CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA- As July 4^th travel begins, the West Virginia Department of Transportation announces that it will, where possible, remove barrels and suspend work on interstate road projects.

“Our goal is to make traveling through West Virginia over the Independence Day weekend as efficient as possible,” stated Transportation Secretary Byrd White. “Of course, there are projects that won’t allow us to remove the work zones, but work will be stopped.”

The rehabilitation and resurfacing project along I-77 from Bluefield to Princeton will be halted and all lanes will be open. The I-64 rehabilitation work around Teays Valley is being done at night but will be suspended for the holiday traffic. The widening along the WV Turnpike from US 19 to the I-64/77 split will also be suspended, although the narrow lanes will remain in place. The I-81 widening project in the eastern panhandle will be halted and work on I-79 will stop for holiday travel. While work will stop on July 4th, crews will continue working on the bridge projects around the Westmoreland interchange in Charleston on Friday and Saturday. All other work will resume on interstate work Monday, July 8.