The West Virginia Department of Transportation held a public informational meeting last week to discuss plans for the Star City Interchange Improvement Project, a $135 million proposal to rebuild the Interstate 79 interchange at Chaplin Hill Road in Monongalia County.
Community members reviewed project displays and spoke with representatives from WVDOT, the Monongalia County Commission and West Ridge Inc. at the March 9 meeting.
Proposed improvements include replacing the I-79 bridges over Chaplin Hill Road, converting the interchange to a diverging diamond design, widening portions of Chaplin Hill Road and adding new connections to regional trail systems.
The project is the first phase of the broader Western Monongalia Gateways initiative and is designed to address existing traffic congestion, improve roadway and bridge conditions and expand multimodal travel opportunities.
The project is supported in part by a $54.3 million grant from the United States Department of Transportation through its Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant Program. Additional funding is being provided by WVDOT, the Monongalia County Commission and West Ridge Inc.
The project is currently in the planning and environmental review stage. Construction is expected to occur in phases following completion of design, right-of-way acquisition and federal environmental approvals.
Residents who were unable to attend the meeting can still review project information and submit comments as the project moves forward. For more information, visit transportation.wv.gov.
