BROOKE COUNTY, W.Va. (WTRF) – An expansion of Route 2 seems to be on a lot of officials’ minds as the Wellsburg Bridges get closer to completion.

Brooke County Commissioners said there has been a push for Route 2 to become a four-lane highway from at least south of the bridge to Ohio County if not from all the way to Wellsburg.

Commission President A. J. Thomas said this expansion would not just be for economic development, but it would be for the safety of motorists as well.

“We have a lot of hillslides and slips on Route 2 and if they cut that hillside back and secured it that would be a huge improvement and we wouldn’t have so many road closures, limited access, and the use of our back roads as a detour.“

A.J. Thomas, President, Brooke County Commission

Thomas said they have started talks with state officials about the expansion and that the commission will continue pushing until there is movement on it.