WYDOT awarded federal RAISE grant for I-25/I-80 interchange design

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – The Wyoming Department of Transportation is pleased to announce it is the recipient of a 2023 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity discretionary grant to help fund the redesign of the Interstate 80/Interstate 25 interchange in Cheyenne.

“This is the third time we've applied for federal grant funding for this interchange, so we are thrilled to have the chance to move forward,” said Keith Fulton, WYDOT assistant chief engineer of engineering and planning.

The $13 million grant will help fund the final design work for a new interchange configuration where the two busy interstates meet.

“The current cloverleaf design is obsolete, and the sharp, tight curves paired with vehicle weaving, and insufficient acceleration and deceleration lanes can create issues for freight and other traffic movement,” Fulton said.

The RAISE grant does not fund any construction work, but Fulton explained that design work is crucial before any shovels can hit the dirt.

“Once we have a final design, we can better estimate construction costs and possible phasing of projects,” he said.

According to the US Department of Transportation, RAISE discretionary grants help project sponsors at the State and local levels, including municipalities, Tribal governments, counties, and others complete critical freight and passenger transportation infrastructure projects.

RAISE grant eligibility requirements allow for funding projects that are harder to support through other US DOT grant programs.