Public Meeting on Preferred Alternative Set

An environmental assessment (EA) for the future reconstruction of US 89 between Etna and Alpine in Star Valley identifies widening the road to five lanes as the preferred alternative.
 
A public hearing about the US 89 project proposal is slated for Oct. 29 at the Etna Community Center, and public comments are being solicited through mid-November.
 
The EA, completed last month by the Wyoming Department of Transportation in conjunction with the Federal Highway Administration, is now available for viewing on the WYDOT website (www.dot.state.wy.us) and hard copies are available at the WYDOT offices in Afton, Jackson and Rock Springs, and at Etna Community Center on the night of the meeting.
 
The proposed project includes 9.2 miles of US 89 between mileposts 108 and milepost 117. Widening the existing road from two to five lanes was preferred over other alternatives after detailed analysis of numerous factors, including safety, traffic flow, and access. Details about the various alternatives and the alternative comparison process are included in the EA.
 
The Oct. 29 public hearing will be conducted in an informal open-house format. Interested parties may attend at their convenience between 5 and 7 p.m. Exhibits summarizing the proposal and the EA will be displayed, and WYDOT personnel and others involved in the project will be available to discuss the project and answer questions. Public comments concerning the EA will be accepted at the meeting, with a transcriber on hand to record verbal statements.
 
WYDOT will accept comments into mid-November, with the next step anticipated to be a final decision document will be issued most likely in early 2016.
 
The EA states an estimated project start date of 2021, although that date could be adjusted based on funding availability.