Charles Town, W.Va. (AP) -- Sen. Robert C. Byrd is spending his 92nd birthday in West Virginia, at a groundbreaking for a new section of highway.

Byrd planned to be in Charles Town on Friday to kick off construction of another section of the new W.Va. Route 9.

The road will run from the east bank of the Shenandoah River to the Virginia state line.

Earlier this week, after spending nearly 57 years in Washington, D.C., Byrd officially became the longest-serving member of Congress in history.

He says he's loved every minute of it, and his only regret is that late wife Erma is not here to celebrate with him.

Building roads has been a key part of Byrd's work.

To date, his staff says, he has secured $156 million to help build the 15-mile, $350 million section of route 9.

(Copyright 2009 by the Associated Press. All rights reserved.)