Wheeling to receive more than $14 million as part of the American Rescue Plan

WHEELING, W.Va.- (WTRF) The city of Wheeling will be getting more than $14 million dollars this year as part of last year’s American Rescue Plan.

Mayor Glenn Elliott says the city already received a little more than $14 million dollars last year.

He says the money will be used for a variety of projects, but the funding must be used for pandemic preparedness, the city’s infrastructure or other qualifying uses.

Mayor Elliott says that nearly $30 million dollars has to be spent by 2024, and according to the mayor, the funding is stipulated for those usages only.

He says in the next few weeks council will hold a work session to discuss some possibilities of how to spend the money.

Different organizations have come to us with ideas and funding a priority. Different members of council have different ideas as well. I have some ideas as well, but it’s just a chance for us to throw ideas out there and come up with some system to prioritize a best use of those funds. It’s a lot of money. It’s a one time infusion of capital into our community. It’s very important that we take the time to be careful and deliberate how we spend those funds.

Glenn Elliott, Wheeling Mayor

In other council news, City Manager Robert Herron says the city has finished two and a half months earlier than expected when it comes to the replacement of a water main at Market and Main Streets.

The water main was installed in 1886 and needed to be replaced.

Herron says the city partnered with the West Virginia Department of Highways for the one year project to fix the city’s infrastructure underground at Market and Main.

And he says part of the deal with the state was that the city would replace that water main ahead of the Streetscape Project which is expected to get underway later this year.

Wheeling’s Streetscape Project has been in the making for about seven years.

The project itself will add a new storm water management plan in addition to street trees, sidewalks and pavement.

The work will include a portion of State Route 2 going down through downtown Wheeling from 10th to 16th and Main and Market and all of the cross streets in between.