Gov. Jim Justice announced Dec. 6 that West Virginia will receive $40 million through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grants. These grants are designated by the Federal Government for use by the West Virginia Department of Transportation on two major projects: a bypass around Berkeley Springs in Morgan County, and construction of approximately 10 miles of Corridor H, a four-lane expressway in Tucker County that is part of the Appalachian Development Highway System. Each project will receive $20 million.

"This is big-time grant money coming to us for the first time in four years," Justice said. "With this $40 million, the WV Department of Transportation can make real progress on these two projects, and keep the momentum going full-steam ahead on my initiative to improve West Virginia's aging transportation infrastructure.

"My office reached out to the White House and the U.S. Dept. of Transportation several months ago and asked why West Virginia had been overlooked for this funding the past several years. We then made a strong case for funding these projects, and I could not be happier with this announcement today. All West Virginians will benefit from these projects," Justice said.

The West Virginia Department of Transportation, with approval from Gov. Justice, advocated for eight BUILD grants this year including the two that were awarded, the New River Parkway in Summers County, Culloden Interchange, U.S. 52 Expansion, Wheeling Complete Street Project, I-70 Interchange in Triadelphia, and a widening project in Berkeley County.