WYDOT plans $44M in spending

Alexis Barker
NLJ News Editor
 
The Wyoming Department of Transportation has $44 million worth of projects planned for Weston County between 2021 and 2027, according to this year’s State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) presentation. 
On Aug. 16, representatives from the department met with the Newcastle City Council to provide an overview of anticipated projects and funding for highway projects in Weston County. 
According to the presentation, 10 different projects are planned for the county between 2021 and 2027, totaling $44,749,541 in anticipated spending. Isaac Finkle, District 4 construction engineer, noted that this amount does not include maintenance projects, including bridge rehabilitations and chip seals. 
For 2021, Finkle reported that the mill and overlay of 13.47 miles of U.S. Highway 85 between Lusk and Newcastle was nearing completion. The estimated cost of the project, the report states, is $5.2 million. 
Two projects are scheduled for 2022. The first is a
6.8-mile mill and overlay on U.S. 85 near Mule Creek Junction, costing an estimated $4.6 million. The other will mill and overlay 8.26 miles on U.S. 85 from Four Corners to the South Dakota state line, with an estimated cost of $3.4 million. 
Two projects are scheduled for 2023. These include a 6.78-mile chip seal and overshoot on U.S. 16 East near Newcastle, with a cost of $314,829, and a 10.04-mile mill and overlay project on U.S. 85 from Red Butte to Four Corners, with an estimated cost of $4.2 million. 
In 2024, the department has partnered with Weston County to complete a Bridge Replacement “Off-System” Program, or BROS, project replacing the bridge on Old Highway 85. 
Linked to this project is a Commission Road Improvement Program, CRIP, project overlaying 3.68 miles of County Road 1A. This project will overlay from U.S. 85 to Greenhouse Road and then gravel from Greenhouse Road to the replaced bridge. The overlay and graveling is expected to take place in 2025. 
“The estimated cost of the BROS project is $4.5 million, and that is a 90-10 split with the county,” Finkle said. 
He noted that the overlay project is another partnership with the county and has an estimated cost of $900,000. In return for the state’s completing the project on the county’s behalf, through the CRIP program, Weston County will take over the maintenance and ownership of Wyoming Highway 451, Finkle said. 
“We will be taking that off of our system, and Weston County will take over the maintenance and ownership. This is tied to the bridge project,” he said. 
Also happening in 2025 is a 10.37-mile overlay on U.S. 85 near Blacktail Creek. According to Finkle, the cost of this project is estimated at $5.8 million. 
In 2026, WYDOT has another two projects scheduled for Weston County. The first is a 16.6-mile mill and overlay on WYO 450 from Clareton to Reno Road with an anticipated cost of $6.7 million. The other is a 5.9-mile mill and overlay on WYO 116 from Upton to Sundance, with an estimated cost of $2.9 million. 
The final project in this year’s STIP presentation is the 2027 mill and overlay of 13.45 miles on U.S. 15 from Upton to Soda Butte Section. The anticipated cost of this project, Finkle said, is $6.1 million. 
In addition to the road projects, the department has planned seven years of different bridge rehab projects. The total cost of these projects, in all of District 4, is anticipated to reach $38,106,575 and address issues on 69 different structures. 
“Fun fact, this district has the most bridges in the state,” Finkle said, noting that there are a total of 518 bridges throughout the entire district. 
District 4, according to the district engineer Scott Taylor, covers northeast Wyoming and encompasses Newcastle, Sundance, Hulett, Gillette, Upton, Buffalo and Sheridan. 
After the presentation, those who attended the meeting were allowed to ask questions. Mayor Pam Gualtieri asked who is responsible for putting up flashing speed signs. 
“We have had a lot of speeding complaints,” Gualtieri said. “Apparently the signage is not good enough.” 
Taylor explained that the local entities are tasked with putting the signs up where needed and that WYDOT will give a right-of-way for the placement. He noted that the two entities can get the process going.