SET TO BEGIN — A project to renovate the right lanes in both directions of U.S. 22 in Weirton is set to begin next week. State officials announced plans for the project last fall. -- Craig Howell

WEIRTON — A project to replace a portion of the lanes on U.S. 22 is set to begin next week.

The West Virginia Division of Highways awarded the project to Golden Triangle Construction Co. Inc., at a cost of $8,361,435.40, announcing the contract as part of a letting on Jan. 13, and officially awarding the bid Jan. 29.

The project will focus on the right, or “slow” lanes of U.S. 22 in both east- and west-bound directions, between the Harmon Creek exit and the Veterans Memorial Bridge.

An announcement made by the WVDOH Monday indicated work is set to begin March 23 and will last into early August.

According to the bid package issued last fall, “work will consist of full-depth concrete replacement and upgrading the guardrail for approximately 2.74 miles. All work will be within the existing right of way.”

The resurfacing work will include three parts: the milling of existing bridge approaches to a two-inch depth, the removal of existing slabs in the slow lanes, replacing them with “10-inch non-reinforced Portland cement concrete pavement or 12-inch non-reinforced Portland concrete pavement where applicable,” and the placement of a superpave asphalt skid resistant pavement surface on the roadway.

Milling of existing asphalt will be done to a depth of two inches, with placement of new asphalt to begin following the replacement of concrete slabs.

The project was announced in August by Del. Jimmy Willis, R-Brooke, during a meeting of the Brooke County Commission.

“The money will be there, and it will be put out to bid this winter,” Willis said at the time, emphasizing the importance of the highway corridor which travels through Hancock and Brooke counties in West Virginia, stretching into both Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Two other companies – Swank Construction and Triton Construction – offered bids on the project, with Swank’s bid submitted at $9,067,045.33, and Triton’s at $11,998,000.

The surface replacement isn’t the only work on U.S. 22 set for the area.

The DOH also has awarded a contract to Freyssinet Inc., in the amount of $1,842,229, for a cable replacement project on the Veterans Memorial Bridge. The work will focus on “Cable 10 South,” which officials note is corroded.

Bid packages note “temporary stay cables will be used during construction and anchored with concrete tiebacks near the riverbanks.”

The work will require lane closures on the eastbound side of the bridge, as well as on the river while the temporary stay cables and new cables are installed, and the current cables are removed. Detours will be established using West Virginia Route 2 and Ohio Route 7 during times of total bridge closures, when necessary.

In the event of a full closure, activities will take place in the evening hours, from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. Friday and Saturday.