CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WBOY) — Drivers in downtown Morgantown might soon see some relief from the traffic near West Virginia University. Gov. Jim Justice announced on Thursday that he approved the bid award for a widening project for one of the main roads in the area, which will improve traffic flow and relieve congestion.

“Morgantown is a busy city with a lot going on, especially in the areas surrounding WVU,” said West Virginia Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston. “This project will go a long way in improving access to Campus Drive and improving traffic flow on a major corridor through town.”

According to a release from the West Virginia Department of Transportation’s Division of Highways (WVDOH), a half-mile section of Beechurst Avenue will be widened—from University Avenue to Campus Drive—which will realign an awkward intersection at Beechurst and Campus Drive.

WVDOH is coordinating work with the city of Morgantown and WVU on the realignment of the Campus Drive intersection by constructing a 240-foot-long retaining wall. The newly aligned intersection combined with the widened roadway will greatly relieve congestion near the lower end of the WVU campus, according to the release.

The contract for the project has been awarded to Bear Contracting LLC, with a bid of $5,478,899.91, and much of the funding comes from bond sales through Gov. Justice’s Roads to Prosperity program.

“Thanks to the bold vision of the Governor’s Roads To Prosperity program, we are able to prioritize and expedite projects like this so the people of West Virginia can get where they need to go as quickly and as safely as possible,” said West Virginia Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston, P.E. “By using bond monies to pay for these projects, it provides us the financial flexibility to continue funding our unprecedented efforts to maintain the secondary roads all across our great state.

The project is expected to be completed in the spring of 2024.