West Virginia announces public-private partnership to repair primary I-79 exit (155) in Morgantown

West Virginia officials announced a $135 million public-private partnership to overhaul the congested and deteriorating I-79 Exit 155 in Morgantown, including new bridges, a flyover for westbound traffic, and major roadway improvements.

News Release
July 20, 2025

Governor Patrick Morrisey announced that the West Virginia Department of Transportation, Division of Highways has entered into an agreement with Monongalia County Commission and WestRidge, Inc. to repair and improve the Chaplin Hill Road Exit (Exit 155) on I-79 in Morgantown. The project will reconfigure the interchange, replace aging bridges, construct a two-lane flyover for westbound traffic leaving Morgantown, and improve Chaplin Hill Road in the area adjacent to the exit into a multi-lane boulevard style roadway.

“Fixing West Virginia’s roads and bridges is a top priority of my administration,” said Governor Patrick Morrisey. “As a major gateway to and from Morgantown, it’s imperative to repair the aging infrastructure, improve safety, and reduce congestion at the Chaplin Hill Road exit. This partnership will serve as a model of what we can accomplish to invest in our infrastructure and grow economic development across the state.”

“We celebrate this partnership with the County Commission and WestRidge, Inc.,” said State Transportation Secretary Stephen Todd Rumbaugh, P.E. “This agreement will allow these entities to work together to complete a project that has been in the books since at least 2017. In light of our current funding challenges, the WVDOH will increasingly rely on forging partnerships with counties and local governments in order to complete expansion projects like this one.”

“WestRidge is proud to continue our partnership on Exit 155 —an immensely critical project for our region that will alleviate traffic congestion and enhance safety on a vital stretch of highway many of us use daily,” said Ryan Lynch, President of WestRidge, Inc. “This project also supports ongoing growth in the area and will create a welcoming gateway for visitors to Morgantown and Monongalia County. Lastly, it will achieve significant progress towards our long term goal to strengthen roadway and multimodal access to the important community, recreational, educational, and social service resources at Mylan Park. Over the past few months, we’ve appreciated the opportunity to work closely with the Morrisey Administration and the new leadership at the West Virginia Division of Highways. It’s clear they understand how important this project is to the people who live and work in Monongalia County, and we’re excited to move one step closer today to breaking ground together.”

“The Monongalia County Commission, alongside local development partner, WestRidge, is thrilled to partner with the West Virginia Department of Highways and Governor Morrisey to move forward on Exit 155—our primary gateway in and out of Mon County,” said Jeff Arnett, President of the Monongalia County Commission. “For years, we’ve known this critical interchange was in dire need of a full renovation, and although progress had been made in prior years, it began to stall again in late 2024. Thankfully, the new leadership within the Morrisey administration and WVDOH has brought renewed energy, commitment, and a collaborative mindset. Their willingness to roll up their sleeves and tackle tough problems head-on is exactly why the County and WestRidge felt confident in increasing the local financial contribution and deepening our commitment to this project. Together, we’re building momentum again, and look forward to working collaboratively towards ground-breaking on this much needed project as quickly as possible.”

Exit 155 and Chaplin Hill Road serve as the primary gateway to the City of Morgantown, WVU Campuses, WVU Medicine, and Mon Health Medical Center. It is the first I-79 exit south of the Pennsylvania/West Virginia state line. Certain intersections within the interchange currently operate at level “F” during peak travel periods – causing both congestion and safety issues. The bridges of interchange are currently rated as “poor” and “fair” condition, and do not meet current federal guidelines for height and clearance.

The total project budget is approximately $135,000,000, with about 50% ($67.2 million) being funded from WVDOH, about 40% ($54.3 million) from a USDOT MEGA Grant awarded to the Monongalia County Commission, and about 10% ($13.5 million) from Monongalia County and WestRidge, Inc.