MPO Policy Board says it needs more information on Exit 155

Ben Conley, The Dominion Post, Morgantown, W.Va.
·3 min read

May 16—MORGANTOWN — Area policy makers on Thursday tabled a request from the West Virginia Department of Transportation regarding I-79 Exit 155 citing a need for additional information.

The request before the Morgantown Monongalia Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Board would have altered the project's listing on the MPO's Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) to indicate a funding change. Specifically, it would replace $59.4 million in state dollars with federal dollars for the project currently listed at $66 million.

The issue gnawing at members of the policy board is the state has already committed that $66 million.

It did so back in 2019, explaining the new interchange would be constructed in a divergent diamond configuration with a westbound flyover and new bridges over Chaplin Hill Road.

Fast forward to January, when the U.S. Department of Transportation announced it was awarding $54.3 million for, according to the DOT's project description, a lot of the same work.

The immediate concern locally was that the state would pull back some or all of its dollars in light of the federal announcement.

After all, local officials said, there was still more than enough project to go around. The original plan included a widened Chaplin Hill Road and new pedestrian infrastructure between the exit and Mylan Park.

Not to worry, said the state.

Days after a Jan. 19 meeting with Secretary of Transportation Jimmy Wriston, Monongalia County Commissioner Jeff Arnett said the following.

"At the end of the meeting, the secretary indicated they were fully committed to the $66 million for the project, " Arnett said. "Wriston said three or four times he was fully committed to the $66 million. 'You're going to get your $66 million. I commit to the $66 million.'"

But it was clear Thursday there is some worry, and the state's request to replace its money with federal money did little to alleviate it.

Brian Carr is the West Virginia Division of Highways representative on the policy board. He was the lone vote against tabling the state's request.

"I would rather adopt this TIP amendment because that frees up $59 million in state dollars that we could match other federal projects around the state, " he said.

And there's the rub.

"With all due respect, I think that's part of the clarification that we want to get. This project is very unique because now we have a federal opportunity as well as a state opportunity and before we release any funds that could be used in other areas of the state, I think we need to do our due diligence, " Policy Board member Ron Justice said. "Once we vote on this TIP amendment, you just said, we release those funds to be used in other parts of the state ... and that concerns me."

Policy Board Chair Joe Statler appointed a five-member committee including himself, Justice, Sean Sikora, Russ Rogerson and Steve Blinco to work with MPO Director Bill Austin to seek additional information from the state.

Following the meeting, Statler said this project has been floating around for nearly seven years at this point.

"What I want to know is exactly where we're at now and what we're talking about and everything that's in it. We know the money, just with inflation, has changed drastically and now we know what money we have from the feds, " he said.

"I just want the correct information—who, when, where and what. I think the only way we can get it is to sit down with cool heads and discuss this. We're not trying to delay anything. In fact, I hope it speeds it up."