The Roanoke Times | File June

A tractor trailer travels down Peppers Ferry Road in Christiansburg.

Then: On June 19, the Commonwealth Transportation Board approved a six-year, $7.9 billion road building program that delays or cuts hundreds of planned projects because of funding shortfalls. Among the cuts was funding for preliminary work on widening Virginia 114 outside the Christiansburg town limits.

But David Clarke, administrator of the Virginia Department of Transportation's Christiansburg residency, said the widening of Virginia 114 within town limits will proceed, with the bidding process to open in October.

Now: Clarke said bids for construction have been received and will be awarded before the month is over.

The widening of the town's portion of Virginia 114 to four lanes will use a mixture of federal and state funds, Clarke said.

The project calls for the work to be done on a three-quarter-mile stretch from the corporate limits at Dominion Drive to the Little Market. Plans call for the road to be converted to a four-lane sector with center turn lanes and drainage areas, Clarke said.

During the next four years, the state has pledged to contribute more than $4 million, while the federal government has offered more than $2 million.

The bidding process closed last month, and, as of Nov. 26, bids were received from seven construction companies. Branch Highways Inc. was the lowest bidder at about $4 million. Fort Chiswell Construction Corporation was the highest with its $6 million bid.

Once the Commonwealth Transportation Board reviews the bids and makes a decision, the construction company chosen will be given a notice to proceed some time in January and construction will begin. Clarke said this is the task to be taken care of before the project can see fruition.

"The design has been there for a while. It's just a matter of waiting for funding to become available," he said.

Once construction of the road is complete, it will then be turned over to Christiansburg.

Clarke said that construction will begin in early 2009 with a completion date of late October 2010.

"VDOT and the town of Christiansburg are looking forward to getting this project going. We've been waiting for a long time," he said.