West Virginia Parkways Authority contractors will begin the second phase of a major road rehabilitation project on the West Virginia Turnpike near Beckley on Monday, March 25, 2024.
The work is being done on Interstate 64 West from mile marker 121.5 to mile marker 40 on Interstate 77 North.
Contractors will remove the existing asphalt and then use a special machine to break up the underlying concrete into small pieces. The concrete will be reused to build up a new road base. New asphalt pavement will then be installed on top of the base.
“Travelers are going to get a road that’s smooth and free of potholes,” said Andy Hambrick, Highway Production Manager for the West Virginia Parkways Authority. “We want to give the highest level of service that we can for people driving the West Virginia Turnpike, and this is part of it.”
The left lane of I-64 West in the project area will be permanently closed through the latter part of May. The Parkways Authority will also close the I-77 South exit ramp. Traffic will be detoured from I-64 West onto I-77 North to the Harper Road exit (Exit 44) and then back onto I-64 South. The detour is approximately eight miles long.
The lane closure and detour will be complete no later than Thursday, May 23, 2024, in time for the busy Memorial Day holiday travel weekend.
This is the second phase of a $32.8 million project on the West Virginia Turnpike. The eastbound lanes of I-64 in the same area were reconstructed in 2023.
During the busy summer travel months, crews will work on the project both day and night. Lane closures will be done during the overnight hours when there is less traffic on the road. The work is expected to be completed in November.