MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — There’s some movement in a long-talked-about Morgantown road project.
State DOH District Manager Earl Gaskins said utility relocation on Green Bag Road is underway, setting the stage for the major reconstruction project that will include roundabouts.
Gaskins said contractors have been doing the relocation work while maintaining traffic with flaggers and temporary materials, primarily stone.
The work has caused major delays, and the materials used to maintain traffic through the project have not been able to handle the volume of traffic.
“We’re trying to get this roundabout and the project rolling,” Gaskins said Tuesday on WAJR’s “Talk of the Town.” “I know it’s not popular in some people’s eyes, but I think it’s a necessity and it’s really going to improve our area and Morgantown for the traveling public.”
Traffic maintenance through the project has been difficult due to the installation and testing requirements for the systems. The work completed has to be air tested, and if a test fails, workers have to excavate to find the leak and then open the trench enough to complete a repair.
“The contractor is working on water and gas,” Gaskins said. “They have to go back in and pressure test, and there maybe a leak, and they have to go back and redo that—it’s a very time-consuming and very inconvenient.”
Gaskins said this utility relocation will likely be completed over the next month, but weather or other delays could extend that plan. Even if the utility relocations are completed in a month, continuing right-of-way acquisition procedures could continue to delay the project.
“The work you’re seeing should finish up before summer, and we’ll get something more permanent in there,” Gaskins said. “Be prepared because the big construction is coming.”
In the days leading up to the NCAA Women’s Basketball Regional, the DOH was able to increase the labor available to complete pothole repairs in the Monongalia County area. The efforts were focused on Monongahela Boulevard, University Avenue, Patteson Drive, Pierpont Drive and other high-traffic areas in the county.
“We pulled forces from throughout our district, and we focused on that to get it taken care of,” Gaskins said. “We want people to come into our town, be proud of our town, and show people what we do in this state.”
There are also plans to hire transportation workers in the Monongalia County area. Gaskins said there are opportunities to operate equipment and general labor, and they have a CDL training program for people who may want to operate a truck.
“We’re looking to hire anywhere from 18 to 20 new transportation workers in Monongalia County,” Gaskins said. “I think it’s important people know we are hiring because it’s a good permanent state job that provides benefits and is very rewarding.”