Interchange Materials Lab
February 2024
Vol. 52, Iss. 2
Put to the test: asphalt, concrete, paint and steel The following was originally published in the August 2018 edition of Interchange. WYDOT Public Affairs sat down with the Materials Program and learned that it’s been business as usual for State Materials Engineer Greg Milburn and his 41 person staff. “There’s not a lot of changes in our industry,” Milburn said. “Obviously, there have been various upgrades over time such as new mix design procedures, modernized equipment, and implementing new specifications. But fundamentally, we’re doing what we’ve been doing for 100 years, which is testing materials and designing roads.”
Photo: Mark Horan/WYDOT
From recommending which highway sections need work the most, to the final check to make sure all materials used to build a highway have been tested and certified, WYDOT’s Materials Program is involved in projects from start to finish. The program has laboratories that test virtually all materials used by the department, from the components of asphalt or concrete pavement to the reinforcing steel and bolts used in bridges and the paint used to stripe the completed highways. “Essentially, anything that is incorporated into a project that’s materials related has to be tested and/or certified, from barbed wire to bridge girders,” State Materials Engineer Greg Milburn said. “We test lots of different materials and products in-house. We test how thick the galvanization is on the wire used in fences. We test bridge paint. We even test the roundness of glass beads used to increase reflectivity of traffic paint.” But the program’s responsibilities go beyond testing materials. Its Pavement Management System is one of the primary tools used to decide if and when a project is added to the State Transportation Improvement Program. The PMS rates the condition of pavements based on roughness, rutting, cracking and friction using information gathered by consultants and Materials technicians who drive the state’s highways annually with special testing equipment.
Photo: Mark Horan/WYDOT
Job Lopez, in the Asphalt Laboratory, prepares a binder specimen in the Dynamic Shear Rheometer to evaluate specification compliance.
Terrence Gavagan, in the Soils and Surfacing Laboratory, demonstrating sieve analysis of fine aggregate.
The pavement condition ratings are used to predict the future performance of the pavement based on computer models. That helps WYDOT determine which highway sections need work the most and the appropriate rehabilitation strategies to use. Once a project is added to the STIP, engineers in the Materials Program begin working to find what kind of surfacing materials should be used and how thick each layer needs to be. The recommended pavement thickness depends on current and projected traffic volumes, particularly for trucks, the stability of the soil and geology under the route and how long the pavement is expected to last. “Whether it’s concrete or asphalt, or if the project is for maintenance, rehabilitation, reconstruction or new construction, we design it for a particular life,” Milburn said. “We design for 10-year, 20-year and 30-year life spans.” For highways with relatively consistent traffic volumes, the recommended thickness of the pavement can vary widely based on the soil conditions under the road. “We need to know how strong the roadbed will be,” Milburn said. “Geology drills it and sends us samples to test. We have arMaterials continued on page 3
Contents
Interchange February 2024
Interchange is published for employees of the Wyoming Department of Transportation by its Public Affairs Office and a number of field correspondents. Interchange invites submissions from all employees. Please send them to either your district correspondents or to Carlie Dakins, Interchange editor 5300 Bishop Blvd., Cheyenne, Wyoming, 82009-3340 or send an email to carlie.dakins@wyo.gov.
Features 1 4 6 10
Volume 52, Issue 2
Materials Lab
Put to the test: asphalt, concrete, paint and steel
Donate Life specialty license plate now available
New plate a ‘rolling billboard’ for donation awareness
WYDOT awarded federal grant for truck parking
Marks third competitive Federal grant in 2023 for WYDOT
Task Force work paying off in Fremont County
Staff WYDOT Director
Programs and Partner Agencies
Darin J. Westby, P.E.
Aeronautics
7
Public Affairs Manager
Employee Safety
12
Doug McGee
Game and Fish
17
Editor
Training
11
Contributors
Also in this issue District Briefs
8
By the Numbers
10
District News
14
Letters
17
Passings
18
Extra Mile Awards
18
WTDEA
19
Pets
20
Break Time
23
Kindly recycle this publication after reading.
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Carlie Dakins Carlie Dakins Matt Groth Mark Horan Jordan Young Andrea Staley Jeff Goetz Stephanie Harsha Laura Dalles Cody Beers Lt. Kyle McKay
Public Affairs Public Affairs Public Affairs Public Affairs District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 Patrol
Be sure to check out the online version of Interchange at http://issuu.com/ wydot.pao or click on the link found on the employee’s internal website home page.
A WYDOT PUBLICATION
eas with completely different soils. We might have some clays in one area and some sandstones in another. So that’s where you’ll see the thicknesses change significantly.” Some sections of Interstate 90 have pavement 2-feet thick, with another 2 feet of crushed base and subbase below, while sections of other highways have only 2 inches of pavement over 3 or 4 inches of crushed base and have not required major rehabilitation since they were built in the 1940s, he said. If a project involves reconstruction or new construction, Materials works with Project Development and the districts to determine what kind to pavement to use. Concrete doesn’t rut or shove, so it has advantages for urban areas where there will be frequent turning, stopping and starting, Milburn said. Asphalt pavements tend to be quieter and ride smoother so they have advantages as well. The decision tree on which type of pavement to use includes looking not only at what it will cost to build the road, but what routine maintenance it will take for the road to get to its expected design life. “When we look at a plant mix road, it may be a 20-year design, but we know we’re going to have to go out there and do a crack seal or some chip sealing or a thin overlay if we structurally want to get that pavement section to 20 years,” he said. Depending on the project, the crushed base and aggregate required may come from a commercial source or WYDOT may provide a source. In either case, Materials tests the size gradations of the aggregate, the strength of the crushed base, and the individual aggregate properties to make sure they meet specifications. Once a project goes to contract, Materials provides the resident engineer on the project with a list of the tests and certifications that will be required. “We tell them what they should be testing and the frequency of the tests,” Milburn said. “We provide support to resident engineering during the project construction when issues involving construction materials arise.” Each week during construction season, a Materials Program representative drives a circuit around the state to pick up samples to be tested at the lab in Cheyenne. “He gets back at the end of the week with a truck full of samples, whether for an asphalt mix design, crushed base or steel,” Milburn said. “Recently we’ve even gotten involved in testing fence posts, to see the depth of the penetration of the treatment. “We do compression tests on the concrete cylinders that the resident engineers’ crews are casting and sending to us. We condition those and then we break them. When we’re breaking steel, this whole building will shake.” The lab gets hundreds of gallons of asphalt samples from all the refineries and suppliers in the area for testing. “We test emulsified asphalts, cut-back asphalts, asphalt binders and crack sealants,” Milburn said. “These products are tested for many properties ranging from viscosity to elasticity under severe atmospheric conditions.” The program also has a mobile lab that spends the construction season on the road traveling to the sites of any projects that need it. “The purpose of this is to be able to go to projects quickly and provide support,” Milburn said. “When a resident engineer is having some issues with a particular mix on the road, we send our mobile lab out.”
Once a project is done, Materials does a final check to make sure all the testing and certifications required were completed. “We look at all the materials-related items - certifications for the rebar or the paint, the gradations or the tests and the pay factors,” Milburn said. “If we find anything missing, we work with the resident engineer to get that test result or that certification.” The program’s involvement in projects from start to finish means Materials personnel often have to have expertise in more than one area. Engineers who make thickness recommendations also review mix designs, provide construction support to the resident engineers, and then assist in the finals process. “We’re involved all the way from the Pavement Management System selecting candidate projects to the finals process of putting those jobs to bed,” Milburn said. “We’re really the last set of eyes on a project. We wear many hats here.” The program’s Field Services Division does bridge deck inspections and during the winter collects core samples from pavements. The cores can be used to measure pavement thickness and analyze the quality of the mix. Field Services also does falling weight deflectometer testing. Using equipment that drops a heavy weight onto the pavement or ground, the crew measures the resulting deflections to determine the strength of the pavement or subgrade below. All the personnel in the lab in Cheyenne, the mobile lab and anyone performing tests in the field must be trained and certified, and the equipment they use must be accredited and calibrated annually. “We carry an accreditation with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, which isn’t easy to get,” Milburn said. “All of these guys are experienced and exposed to these different tests and they’re tested by national inspectors. So that keeps them busy maintaining their certifications and staying up on the specifications and making sure they’re dialed in.” WYDOT has its own tester certification program operated by Materials in conjunction with the University of Wyoming’s Civil Engineering Department, which provides classes on concrete,
Photo: Mark Horan/WYDOT
Materials continued from cover
Scott Neal, with the Chemistry Laboratory, removes a specimen from the blast furnace in preparation to evaluate material properties using the X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer. Materials continued on page 5
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Donate Life specialty license plate now available New plate a ‘rolling billboard’ for organ, eye and tissue donation awareness
Photo: Donor Alliance/WYDOT
By Jordan Young Wyoming residents will start seeing another specialty license plate around the state after the Donate Life plate became available in January. The Donate Life plate promotes organ, eye and tissue donation awareness. It was approved by the Wyoming Legislature during its 2023 session. Eric Quinney and his teen son, Bryson, from Uinta County were adamant supporters of the plate and testified their support before the legislature frequently in 2022 and again in 2023. The cause is personal to them; Bryson was born with several heart issues, causing him to undergo three heart surgeries by the time he turned 3 years old. In 2019, the heart defects damaged his liver, and Bryson was added to the heart transplant waiting list at just 13 years old. While Bryson was in the hospital waiting to receive a new heart, he met another patient his age who was also waiting for a transplant. They quickly became friends, sharing a special bond born from a shared adversity. Bryson eventually got the call he and his family had anxiously been waiting for: a new heart and the chance to go home. His friend never received that call and passed away waiting. “I think that really propelled us into wanting to be more involved in organ donation awareness,” Eric said. “Bryson got a heart – and we’re super thankful for that gift of life – but we physically saw somebody pass away because an organ did not
Photo: Donor Alliance/WYDOT
Bryson Quinney smiles with the first Donate Life specialty license plate. Bryson and his father, Eric, testified regularly in front of the Wyoming Legislature during the 2022 and 2023 sessions in support of the new specialty plate, which was made available to the public this month.
Eric Quinney, right, and Sen. Wendy Schuler (SD-15) smile with a new Donate Life specialty license plate. Shuler worked closely with Eric, her constituent, as she sponsored the bill that created the Donate Life plate in the 2023 legislative session. She also sponsored a bill for the cause in 2022, but since it was a budget session, there was no time for it to be considered.
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come in time for them. There’s literally thousands of people waiting for life saving transplants, and some of them don’t get them in time. We need more people to be willing to be organ donors.” For their efforts in making the plate a reality, Eric and Bryson received the first Donate Life plates produced in the state. The family has three of the plates, one for each family vehicle. “After the whole process that took us a couple years, it was super awesome to see and be able to hold that number one plate,” Bryson said. As of Jan. 25, 40 Donate Life plates had been issued. A total of 1,000 sets of plates need to be issued before the end of 2031 for the plate to be a permanent option available to Wyoming drivers. Donor Alliance CEO and President Jennifer Prinz in a January news release that Donor Alliance is appreciative of the Quinneys “for rolling up their sleeves and working alongside Wyoming state lawmakers to make this license plate a reality to help us raise awareness and connect Wyomingites to our mission.” Donor Alliance is a nonprofit organization that saves and heals lives through organ and tissue donation for transplantation in most of Wyoming and Colorado. In addition to facilitating organ and tissue donation, Donor Alliance also manages the donor registry in the region, Donate Life Wyoming, which is a symbol of the cause.
asphalt and aggregate, and soils. “Every tester who tests on a WYDOT job, whether a consultant or someone on a resident engineering crew, must be certified, Milburn said. “At the end of the job, we’re not just making sure that they did all the tests, we’re making sure the people who did the tests are certified.”
Did You Know? In addition to hosting a beginning lab school, which provide state construction crews with hands-on instruction in a classroom type environment, several staff in the Materials program serve as proctor instructors for a program through the University of Wyoming called Wyoming Materials Technician Certification. To meet WYDOT specs, a person wanting to test on a construction project has to be certified in that particular discipline, whether it’s concrete, asphalt or aggregate. WMTC offers three classes for each discipline during the winter. WYDOT instructors spend a week at a time in the field testing the testers to ensure correct procedures are being followed. In addition to testing materials being used on current projects, Materials also is involved in research on new products to determine whether they will be useful for WYDOT. “The technology changes very rapidly, so we’re heavily involved in the evaluation and installation of different products,” Milburn said. Currently products are evaluated on a case-bycase basis to see how they would work on a specific project, but developing a preapproved product list is a goal of the Materials Program. “We get thousands of materials that show up on our dock for testing on an annual basis,” Milburn said. “Those guys stay hopping back there and they get exposed to a lot of different types of materials and different tests. It’s very diverse and challenging, and I think it keeps the job interesting.” According to Milburn, one of the unique aspects of the Materials program is their involvement on projects “from cradle to grave.” On the front end, their Pavement Management division helps the districts select projects and provides funding split recommendations to WYDOT executive staff, and they help the districts select an area or section for a potential project. Then,
throughout the project they are involved in the design and construction. At the end of the project, before sending final approval to the budget office, they check to make sure that all the proper tests were performed and certifications are in place. “We get to wear a lot of different hats, and I really like that diversity,” Milburn said. “Not all programs are like that.” Approximately a year ago, a small federally-funded research division was moved from under WYDOT’s Planning program to under the Materials program. Over the years, the division has helped improve how the department operates. Topics of interest have included wildlife, variable speed limits, the effect of heavy truck traffic on bridge decks on Interstate 80, and how to make asphalt and concrete pavements last longer. The research division has received several national awards for their findings. One of the fundamental principles for WYDOT’s Materials program is to ensure that state is getting a high return on investment. Whether that’s laying down new concrete or helping preserve existing asphalt, we always aim to use the highest quality materials available. “We want the roads to be as safe as possible, and to last as long as possible,” Milburn said. “Our goal is to save money and save lives.”
Photo: Mark Horan/WYDOT
Materials continued from page 3
From the left, Chris Irwin and Dan Sutton, with the Concrete Laboratory, demonstrating compressive strength testing of a concrete cylinder.
Donor continued from page 4 According to Donor Alliance, there are about 1,300 people in the Wyoming community currently waiting for a lifesaving organ or tissue transplant. “When we drive around, hopefully others will be able to see these license plates and maybe be inspired to put them on their own vehicles to also help spread further awareness,” Eric said. “Because, seriously, if we can spark one or two conversations amongst family members out there as they’re driving down the road, it’s going to save lives.” Anyone can register to be an organ, eye, and tissue donor anytime at DonateLifeWyoming.org or through WYDOT Driver Services when obtaining a new or renewed driver license or identification card. According to Donate Life America, about 90
percent of registrations come through the DMV, which makes Donor Alliance’s partnership with WYDOT Driver Services so crucial. Sixty-five percent of Wyomingites have registered to be organ, eye, and tissue donors, and according to Donate Life Wyoming’s website, “234 heroic organ donors made 642 lifesaving transplants possible in our area.” The Donate Life plate is one of 21 specialty license plates available for purchase in Wyoming. To learn more about specialty plates, visit WYDOT’s website: https://www.dot.state.wy.us/ home/titles_plates_registration/specialty_plates.html Wyoming joins 30 other states in offering a Donate Life or similar organ donor awareness license plate.
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WYDOT awarded federal grant for truck parking By Jordan Young Situated right on the Utah/Wyoming border, the city of Evanston can fill up quickly with commercial vehicles during an extended closure on Interstate 80. The trucks will spill out of truck stops and designated parking areas onto curbside parking and anywhere else they can find space, which can make it challenging for locals to get to work, grocery stores or otherwise live their daily lives. Hundreds of those trucks will be off the streets thanks to a more than $26.6 million Federal grant awarded to WYDOT in December. The grant will fund a new parking area that can accommodate about 365 trucks between mile markers 6-10 on I-80 east of Evanston. “This is a crucial project for Wyoming. It’s an investment in our road infrastructure that will help address pedestrian and vehicle safety hazards that occur when winter weather forces the closure of I-80,” Governor Mark Gordon said in the December WYDOT press release announcing the grant. “Importantly, it will alleviate the impacts to the community caused by hundreds of tractor trailers seeking somewhere safe to park.” Despite some initial confusion from a media outlet, the grant was the culmination of collaboration and partnership between WYDOT, Uinta County, the city of Evanston and other local and regional stakeholders who met and started discussing potential solutions to congestion issues back in May 2021. WYDOT executive staff traveled to Evanston to meet with officials again in March 2022 to further examine potential parking area locations and possible funding sources. The next month, WYDOT commissioned a truck parking study from J-U-B Engineers, who looked at different locations around the Evanston area that could accommodate an approximately 200-space semitruck parking lot. WYDOT formed a steering committee made up of local city leaders, county elected officials, law enforcement, and local WYDOT engineering staff to get community feedback on best possible locations. The committee met twice in 2022 and once in early 2023 to review options and results from the study. The planning and discussions helped WYDOT to be fully prepared once the notice of funding opportunity for the Rural Surface Transportation grant was announced in June 2023, and the community support also helped give WYDOT’s grant application an edge in a very competitive process. Many of those same committee members and stakeholders – including the City of Evanston and Uinta County – formally and publicly expressed their support for the project in the grant proposal. “This is like a Band-Aid on a severe wound, and we should be grateful for it,” Uinta County Planning Director and steering committee member Gary Welling said in a December Uinta County Herald article. “The steering committee looked at many options, and this made the most sense. It is a well thought-out plan.”
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Photo: WYDOT
Marks third competitive Federal grant in 2023 for WYDOT
Typically, a road closure on I-80 forces commercial vehicles to park anywhere they can find space in Evanston. WYDOT was recently awarded a federal grant to add hundreds of new truck parking spaces to the area. Additional letters of support were submitted from U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis, the Wyoming Association of General Contractors and the Wyoming Trucking Association. The total project cost is about $33.3 million. Parking area construction is expected to begin in spring 2026 depending on design timing, project letting schedule and other potential scheduling considerations. While a lot of the planning focused on winter storm congestion mitigation, the parking area also helps tackle a national truck sparking shortage. “Truck parking continues to be one of the highest priorities for both truck drivers and motor carriers,” said Sheila Foertsch, President and CEO of the Wyoming Trucking Association, in WYDOT’s December news release. “Safe, well lit, accessible parking makes the nation’s highway system safer.”
This is the third competitive discretionary federal grant in 2023 that WYDOT was awarded for a grand total of about $64.2 million in federal dollars. 1. Wildlife Crossing Pilot program: Wildlife crossing project near Kemmerer: $24.3 million (see January 2024 Interchange for details); 2. Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant: I-80/I-25 interchange design: $13 million (see press release at https://www.dot.state.wy.us/news/wydot-awardedfederal-raise-grant-for-i-25i-80-interchange-design for details); and 3. Rural Surface Transportation (RST) grant: Evanston truck parking: $26.6 million.
Aeronautics
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Photo: Wyoming Aviation Hall of Fame
By John Waggener, University of Wyoming archivist The Wyoming Aviation Hall of Fame and the Wyoming Aeronautics Commission have named Thomas “Tim” H. Coleman the 2023 inductee into the Wyoming Aviation Hall of Fame. Awarded posthumously, Coleman is recognized for his many efforts to advance aviation in central Wyoming by providing vital air service to the area for nearly 50 years. Soon after arriving to Riverton in 1948, Coleman purchased his first Piper Super Cub and created an airstrip on his farm in Hidden Valley. It is believed that in 1957, he established Coleman Flying Service and operated from his airstrip. In about 1959, he purchased a large hangar at the Riverton Airport and expanded his operation as a fixed-base operator. Services included aircraft maintenance and mechanical, charter flights, crop spraying, aerial photography and surveying, air ambulance service and search and rescue, including in the rugged terrain of the Wind River Tim Coleman and his young children, Kathy and Tim, riding Range. He was also a certified flight instructor and an authorized in a towed Piper Cub propeller airplane in a Riverton parade. Cessna aircraft dealer. Coleman was an active member of the Flying Farmers and and retiring in Riverton in 1995. He and his wife Joyce had three Ranchers Association and held numerous positions with the children – Thomas, Sharon and Kathy. He passed away on Feb. 1, Wyoming chapter, including being elected vice-president in 1957 2005. and president in 1959. Coleman also was the airport manager The Wyoming Aviation Hall of Fame was founded in 1995 as a at Lander from 1961-1962. His aerial spraying included crop non-profit, publicly supported, tax-exempt organization dedicatspraying for area farmers as well as mosquito spraying for the ed to honoring individuals who have made outstanding contrilocal municipalities. Coleman was actively involved in predator butions to the establishment, development and/or advancement control throughout his flying career in several counties, includof aviation in Wyoming. The organization comprises a board ing Fremont, Natrona and Sweetwater. After selling his Flying of directors and operates in conjunction with the Wyoming Service business in August 1971, he continued to fly on contract Aeronautics Commission. Board members include Kent Nelson, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wyoming Game and retired U.S. Air Force colonel and former Wyoming Aeronautics Fish Department and for Fremont County Predator Control, Commissioner; Dean McClain, who operates an aerial spraying which, in 1994, awarded him for 43 years of dedicated flying for business in Torrington; and John Waggener, a University of Wyothe organization. ming archivist and Wyoming transportation historian. For more He was actively involved in the community, including hostinformation about the WAHF, to nominate an individual, or to ing Air Education field trips for school students from around make a donation, please contact WAHF President John WaggeFremont County, offering flights for kids and participating in ner, in Laramie, at (307) 766-2563. numerous organizations. He helped form the Riverton Sertoma Biographies of the inductees can be found on the WYDOT Club; was a member of the Kiwanis Club, including serving as website at https://www.dot.state.wy.us/home/aeronautics/ president; and was a member of the Riverton Chamber Comaviation_hall_of_fame.html/ merce. He received the chamber’s Certificate of Appreciation for Meritorious Civic Service Award and, in 1966, received the Industrial Achievement Award for his contributions in helping to develop industry in the area. Coleman was born on May 28, 1923, in Canadian, Texas. He was raised on the family dairy farm. He began flying in about 1938 and served in World War II as a pilot and flight instructor from 1941-1945. Coleman came to the Riverton area in 1948 after he was selected in a lottery for military veterans to receive a homestead settlement on Bureau of Reclamation Riverton Project land in the Hidden Valley north of Riverton. He logged around 30,000 hours of flying before selling his farm Tim Colman standing in front of a Piper Super Cub.
Photo: Wyoming Aviation Hall of Fame
Wyoming Aviation Hall of Fame 2023 inductee
District Briefs Headquarters
Commission awards nearly $32.36 million in contracts in January CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Transportation Commission awarded nearly $32.36 million in contracts for 11 Wyoming Department of Transportation construction projects during its Jan. 18 regular business meeting. An $8.62 million bid was awarded to Sundance-based Croell Inc. for a project involving asphalt paving, structure rehabilitation, traffic control, fencing, chip seal and milling work on about 7.7 miles of Wyoming Highway 59 in Converse County. The contract completion date is Aug. 31, 2025. The commission awarded a $4.99 million bid to Gillette-based S & S Builders LLC for a project involving bridge rehabilitation, traffic control, asphalt paving, aggregate surfacing, guardrail and grading work at various locations within Crook County. The contract completion date is Nov. 30, 2024. Sheridan-based Advanced Electrical Contracting Inc. was awarded a $5.68 million bid for a project involving electrical work, traffic control and other work to upgrade high mast lighting towers at various locations within Lincoln, Sublette, Sweetwater and Uinta Counties. The contract completion date is Oct. 31, 2025. Advanced Electrical Contracting was also awarded a $465,240 bid for a project to build an over-height warning system on Interstate 80 in Cheyenne, involving electrical work, signage and traffic control. The contract completion date is Oct. 31, 2024. The commission awarded a $3.31 million bid to California-based Intermountain Slurry Seal Inc. for a project involving chip seal, traffic control and pavement striping on approximately 18 miles of Interstate 25 in various locations within Converse and Natrona Counties. The contract completion date is Sept. 30, 2024. A nearly $2.82 million bid was awarded to Cheyenne-based Simon Contractors
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for a project involving asphalt paving, fencing, grading, traffic control, milling, and aggregate surfacing work on about 5.2 miles of US Highway 16 in Johnson County. The contract completion date is Nov. 30, 2024. Simon Contractors was also awarded a $749,599 bid for a project involving concrete slab repair, traffic control, aggregate surfacing, sidewalk and curb and gutter work at the intersection of Yellowstone Road and Central Avenue in Cheyenne, totaling to about 0.3 mile of work. The contract completion date is Oct. 31, 2024. Kilgore Companies LLC, doing business as Lewis & Lewis Inc. out of Rock Springs, was awarded a $2.49 million bid for a project involving asphalt paving, aggregate surfacing, grading, traffic control, storm water drainage work, sidewalk and curb and gutter work on about 0.6 mile of City View Drive in the city of Evanston. The contract completion date is Oct. 31, 2024. Also based out of Rock Springs, Debernardi Construction Company Inc. was awarded a $1.74 million bid for a project involving bridge rehabilitation, traffic control, asphalt paving, utility and guardrail work in various locations within Sweetwater and Uinta Counties. The contract completion date is Oct. 31, 2024. The commission awarded an $861,811 bid to Cheyenne-based Reiman Corp. for a project involving concrete paving, traffic control and other high friction surface treatment work at various locations on I-80 within Albany and Carbon Counties, totaling to about 1 mile of work. The contract completion date is Sept. 30, 2024. Reiman Corp. was also awarded a $624,870 bid for a project involving concrete paving, electrical work, aggregate surfacing, grading, traffic control, erosion control, asphalt paving, signage, sidewalk and curb and cutter work and other acceleration ramp work at the I-25 and Central Ave. interchange in Cheyenne, totaling to about 0.14 mile of work. The contract completion date is Sept. 15, 2024. All of the projects awarded this month are funded primarily with federal dollars. Almost all WYDOT projects are awarded to the lowest bid.
Governor Gordon issues emergency relief order for heating fuel delivery CHEYENNE – Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon has signed an executive order to allow motor carriers delivering heating fuels – propane, natural gas and heating oil – to operate outside the regular operating daylight hours. Under the emergency relief order issued by the Governor, a state of emergency exists in Wyoming for the prompt delivery of propane. This emergency requires that propane transportation and delivery within the State of Wyoming be exempt from 49 CFR 395.3. However, nothing contained in this Order shall be construed as an exemption from the controlled substances, alcohol use, and testing requirements (49 CFR 382), the commercial driver’s license requirements (49 CFR 383), the financial responsibility requirements (49 CFR 387), applicable size and weight requirements, or any other portion of the regulations not specifically identified in this Order. While under this Order, heating fuel transportation or delivery companies shall not require or allow any fatigued driver to operate a delivery vehicle. A driver who informs a carrier that they need immediate rest shall be given adequate rest before the driver is required to return to service. On Jan. 26, Governor Gordon issued an updated Executive Order in light of a recent rule change to Federal regulations related to non-residential heating fuel deliveries. Executive Order 2024-03 superseded Executive Order 2024-02. The key changes included maintaining the 30-day exemption for residential heating fuel deliveries (and maintaining Feb. 18 expiration date) but limiting non-residential heating fuel deliveries to 14 days (Feb. 2 expiration date). Please reach out to the Wyoming Highway Patrol with any questions.
Tree removal operations affected traffic on Grand Avenue in Laramie LARAMIE – Crews with Tiger Tree shifted traffic on Grand Avenue in Laramie for tree removal operations. The operation on Grand Avenue and 21st Street began Jan. 22. Operations were anticipated to be completed by Jan. 26. Traffic was shifted to the south side of the median on Grand Avenue between 17th Street and 22nd Street. Traffic flowed head to head dividing the eastbound lanes. Left turn movements at Grand Avenue and 21st was restricted.
Wagonhound Rest Area on I-80 temporarily closed for repairs LARAMIE – The Wagonhound Rest Area west of Laramie near milepost 267 on Interstate 80 was temporarily closed on Jan. 2 due to water line repairs. The closure began in the morning with contractors performing repairs throughout the day. The closure lasted one day. Facilities were closed to the public, while parking remained available.
District 2
Upgrade work on Casper’s Poplar Street CASPER – Utility work began on a portion of Poplar Street/Wyoming Highway 220 in Casper the week of Jan. 2 as another major upgrade to the aging road gets underway in 2024. This work is the first phase of an overall project rehabilitating Poplar Street between Collins and the river, or about three-tenths of one mile. Crews with Oftedal Construction began by upgrading underground utilities in the area between the river and Midwest Avenue. The intersection of Poplar and West Yellowstone are in a highly impacted area and will be closed for a portion of this initial phase. Traffic was expected to be affected beginning Jan. 8. Utility work continued southward on Poplar to Collins, beginning with the east side of the street, then the west. Traffic
control was in place from Collins to the bridge: one lane, each direction with each outer lane closed. Speeds through the work zone were reduced to 25 mph. There was a lane width restriction of 14 feet. In addition to underground utility improvements, the overall project includes roadway reconstruction with new curb and gutter; sanitary sewer and storm drainage upgrades and other periphery work. The $12.79 million project was awarded to Oftedal by the Wyoming Transportation Commission in September 2023. The contracted completion date for the entire project is Nov. 30, 2025.
road conditions are already hazardous during winter weather.
Photo: Stephanie Harsha/WYDOT
District 1
Avoid pushing accumulated snow into the state’s right-of-way along highways.
District 3
District 5
WYDOT warns residents against pushing snow into right-of-way
New Year’s law enforcement operation yields DUIs, speeding citations
ROCK SPRINGS – In light of recent winter snow storms, The Wyoming Department of Transportation reminds landowners and residents of the dangers of pushing snow out into highways and roadways. Pushing accumulated and shoveled snow out onto highways and roadways creates an obstruction on the road, which is a violation of the law. According to Wyoming state statute 35-10-401, anyone who obstructs a public road or highway, common street or alley, public bridge or navigable river in a way that makes it inconvenient or dangerous to pass is breaking the law. Each violation is punishable by a fine of up to $100 and a jail sentence of up to three months. The accumulated snow build up also can cause damages to signs, signposts, guardrails, and permitted utilities, as well as the fencing along the highway. It can also create blowing snow drifts and visibility issues for drivers that add to hazardous road conditions. However, the most dangerous hazard is directly related to traffic. “Imagine hitting a large pile of snow at even just 30 miles an hour in your car,” District Maintenance Engineer Tory Thomas commented. “It’s just plain dangerous.” WYDOT recommends that landowners dispose of snow accumulation on their own properties in order to prevent any obstruction that may cause an accident. Maintaining public safety is critical when
RIVERTON – A Fremont County multi-agency impaired driving enforcement operation during the New Year’s holiday weekend resulted in 200 traffic stops, eight arrests of impaired drivers, and 29 speeding citations. While the Fremont County DUI Task Force prioritizes impaired driving, officers, deputies and troopers issued 29 citations for other offenses, and law enforcement officers made 15 other arrests, including three for controlled substances. The task force issued 149 warnings during the four-day operation. The task force issued no seat belt citations. No impaired driving fatalities were reported during the operation. Through December, Fremont County had 35 alcohol-related crashes in 2023, compared to 51 in 2022 – a 31 percent reduction. The Fremont County DUI Task Force includes the Wyoming Highway Patrol, Fremont County Sheriff ’s Office, and the Lander, Riverton, Shoshoni, Dubois and Wind River police departments. The purpose of the Fremont County DUI Task Force is to reduce fatal crashes through the enforcement of impaired driving and seatbelt laws. These enforcement efforts are supported by a media campaign that stresses law enforcement’s zero-tolerance stance on impaired driving and commitment to seat belt enforcement.
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Task Force work paying off in Fremont County
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February 2024
Total number of employees: As of Dec. 27, 2023
1,819
Photo: Cody Beers/WYDOT
By Cody Beers Law enforcement agencies are independent by nature, all working within their respective jurisdictions to make their communities and counties safe. In the case of Fremont County, which includes the Wind River Reservation, a group of law enforcement agencies is working together to search for drivers under the influence of alcohol and drugs. The combined DUI enforcement is the three-year effort of police departments in Lander, Riverton, Shoshoni and Dubois; Fremont County Sheriff ’s Office; Wind River Reservation’s Wind River Police Department; and the Wyoming Highway The Fremont County DUI Task Force finds that working together is paying off for its citizens with dropping DUI Patrol. arrests and deaths. The task force team works a series of high traffic events in Fremont County, including New Year’s weekend, Super Bowl® weekend, the 1A/2A regional basketball tournaments in Lander and Riverton, Memorial Day weekend, July 4 weekend, the Lander Brewfest, Labor Day weekend, Thanksgiving weekend and other events known for traditionally-high drug and alcohol consumption. A news release announces each enforcement event in the week prior to it happening. “This task force’s work has been shared with Fremont County citizens before and after each enforcement operation with the help of the news media, yet the task force officers continue to find and arrest drunk drivers,” said Pete Abrams of the WYDOT Highway Safety Office. “This work takes dedication and an emphasis on police work. Long-term goals of this operation include saving lives and ending drunk driving and other crimes.” An example includes the most recent multi-agency operation over the 2024 New Year’s holiday weekend. The Dec. 29 to Jan. 1 operation resulted in 200 traffic stops, eight impaired driving arrests, 29 speeding citations, 29 citations for other offenses, and 15 other arrests, including three for possession of controlled substances. The task force issued 149 warnings during the four-day operation. Importantly, no impaired driving fatalities occurred during the operation. The task force’s work is beginning to pay off. Through December, Fremont County had 35 alcohol-related crashes in 2023, compared to 51 in 2022 – a 31 percent reduction. A welcome drop in alcohol-related fatalities occurred in 2023, and only one drunk-driving fatality on a public road was recorded in Fremont County in 2023. Noteworthy, too, is that all police calls have dropped in all Fremont County jurisdictions since the task force was launched. The DUI task force receives its funding through the local agencies and a federal grant from the Wyoming Department of Transportation Highway Safety Office and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Today, the DUI task force is continuing its life-saving work with Super Bowl® and regional basketball weekend operations. Fremont County’s message: If you drink and drive, you will be caught and arrested. Please don’t drink and drive.
One month ago
1,817
One year ago
1,758
WHP Total number of highway fatalities: As of January 18, 2024
0
One year ago
4
Training
WYDOT University year in review By Jim Boyd, Training Services In fiscal year 2023, Training Services launched a formal leadership academy, WY Lead, migrated employees to the statewide learning management system NEOGOV, started processing tuition reimbursements under a new procedure, and revised the new supervisor program using data from a 2023 needs assessment. Essentially every WYDOT employee, a count of 1,851 to be exact, engaged in a formal development opportunity promoted by WYDOT University this last fiscal year. Of those completions, 81 percent were taken online and were self-paced with the majority of the course completions (2,039) coming from WYDOT programs like Employee Safety, Drivers Services, Maintenance, and others. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Official’s Technical Training Solutions (formerly TC3) content had the next highest completions with 783. WYDOT University classroom-based offerings saw a slight drop in completions, from 165 the previous fiscal year to 161 in FY23, and virtual classroom-based instruction, like webinars offered by the Transportation Learning Network, continued to decrease by another 23 percent. Employees continue to report WYDOT University courses are beneficial, rating them at 3.42 out of 4.0 on questions related to content effectiveness, instructor effectiveness, and accommoda-
tion. Those same employees and their supervisors also reported improved performance related to the class topic a few months following the class with employees self-reporting improved performance at 3.6 out of 5 and supervisors reporting 3.42 for their employees who took the class. Those who attended our structured programs like WY Supervise and the new WY Lead program reported learning gains following attendance. Those who attended the WY Supervise New Supervisors program reported a 28 percent average learning gain and those who attended the WY Lead Advancing Leaders Academy reported a 32 percent average learning gain. WY Supervise participants also reported performance gains related to the topics, however, at lower gains than WYDOT University courses at a 2.8 average. Despite these numbers, however, WYDOT’s front line supervisor needs assessment through Development Dimensions International showed that employees indicated a higher WYDOT T Rrelated A I N I N Gto the number of supervisors had improved their abilities topics taught in WY Supervise than what was reported in the 2020 front line supervisors survey. WYDOT employees continue to engage in continuous learning through training and development, and we encourage employees to reach out to dot-training@wyo.gov or contact any member of the Training Services team if they have specific training needs or would like more information on any of the above.
TRAINING@AGLANCE TRAINING@AGLANCE
WYDOT T R A I N I N G
Class Description
In February: Start Date Development Stage
2/6/2024 Leading Others WY Supervise New Supervisors Fundamentals 2/13/2024 Leading Others Effective Performance Management
Coming in March Date Development Stage
Class Description
3/7/2024 3/19/2024
TLN Webinar: Retention and Recruitment Roundtable Managing Yourself in Time
Leading The Agency Leading Self
Class Hours
Location
2/6 – 1:00 pm-5:00 pm 2/7 – 8:00 am-5:00 pm 8:30 am-4:30 pm
Cheyenne
Class Hours
Location
8:30 am-10:30 am 8:30 am-12:00 pm
VILT VILT
VILT
Check out the upcoming training opportunities from WYDOT-U and the Transportation Learning Network. Don’t forget to check out the calendar on NEOGOV to see upcoming training events!
IS IT DROP THE WORTH DISTRACTIONS
SENDING
Check out the upcoming training opportunities from WYDOT-U and the Transportation Learning Network. Don’t forget to check out the calendar on NEOGOV to see upcoming training events!
THAT TEXT?
DON’T TEXT AND DRIVE February 2024
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Employee Safety
Naloxone (Narcan): use, training and ordering PER 20-5 opioid exposure program
• Naloxone can restore normal breathing within two to three minutes in a person whose breath has slowed, or even stopped, as a result of opioid overdose.
Photo: WHP
By Alexander Barrett, CSHO This safety flash is to address the following guidance on Naloxone, which is marketed under the brand name of Narcan. This pertains to WYDOT crews who may voluntarily choose to carry the medication in the event of accidental opioid contact and overdose in the field, a lay-rescuer life-saving measure, and distant proximity to a medical facility when opioid overdose is suspected. Information and use of Naloxone What is naloxone? Naloxone is a medicine that can reverse an overdose from opioids. • Opioids can slow or stop a person’s breathing, leading to death. caused by other drugs such as benzodiazepines (e.g., Xanax®, Klonopin®, and Valium®), bath salts, cocaine, methamphetamine, or alcohol. Always call 911 if you suspect an overdose, because the victim may need other care. Naloxone only works on opiates (such as prescription painkillers like OxyContin, fentanyl, methadone, and Vicodin, as well as street drugs like heroin). Training: Before a WYDOT employee can carry Naloxone for emergency use, they must: 1. Attend First aid CPR with additional classroom and handson training by one of the WYDOT trainers. 2. Take the ‘WYDOT Narcan Training’ course on NEOGOV. 3. Talk with the supervisor and employee safety for ordering. Ordering: Please follow the attached flowchart. The only exception being that WHP will reach out to employee safety directly by emailing dot-employee-safety@wyo.gov to make their requests.
Naloxone is also known by the brand name Narcan. If a bystander acts when it is first noticed that a person’s breathing has slowed, or when the user cannot be awakened, there is time to call 911, start rescue breathing (if needed), and give naloxone. Naloxone is safe and effective; emergency medical professionals have used it for decades. How does Naloxone work? Naloxone reverses an opioid overdose. Naloxone works by blocking the effects of opiates on the brain and by restoring breathing. Naloxone will only work if a person has opiates in their system. It will not work with other drugs. A person cannot get “high” from using naloxone, and it is safe for practically anyone to use. How is Naloxone administered? WYDOT has chosen to deploy intranasal Naloxone, in which the drug is sprayed into the nose. This method requires less training and is a quick response that works for Workflow to request Narcan dispensation from most opioid overdoses. This method lasts 30Employee Safety to all locations and prgrams within WYDOT Employee Safety will review all formal requests made following this process to ensure stock is maintained and 90 minutes and slows down the effects of the issuance is tracked through the state and will work closely with the District Safety Representatives for supplying overdose momentarily until the patient can be crews. This follows the processes outlined in Policy 20-05. treated by a medical care team. Responsible For Responsible For Responsible For Responsible For Is there any harm associated with Naloxone use? BEING TRAINED MANAGING/MAINTAINING VALIDATING/VERIFYING SHIPPING/TRACKING There are minimal risks associated with Employees from Crew/Department/ DSR/ES Senior Safety Employee Safety Office Naloxone. Naloxone is not a controlled medDepartment/Crew Supervisor/Foreman and Health Specialists Support ication. If used by a person who doesn’t use • Completes AHA First • As the custodian of • Confirms all required • Processes requests Aid/CPR/AED Training the Narcan supply – is training has been submitted via Google opiates, at worst it might make them uncomand has current 2-year responsible for receiving completed for the Forms (within two fortable. The only exceptions would be for certification. and assigning narcan requesting department/ working days). an individual who had an allergic reaction to • Completes NeoGov supply to the members crew. • Prepares/packages Narcan Training of a department/crew. • Submits request through shipments and Naloxone or a woman who was pregnant or • Ensures all affected Google Forms, including coordinates with Mail nursing. If you suspect an opioid overdose, it is employees have taken all required information. Room for tracking. safe to give Naloxone. People who use opioids the required training. • Updates spreadsheet • Coordinates with DSR, or to reflect shipment and will then wake up and go into withdrawal, Employee Safety when issuance of product. which is unpleasant but not fatal. Naloxone DSR is unavailable, to • Reorders supply with get Narcan resupplied. DHS to be stored at the does not work nor does not prevent deaths Employee Safety HQ offices.
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February 2024
High visibility safety apparel PER 19-19 safety apparel
By Jordan Striff, Employee Safety Due to changes taking place throughout the highway safety industry and occupational safety field, WYDOT will be incorporating new high-visibility safety apparel. These changes will include different color schemes that will help to make employees more visible while working within the right of way. These changes will also meet the newest American National Standards Institute and MUTCD standards. Implementing color changes will open up avenues for greater product availability. This updated policy will allow
for multiple colors and designs that are intended to provide the best protection for our employees. Employee Safety and Procurement will also be upgrading the majority of our high-visibility personal protective equipment to ANSI Class III apparel. Class III is currently the highest rating for both visibility and reflectivity. Hard hats and other headgear will not be affected by this policy change. Employees who ordered the new bibs will soon be receiving the Pioneer branded bibs (pictured at right). Highvis items that Procurement offers may change depending on availability, pricing, and need. You may receive orange-red,
GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE,
DONATE BLOOD WYDOT Blood Drive
Tuesday, February 13 – 8:30 am - 12:00 pm Training/WYDOT-U Building; I-25 Room
yellow-green, or a combination. The colors and reflective tape must meet the requirements under PER 19-19. All high-vis PPE obtained outside of what is offered by WYDOT Procurement must be approved by Employee Safety. All nighttime or low-visibility operations will require employees to wear Class III high-visibility safety apparel. By making these changes, we hope to make our employees more visible in the ever-increasing sea of orange (cones, barrels, candles, trucks, lights, equipment). You can expect to receive some orange products until stock is depleted. There is no requirement to change over your existing PPE until it is needed due to fading, being stained/soiled, or it is damaged. The change in colors and products is expected to be completed within the next two years.
ONE DONATION SAVES THREE LIVES! February 2024
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District News Headquarters
Welcome Christopher Corriveau, PatrolSupport Services; Jessica Heller, Driver Services-Policy and Records; Joshua Hopkin, Grants and Contracts; Brett Kupec, Facilities ManagementGrounds; Mariah Miller, Financial Services-Revenue; Contessa Powell, Patrol-Support Services; Russell Reed, Aeronautics-Flight Operations; and Marissa Tucker, Patrol-Support Services Manager.
Promotions and Transfers Brent Burgess, Planning-Counter Shop; Chrystal Fauver, Port of Entry-Cheyenne I-80; Matthew Hooten, Geology; Christopher Munoz, MaterialsSurfacing; and Dalton Underwood, BridgeEngineering Design. Burgess
Fauver
Underwood
Service Awards Jason Ban, Highway DevelopmentProject Development – 30 years; Shannon Brown, Patrol-Dispatch – 20 years; Ryan Steinbrenner, Materials-Design, Soil and Service – 20 years; Travis Allen, Geology – 15 years; Kimberly Chapman, Aeronautics Administration – 15 years;
Ban
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February 2024
Eli McIrvin, IT-Engineering Apps – 15 years; Albert Buss, Financial ServicesGeneral Ledger – 10 years; and Kristy Watson, Motor Vehicle Services-Registration/Title – 5 years.
Jesus Mojica, Cheyenne Maintenance; and Cory Overton, Baggs Maintenance.
Mojica
Overton
Service Awards McIrvin
Buss
Retirements Ronald Kaiser, design technician with Geology at headquarters, retired in December with 38 years of service. A Cheyenne native, Kaiser graduated from Central High School. He earned an associate’s degree at Western Nebraska Kaiser Technical College (now called Western Nebraska Community College) and was an apprentice carpenter with the Local 469 in Cheyenne. Kaiser started with WYDOT as a CADD drafter with Geology. David Vanderveen, Geology supervisor at headquarters, retired in December with 23 Vanderveen years of service.
District 1
Welcome Brian Chachere, Arlington Maintenance; Matthew Ellis, Cheyenne Maintenance; Sarah Johnson, Driver Services-Laramie; Ellis Amy Lund, Driver Services-Rawlins/Baggs;
Edwin Leyba, Laramie Maintenance – 25 years; Brian Erickson, Cheyenne Maintenance – 15 years; Matthew Mayfield, Laramie Mechanics – 10 years; and Keith Brix, Laramie Maintenance – 5 years.
Leyba
Erickson
Mayfield
Brix
District 2
Welcome Weston Poste, Casper Maintenance.
Promotions and Transfers Travis Jorgensen, District 2 Maintenance Staff.
Jorgensen
Service Awards
Awards
District 3
Welcome
Alyssa Walker, Port of Entry-Casper – 10 years; and Thomas Williams, Casper Maintenance – 5 years.
Photo: Stephanie Harsha/WYDOT
Carson Knezovich, Rock Springs Mechanics; Benjamin Lewis, Evanston Maintenance; and Judith Mitchell, Jackson Maintenance.
Service Awards
Retirements
Walker Jeffrey Mueller, highway maintenance technician with District 2 in Torrington, retired in December with 25 years of service.
Lony Sellers, Evanston Construction – 25 years; Edward McPherson, Rock Springs Maintenance – 15 years; and Gary Hodson, Emergency CommunicationsDistrict 3 Radio Shop – 5 years. Sellers
Richard “Rick” Shaw, highway maintenance supervisor in Douglas, retired in December with 28 years of service. Born in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, Shaw earned his bachelor’s degree from Chadron State College in Shaw Nebraska.
District Engineer John Eddins, District Traffic Engineer Darin Kaufman and District Technician Tara Finley awarding Striping Foremen Shawn Dunn and Paul Sherman the prestigious District 3 Paint Can Award, for a job well done. And be careful... “It’s ‘fra-gee-lay’ – it must be Italian,” as it says on the box!
District 4
Welcome Duane Fischer Jr., Sheridan Mechanics.
Promotions and Transfers
Shawn Stroud, a Trooper III based out of Wheatland, retired in December with 25 years of service. Stroud was also stationed in Guernsey. In addition to his service to the state, Stroud has almost 30 years of military service, including Stroud with the Wyoming Army National Guard.
Travis Unterseher, Newcastle Construction.
Hodson
Photo: Stephanie Harsha/WYDOT
McPherson
Fischer
Unterseher
Goodvin
Brannigan
Fortier
Schnabel
District 3 Traffic Engineer Darin Kaufman receiving his 10-year service award from District Engineer John Eddins.
New Snowblower
Photo: Terry Uhrich
Retirements
Maintenance crews from District 2 continued their training on the district’s new Kodiak loader-mounted rotary snowblower on Jan 3. The Casper mechanics (pictured) are seen studying the new snow fighting tool during a break in training.
Thomas Covert, senior heavy mechanic with District 3 in Rock Springs, retired in December with more than nine years of service.
District News continued on page 16
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District 5
District News continued from page 15
District 4, cont.
Promotions and Transfers
Service Awards
David Bell, Cody Maintenance – 5 years.
Joshua Ferran, Cody Construction; and Gordon Sanford, Riverton Maintenance.
Kirby Goodvin, District 4 Maintenance Staff – 15 years; Erik Brannigan, District 4 Administration – 5 years; Maurice Fortier, Buffalo Maintenance – 5 years; and Loren Schnabel, Moorcroft Maintenance – 5 years.
Service Awards Steven Paumer, District 5 Maintenance Staff – 40 years; Lee Pence, Patrol-Cody – 20 years; Joshua Hahn, Lander Mechanics – 15 years; Jordan Erz, Worland Construction – 10 years; Baylor Beers, Riverton Construction – 5 years; Paumer
Retirements
Beers
Photo: Cody Beers/WYDOT
Michael “Mike” Hoover, a highway maintenance supervisor with District 4’s traffic program, retired in December with more than 43 years of service. A Sheridan native, Hoover graduated from Sheridan High School and started with the former Highway Department not long after. Hoover started his career as a highway paint technician in Sheridan. In his spare time, Hoover enjoys fishing, motorcycles and softball.
Erz
Nick Palmer, District 4 area supervisor for Emergency Communications, retired in December after 15 years of service. Palmer started with WYDOT Telecom in Cheyenne and also spent time in Douglas before moving to Sheridan.
Pence
Hahn
Gina Preator of Basin receives her 5-year service award from District Engineer Pete Hallsten.
Photo: WYDOT
Service Award Recipients
Photo: Doug McGee/WYDOT
Emergency Communications Program Manager Mark Kelly, left, and Nick Palmer shake hands as Kelly gives Palmer his retirement gift. Palmer retired with 15 years of service.
Service award luncheons are held by the Transportation Commission for employees celebrating milestones of 25 years of service or greater. Service award recipients at this month’s luncheon: Nicolle Cotton, Right of Way Administration – 25 years; Heidi Bosch, Construction Staff – 25 years; Audrey Hobbs, Construction Staff – 25 years; and Christina Spindler, Highway Development Administration – 25 years.
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February 2024
Game and Fish Elk management in Wyoming By Breanna Ball, Wyoming Game and Fish Over the last two decades elk populations have thrived in Wyoming. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department estimates the population of elk in the Cowboy State to be about 109,000. In some areas of the state, the population increase has caused damage issues for private landowners, and over the last five years elk damage claims have increased by 42 percent statewide. “Elk populations continue to be a concern in some portions of the state where hunting access is limited and elk populations exceed our management objectives,” said Rick King, Game and Fish chief of wildlife. Hunting is the primary mechanism Game and Fish uses to manage big game populations. When elk populations exceed objectives, Game and Fish uses season structure adjustments, access programs and other tools such as auxiliary management seasons and lethal take permits to reduce populations. Changes to elk hunting season structures may involve increasing license quotas, establishing general seasons, extending seasons or issuing late-season cow/calf licenses. These methods aim to increase hunter harvest, with a focus on the reproductive portion of the population – cows. “Implementing liberal elk hunting seasons does not always work when there is limited public access,” King said. “In an effort to reduce population sizes, the department has worked with
SNOW PROBLEM! District 4 is selling these witty new hoodies! Each sweatshirt comes in high-vis orange with the WYDOT logo on the front and a plow and “Snow Problem We Can’t Handle” on the back.
Each L, XL, XXL sweatshirt is $60; other sizes can be ordered. Contact Keri Griffith at keri.griffith1@wyo.gov
landowners to increase access and hunter harvest through our Access Yes Program.” Game and Fish implements a variety of Access Yes programs in which landowners enroll their property in one of several programs that provide public hunting access. Enrolled landowners are given the flexibility to choose the species hunters can pursue, specific locations on their property and specific dates (within open seasons) that their property is available to the public. In exchange, landowners receive a monetary payment, increased law enforcement presence on the property and assistance in meeting wildlife management goals on their property. Popular programs under Access Yes include hunter walk-in areas, hunter management areas and the hunter/landowner assistance program. Last year, Access Yes opened access to more than 2.6 million acres of land for hunting. “In some cases, changes to season structure and implementation of Access Yes programs have been insufficient to reduce damage to private lands and manage over-objective elk populations,” King said. “In these cases, Game and Fish is utilizing Chapter 34, Auxiliary Management Licenses and Chapter 56, Lethal Take Permits to address damage concerns.” The Department looks to continue this effort in 2024. “The Department – with the support of the Commission – is committed to managing our elk herds toward established objectives,” King said.
Letters Customer service counts
Plow drivers get kudos
Good morning Shanda [Rice], I’m unable to get the day off of work but my husband, Joe, will be driving to Cheyenne to pay for the plates and pick them up today. Again...I just can’t thank you enough for the help. You’ve gone the extra mile multiple times to help us figure out a complicated situation. Take care,
I would like to compliment all of the dedicated snow plow operators in our state, and especially those that work in North Lincoln County. They’ve always done a great job but these last two storms have been pretty intense and they’ve done an incredible job at keeping our roads safe. Please extend my sincere thanks to them all.
Jana Haulin’ Mass Hotshot LLC
Sincerely, Jessica Sutton
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Passings Brenda Bennet-Williams, of Jackson, passed away Dec. 23, 2023. Bennet-Williams served as the Alpine Port of Entry supervisor until her retirement in May 2022. Born in Great Falls, Montana, she grew up in Belgrade, Montana and attended university at Montana Bennet-Williams State University in Bozeman. Bennet-Williams loved traveling and animals. She is survived by her husband, Calvin Williams, a WYDOT retiree from Jackson. “She supported me in everything I did,” he said. “She took care of me after I got out of the hospital.” As of press time, no services had been announced.
Jerry D. Lanchbury
established in the late 1800s. At age 5, his family moved to the family homestead on Cottonwood Creek north of Cody where he and his brother, Don, were raised. Lanchbury graduated from Cody High School in 1949 with
BUCKLE UP. EVERY DRIVE.
EVERY TIME. 18 Interchange
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February 2024
Congratulations to our October 2023 recipients! WYDOT salutes the following Director’s Extra Mile Award recipients. The award is presented to individuals who have traveled the “extra mile” in service to WYDOT.
Zachery Miller Richard Steffens William Strahan For more information about the Extra Mile Award or to nominate an employee, contact dot.humanresources@wyo.gov.
cle After cy
ading! Re
Jerry D. Lanchbury, 93, died Jan. 14, 2024, in Cody, Wyoming. Lanchbury was born to John and Lora Smith Lanchbury on Nov. 9, 1930 in Powell. He spent the first years of his life at Eagles Nest Stage Stop, which his Grandparents Thomas and Emma Lanchbury had Lanchbury
classmates who still kept in touch up to the day of his death. He spent his young years working on ranches, outfitting and rodeoing. Lanchbury married Barbara Rose in 1957, and had five children. He worked for the old Wyoming Highway Department, WYDOT’s predecessor agency, for more than 25 years as a heavy equipment operator. Always working hard for his family, he shoed horses on nights and weekends. After retiring from WYDOT, he started shoeing horses (his favorite job) full-time. An unfortunate horse accident triggered his children to force him into full retirement at the young age of 85. In 2019, Jerry was inducted into the Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame in which he was very humble stating, “There are a lot more deserving cowboys out there than I.” Lanchbury was a man of God. He credited the Lord for his quality of life and many blessings he had received along the trail. Coming to the Lord changed his life. As a cherished friend recently said, “Jerry was never afraid to tell a guy about Jesus!” He was very involved in his church and his children’s youth groups through the years where he was dearly loved. He spent many years delivering what he called his “Cowboy Ministry,” holding services at the rodeo grounds, long term care center, jail ministry and performing funeral services for many. For several years he organized and rang bells for the Salvation Army. He never met a stranger. He loved so many, and he loved them all deeply, sharing the word and showing them God’s love. Even in his final hours he was still saying “Praise the Lord” to all who visited. A celebration of life was held at the First Presbyterian Church on Jan. 20.
Please R e
Brenda Bennet-Williams
WTDEA
State Board scholarships are now available The WTDEA State Board 2024-2025 scholarship application is now available on the intranet WTDEA State Board page. There are two scholarship awards of $600 offered for the 20242025 school year. In order for a student to apply, a parent must be a current WTDEA member in any District chapter or at the Headquarters chapter and have been a member for the last two consecutive years to qualify. In the past 10 years, State Board has awarded more than $17,000 in scholarships to hard-working undergrad students seeking a degree both at in-state schools and out-of-state schools. WTDEA State Board has awarded as many as six awards in a scholarship season and, most recently, as few as two per year. An applying student must show proof of registration at an accredited institution and a transcript showing a minimum of a 3.0 GPA to qualify. The State Board scholarship application can be found on the employee’s website on the WTDEA page. If you would like to get involved with the WTDEA or the WTDEA State Board, contact Christina Fisher at 307-777-4053.
$17,500
AWARDED
IN THE PAST 10
YEARS
TO 35
STUDENTS
WTDEA State Board THE 2024 WTDEA CASH CALENDAR FEATURING THE PETS OF WYDOT IS NOW ON SALE! Calendars available for
$20
Proceeds from this calendar benefit the WYDOT Relief Fund See a WTDEA Representative for your copy
February 2024
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Audrey Hobbs in the Construction office belongs to this cutie. Chewy is a 10-year old Brussels Grifffon and was adopted from the Cheyenne Animal Shelter when he was about 6 months old.
Photos: Melissa Alton-Brunk
James Crowson with Casper Traffic-Striping would like to show off his Greta. She is a chocolate/silver Labrador retriever, although he is not sure why she’s so furry. Adorable Greta will be 9-years old on Feb 4.
Photo: Audrey Hobbs
Photo: James Crowson
Pets
Melissa Alton-Brunk, a design specialist with the Bridge Program, shows off her furry family. Clockwise from top left: Betty Jo is a 5-year old domestic long hair cat with calico markings; Dayzee is a 4-year old Chihuahua/Westy mix; Spazz is a 13year old domestic short hair black cat; and Zena is a 12-year old Schnauzer/Cocker Spaniel mix with fluffy white fur and two different colored eyes.
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February 2024
Photo: Jeri Uhrich
What do you do
outdoors?
Terry Uhrich, District 2 Equipment supervisor, and his wife, Lisa, have these three German Wirehaired Pointers. Momma Roxie (WyoWires Foxie Roxie), center, with daughter Remi (VC WyoWires Too Hot To Handle), left, and daughter Ember (VC WyoWires Some Like It Hot) on the right.
Photos due
Mar. 15!
Photo: Laura Dalles
carlie.dakins@wyo.gov
Rides!
Laura Dalles, District 4 public involvement specialist, has a Golden Retriever, Crosby. They were out on an adventure for his 4th birthday on Jan. 3.
Photo: Elizabeth Hansen
Have some chrome to show off?
Elizabeth Hansen, with the District 2 urban striping crew, lives with this sweetheart. Zoe is a 10-year old Staffordshire Pit Bull.
Photos due
NOW!
carlie.dakins@wyo.gov February 2024
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February 2024
Break Time In honor of the “big game” this month, untangle these riddles. Just match the description in column 1 with the NFL team in column 2. There is only one answer per team – don’t be fooled! Good luck!
Answer to the January 2024 Break Time word search:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32.
Jack and the beanstalk nemesis Seven squared Can be found in Yellowstone 747s Hostile attackers Various iron workers Lovers of one’s country Luxury cars Usually preceded with ‘hash’ Another name for puma Monthly expenses Helpers to relocate Sea mammal Birds trained to kill Largest moon of Saturn Counterpart of ewes Believers in Valhalla Class of Boy Scouts American vaqueros Fundamental rule Remember the Alamo Credit card users Tribal leaders King of beasts Sometimes called Indian tigers Seafaring marauders Ocean-going bird Naval leader Virtuous, often with halos Rodeo horses Six shooters Edgar Allen Poe wrote about them
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