County bridge closed to traffic

Rock Springs, Wyo. – The Wyoming Department of Transportation will be closing the Peru Cutoff Bridge over the railroad on County Road 4-37 near Green River Wrecking and Salvage Yard.

The closure will tentatively begin Wednesday, July 5.  Business accesses will be maintained over the duration of the project. Green River Wrecking will remain open, and local residents will be able to access the area by driving on WYO 530 South of Green River and then on to County Road 4-37. The area will not be accessible from Interstate 80. 

The old bridge will be removed and a new bridge will be constructed. The job will be completed this year, in one construction season. Time constraints have been put on the contractor to limit disruption to local residents. WYDOT is allowing the contractor to close the bridge for a 90-day window. The completion date is set for Oct. 31, although engineers expect most of the work to be completed before that time.

“The closure is necessary because building the new bridge next to the old one would involve right of way (land) acquisition from the Bureau of Land Management and the Union Pacific Railroad. Also, we would have to realign the road to access the new bridge. These reasons would cause costs to increase substantially, extend the project's planning phases and finish date, as well as draw out construction,” WYDOT Resident Engineer Clint Lockman said.

WYDOT has been working with the Sweetwater County Engineering Office to identify deficient bridges in Sweetwater County and the Peru Hill county bridge was noted as in need of replacement. Sweetwater County applied for funds from a WYDOT program called BROS, or Bridge Replacement Off System funds, where counties can apply for financial and construction assistance to replace deficient bridges.

WYDOT awarded this job to DeBernardi Construction Co. last year for $1.3 million. WYDOT requests that local traffic drive cautiously, be alert in these areas and plan accordingly. For more information on road construction, closures and weather conditions, visit WYDOT's Road and Travel Information webpage.

For more information concerning WYDOT activities, contact Stephanie Harsha, Public Involvement Specialist, WYDOT District 3, (307) 352-3065.