MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — There’s a month left before West Virginia citizens will be called to vote for a special road bonds election, but Monongalia County officials are wasting no time in offering their support for the October 7 road bonds issuance.
The election will ask for a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ vote on a Constitutional Amendment on road bond issuance. If passed, the state could begin $1.6 billion in road repairs and other infrastructure work. Bill Austin of the Morgantown Monongalia Metropolitan Planning Organization sees a lot of positives in the package.
“The projects they have proposed in the bond referendum really look to address our current congestion as well as trying to anticipate what we’ll need in the future,” said Austin, the organization’s Executive Director said Wednesday on Morgantown AM.
Monongalia County is expected to receive $230 million for eight projects if the bond issuance passes, and will include projects on the Mileground and Green Bag Road as part of the package. Other potential projects include a complete renovation of West Run Road, spot construction on Beechurst Avenue, and improvements surrounding Interstate 79 — which could potentially include a new interchange. Austin feels the projects are reflective of the image that Monongalia County is expanding.
“The Division of Highways and the Department of Transportation recognizes that we’re a growing area and that we have a lot of needs that need to be addressed,” he said.
Most of the projects that are a part of the road bond referendum were already part of future plans for the county as part of a three or four year time frame. If passed, these plans are expected to be accelerated.
“It opens up kind of an opportunity with the funds that were programmed previously to implement these projects to really be more forward,” Austin said. “Looking as far as improving transportation statewide and in our area, which is one of the most rapidly growing areas in the state.”
Even if the road bond referendum passes, Austin said not to expect immediate changes. He cited the new I-79 interchange being discussed as a project still in its infancy.
“It has still got to go through environmental study and design, and it’s four or five years off — maybe up to seven years off even if the referendum goes through just because of the nature of the beast,” Austin said. “It’s a pretty big project.
Early voting begins on the road bond in less than three weeks. Election Day is October 7.