid once the contract is cleared,” Nelson said.
Nelson said lane widening and changes to Beechurst Avenue won’t get started until late this construction season or event year. The project is expected to be completed in 2024.
“The first thing they’ll really have to do is hit those walls going up Campus Drive,” Nelson said. “There are two sets there and a smaller one on down the road and that’s what you’ll see taking up most of this year.”
DOH Maintenance Engineer Aaron Stevens said potholes on Mayfield Road will be filled by Memorial Day, and some grading and ditch cleaning at the lower end will be completed after that. But he said there are no plans for widening or the addition of turnouts.
In Granville, the status of two traffic lights in the area of University Towne Centre remains uncertain. DOH officials are verifying who owns the property where the lights will be placed and if the distance between existing lights is within code. The project has been under review for a year, and a timeline has never been established. Granville Mayor Patty Lewis cited the danger to the traveling public and requested a letter from the DOH releasing the town from liability if an accident were to occur.
In Westover, commissioners have requested an asphalt overlay for Holland Avenue before that major construction is done in the next three years. The work will have to be coordinated with sewer line construction on Holland Avenue this year.
According to the Morgantown Monongalia Metropolitan Planning Organization (MMPO), the proposed Green Bag Road roundabout could go out for bid in the fall, but DOH officials could not confirm the date. The conflict in information was also discussed in the development stages of the Harmony Grove interchange and I-79 exits 153 and 155 improvements.
“We’re trying to get information; you’re trying to get information. The MMMPO gets information, and it doesn’t appear to be the correct information, and that’s why we’re trying to get this resolved,” Bloom said.
Both sides are working to resolve the outstanding issues.
DOH District Four Engineer Mike Daley said they are dedicated to milling and filling potholes until the Memorial Day holiday, when core maintenance work will begin. Daley said in some cases work cannot be done or has to be delayed because of staffing issues, and it’s a problem contractors are dealing with too.
“We have that plan; can we stay directly and consistently on that plan?” asked Daley. “We do our very best with the resources we have to work with.”
For 2024, DOH officials said they are planning to pave Brockway Avenue from Hartman Run Road to downtown Morgantown and Willey Street from Spruce Street to Mileground Road.