MORGANTOWN — A little over a year after the City of Morgantown announced a $4.1 million grant from the Hazel Ruby McQuain Foundation aimed at revitalizing the city’s riverfront, work is ready to proceed.
Crews from American Fence, of Fairmont, were at the site Thursday to install construction fencing.
The overall goal of the effort is to make the city’s riverfront a focal point by enhancing the Hazel Ruby McQuain Park and Walnut Street Landing.
According to Morgantown Communications Director Andrew Stacy, the project is expected to be completed in early 2020, and, at this time, design and construction costs remain within the grant allocation.
During construction, bike and pedestrian traffic on portions of the Caperton Trail will be rerouted using posted detours.
Parking in the immediate vicinity will also be impacted to allow for equipment staging — particularly between the old depot building and the trail.
The city contracted with March Westin last March to serve as construction manager at risk on the project for $209,700.
Thrasher Engineering and Pittsburgh-based design firm Strada provided design and engineering services at a total cost of $295,500.
Stacy explained that as work advances, various contractors will be brought on board.
He went on to say that the city has spent the last year conducting around 30 planning and design meetings and securing permits from a dozen or so state, local and federal agencies, including the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
