W.Va. Department of Transportation Comments on I-470 Project Del - WTRF 7 News Sports Weather - Wheeling Steubenville

Relief is in sight for local motorists as the construction project on I-470 has been postponed.

The Department of Transportation heard the frustrations of the public that have been getting caught in traffic daily since both projects began. Spokesman Brent Walker says the I-470 project is not as weather sensitive as the re-surfacing project on I-70.

Walker tells WTRF.com some minor paving had to be finished before the cones could come down on I-470. As of Friday, that project is on hold to relieve traffic congestion.

"We hope the traveling public can get around easier up there," he says. "The fact of the matter is that comments were somewhat of a mixed bag. People said, 'let's go ahead and finish it, we're on the downhill stretch.'  We definitely heard from both sides. Of course we never do any of this deliberately."

Construction on I-70 is still on schedule and is set to be finished by the end of October. Then crews will close I-470 back down to finish that project. 

There's about three weeks of work left to be done once crews are able to start back up on I-470. That means it will be the middle to end of November by the time both projects are finished up. 

In the meantime, the Department of Transportation wants you to know they're doing everything they can to keep our roadways free of congestion while these necessary projects are taking place.