MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The City of Morgantown and the state Division of Highways have announced plans to work together keeping median areas clean throughout the year.
The work will be done on select weekends beginning March 29- 30.
Morgantown City Council member Weezie Michael coordinated the effort and completed the permit application with the help of DOH District Four Manager Earl Gaskins. The work will focus on major exits from the interstate leading into the various municipalities and use some volunteers from the West Virginia University Student Government Association to complete the work.
“I want it to focus on all the exits when you’re coming into Morgantown, Monongalia County, Westover, and Star City,” Michael said.
Monongalia County Commissioner Tom Bloom is part of the team to set the program up and said the DOH will also sweep the locations with a power broom after the volunteer work has been completed.
“The DOH is not only providing trucks and other equipment, but they’ll also bring a sweeper the next day to clean up what we don’t clean up,” Bloom said.
Michael said the purpose of the effort is bring the communities in the county together to solve a long standing problem. Plans are to conduct clean ups on Mon Boulevard and University Avenue as well.
” I was going to focus mainly on the exits,” Michael said. ” So, it will be a lot about litter clean, maybe some small weed eating and debris pick up because you’ll see hubcaps and logs out there.”
Bloom said over the course of the next year they’ll get feedback from the DOH about the work they’re doing and how they can improve.
Not only are we going to do it the first, but we’re going to meet and find out what we did well and what we need to improves, so when we go to next project we’ll continue to grow,” Bloom said.
Michael said the students are very excited to help and they have tools and supplies thanks to the DOH and county. The permit will allow the operations to continue for a calendar year which should result in a cleaner greater Monongalia County area for upcoming events.
“They’re going to provide me with a lot of students and out first goal is start at the end of March at Exit 155,” Michael said. “We’re going to clean the medians, take care of the weeds in the middle, and some light weed eating.”