WYDOT gears up for start of 2019 construction season

The Wyoming Department of Transportation will continue with several ongoing projects as well as start new projects in 2019 that will improve road conditions and traffic flow for motorists.
 
Construction crews are expected to start work within the next few weeks, with the majority of the work taking place during the warmer spring, summer and fall months. 
 
The Wyoming Transportation Commission is expected to award about $290 million in contracts by September. Construction crews will work on about 97 projects in 2019.
 
“WYDOT will continue work on several projects this construction season that will help preserve and modernize the state’s highway system,” said Shelby Carlson, WYDOT chief engineer. “We carefully select projects based on system needs and public input. Projects help meet our mission of providing a safe, high quality and efficient transportation system for travelers.”
 
Motorists traveling the state may encounter work zones, which means they need to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, drive cautiously and avoid distractions.
 
“When motorists encounter highway work zones, they need to follow the reduced speed limits, pay attention to their surroundings and keep a safe distance from other motorists and workers,” Carlson said. “We want to ensure everyone, including workers and the traveling public, are safe.”
 
WYDOT will be working on two large projects this year on US 26/89/189/191 south of the town of Jackson. This corridor was broken into two separate projects – the Jackson South project and the Snake River South project.
 
The Jackson South project, which includes new pavement, additional lanes, turnouts, pathways, accommodations for wildlife and landscaping, as well as various other improvements from milepost 145-149, will wrap up this year. The work is required to be completed by June 30, 2019. 
 
The Snake River South project will be let this May and will include the reconstruction of US 26/89/189/191 from mileposts 141-145 with similar improvements. It is anticipated work will begin later in the summer.
 
Accommodations for wildlife include six underpasses for big game and several smaller culverts for small mammals and facilities for fish passage have been included in the corridor improvements for these two projects. More information is available at www.dot.state.wy.us/jacksonsouth.  
 
The other projects WYDOT will be working on throughout the state include pavement projects, bridge rehabilitation, slide work and other improvements. The following is a highlight of some of those projects.
 
Interstate projects
 
On I-80, crews will repair six bridges and repave 10 miles of road between Rock Springs and Rawlins in Sweetwater County.
 
For the bridge work, crews will make repairs to four of the bridges and replace two of them. The contract completion date is October 2020. The cost of the project is $16.8 million.
 
In Albany County, crews will repave 8 miles on I-80 near Laramie and also make repairs to two bridges. The project will cost $10.8 million and the contract completion date is October 2020.
 
On I-25, crews will continue improvement work on 3 miles near Glendo. Crews have been grading, widening and adding an overlay to the road to make it safer. Crews are expected to complete the $11.2 million project on October 2019.
 
Between the Montana state line and Ranchester on I-90, crews will continue with a $7.6 million contract to repave 5 miles of surface. The contract completion date is October 2019.
 
Non-Interstate projects
 
The northern phase of the North Federal Boulevard project in Riverton is also scheduled to start this year. The project involves reconstructing two miles of WYO 789 (North Federal Boulevard). 
 
Besides reconstructing the road, the contract is a joint project with the city of Riverton that also includes sidewalk and ADA upgrades, utility work, storm sewer work, and new street light and new traffic signal installation. The $13.96 million project has a contract completion date of October 2019.
 
Crews will also continue work on Garner Lake Road between Gillette and the Montana state line. Phase two will consist of realigning 4.8 miles of road, parallel and to the east of the current road. 
 
During phase one, crews extended Garner Lake Road to WYO 59 to provide another northern access into Gillette. The 11 million project has a contract completion date of July 2020.
 
For additional information about this news release, contact Stephanie Harsha, Public Involvement Specialist, WYDOT District 3, at (307) 352-3065, or Aimee Inama, senior Public Affairs specialist, at (307) 777-4013.