The West Virginia Division of Highways project addressing Van Voorhis Road between the W.Va. 705 intersection and West Run Road is scheduled for the upcoming construction season.
On Tuesday, the Morgantown Utility Board approved contracts addressing utility relocation and improvements tied to that work.
The first, for $522,610 went to Green River Group to install 1,100 feet of eight-inch PVC gravity sewer line and 1,690 feet of six-inch PVC water line.
A second contract, worth $101,550, went to Snider & Son for the placement of 400 feet of eight-inch water line to be installed by directional drill method and 60 feet of 36-inch steel casing via bore and jack.
“The DOH will absorb those costs. They will pay us back,” MUB General Manager Mike McNulty said.
Planned improvements for Van Voorhis include lane widening, an additional southbound lane from Killarney Drive to 705, shoulder paving, construction of sidewalks, curbs, gutters, retaining walls and drainage upgrades along various sections of the roadway.
In other news from Tuesday’s meeting, Westover City Attorney Tim Stranko was on hand to discuss MUB’s potential acquisition of Westover’s sanitary sewer utility.
The two sides have been working on the potential merger since early 2023, but the discussion stretches back to at least 2018.
“We’re looking for the best cost service for our sewer customers. I didn’t say lowest cost service, and that’s an important distinction. You can deliver the lowest cost service by not doing the things a quality utility does … the things MUB does as a matter of routine,” Stranko said.
He suggested a two-step process for the acquisition — an initial operations and management agreement to be followed by final acquisition once Westover’s forthcoming Holland Avenue and Dunkard Avenue lift station projects are significantly complete.
Stranko said the Holland Avenue work will go to bid in June, begin in August or September and be completed in roughly three months.
The pump station project is expected to be completed in May 2025.
The combined cost of the two projects is $8.5 million.
Westover City Council is in the process of adopting a 37% increase in sewer rates tied to the work.
Also on Tuesday, the board approved a contract totaling $136,059 with Worldwide Industries for the painting of the Morgantown Mall water tank.
The board also approved its annual stone contract, awarding that to Greer Industries for $316,925.
