CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — West Virginia Department of Transportation estimates that construction on Interstate 79 will be completed by the end of August.
Brent Walker, director of communications for the Department of Transportation, said the contractor, Triton Construction, has agreed to streamline the project.
“We’ve cut some considerable time off that project, so we’re really looking at another 40 days,” Walker said.
Since the project began April 10, several accidents, as well as tractor-trailer rollovers, have occurred within the construction zone, which have in turn caused further traffic delays.
“Travelers have experienced problems with merging,” Walker said. “We’ve done everything we can to minimize accidents, but the kind of accidents we’re seeing are preventable. We’re seeing fender benders.”
Walker is hopeful that now that the left travel lane will be closed, accidents should be further prevented.
“It’s a wider lane,” he said. “It’s going to allow for an easier merge onto those bridges, especially where we thought some of that was getting snarled.”
The approximately 6-mile stretch of highway under construction includes eight bridges that Walker said will see significant repairs at its completion.
“Everyone is going to have safe bridges and resurfaced bridges, and we think it’s going to help move traffic better moving forward,” he said.