Construction of a $70 million bridge across the Monongahela River in West Virginia is set to begin in the spring of 2024, according to Gov. Jim Justice and the West Virginia Division of Highways. Additionally, the construction of a new $30 million interchange at Harmony Grove could start as early as July 2025.
During a meeting of the Morgantown Monongalia Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Board, three Transportation Improvement Program amendments were approved. These amendments pertain to the Harmony Grove project and include $3.7 million for engineering work in the current fiscal year, $550,000 for right-of-way acquisition in fiscal year 2024-2025, and $25 million for construction in fiscal year 2025-2026.
The purpose of these projects, totaling $100 million, is to improve interstate access to Mountaintop Beverage and the wider Morgantown Industrial Park area. Bill Austin, the MPO Executive Director, stated that the TIP amendments were made at the request of the West Virginia Division of Highways. The inclusion of projects in the TIP is necessary for the utilization of federal transportation funds and serves as a way to ensure local support for federally funded projects.
While the majority of funding for the Harmony Grove interchange will come from local sources, a process outlined in a memorandum of understanding signed in September 2020, federal funds will still be used for certain aspects of the project. The memorandum explains that the creation of the MIP Harmony Grove TIF district will generate revenue that will be used to reimburse the state for the interchange. This repayment process mirrors the one used for the construction of I-79's Exit 153, which was completed for $22 million in 2016 and paid off by mid-2020.
The Monongalia County Commission and Enrout Properties, along with the West Virginia Department of Transportation, are currently working on finalizing the details of the Harmony Grove repayment. The Policy Board member and Blacksville representative, Joe Statler, urged the parties to resolve these matters promptly to avoid any delays in the project's progress.
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