By Ben Conley, The Dominion Post
MORGANTOWN — The old proverb teaches that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
On Wednesday, the West Virginia Division of Highways, Monongalia County Commission and developer WestRidge took the critical first step down what promises to be a long and difficult road toward a new I-79 Exit 155 interchange.
In short, they sorted out the money.
In a meeting attended remotely by Secretary of Transportation Todd Rumbaugh and Deputy Secretary Michael DeMers, the commission signed off on a three-way agreement that spelled out how the $135 million project budget will be covered.
About half the cost – $67.2 million – will be provided by the state. Another 40%, or $54.3 million, will come through the US Department of Transportation MEGA Grant awarded in 2024, and the final 10%, totaling approximately $13.5 million, will be provided locally by WestRidge and the county. The local contribution includes design dollars already spent.
