October 2016 Interchange by WYDOT

Interchange October 2016

North Sheridan Interchange Project groundbreaking draws audience

Letters

Customer service “wows” in Casper Dear Ms. Trojovsky (Debbie), Last month I went to the Driver’s Services office in Casper to renew my license. I want to commend that office for being extremely efficient and effective at their jobs. This was the best experience I have ever had when renewing my license – and at age 70, I have done this many times. My wait time was only about 15 minutes, even though the office was full of customers when I arrived. I was taken care of and able to leave within less than 25 minutes total. Please pass on my commendation to the staff in the Casper office and to their superiors. In this day and age, when good customer service is becoming ever more rare, it was a real delight to be treated to such effective and caring service. Thanks to all in the Casper office who are doing a great job!

Sincerely, Elizabeth L. D’Adamo

A job well done, WYDOT Staff and crew of the Lander WYDOT office, We want to thank you for the fine job you have done on WYO 789 approximately 7 miles south of Lander. Specifically on the left and right hand turn lanes onto Willow Creek Road and the good-looking fence and gates on the east side of WYO 789 where the old corrals were and no right-of-way fence existed. As one of the primary users of this junction and access point, we appreciate the added convenience and safety afforded to our family and the general public.

Sincerely, The Hellyer family

A giant thank you Thank you to all those who donated sick leave time to me during my absence in April and May. I appreciate the time that was donated to get me back on my feet. WYDOT is definitely more than just a place to work, it’s more like extended family. Thank you.

Audrey Hobbs

Interchange reader survey

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Vol. 44, Issue 10

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 Van Winkle, Interchange editor, 5300 Bishop Blvd., Cheyenne, WY, 82009-3340. The Public Affairs Office may also be contacted by phoning (307) 777-4165, or sending email to carlie.vanwinkle@wyo.gov

Staff WYDOT Director: William T. Panos

Public Affairs Manager: Doug McGee

Editor: Carlie Van Winkle

Contributors: Aimee Inama Dave Kingham Carlie Van Winkle Ross Doman Jeff Goetz Stephanie Harsha Ronda Holwell Cody Beers Sgt. David Wagener

Public Affairs Public Affairs Public Affairs District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 Patrol

Photography: Rick Carpenter

Public Affairs

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.

The Public Affairs Office would like to get a better idea of what you want from your department magazine. Please take a few minutes to respond to a short survey found on Google Forms by Dec. 31.

The survey can be taken online at:

goo.gl/nkcbA4 Thank you for your assistance. 2

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a n

October 2016

DOT publication

Contents

Features 9 Nighttime speed study in District 3 Reductions on US 189/191, US 30 and US 89

10 North Sheridan Interchange Groundbreaking makes way for ground-moving work

12 Management Services Program Helps improve state and federal policies for WYDOT

14 511 Notify service changes Streamlining process to reduce messages, costs

Also in this issue

Letters.........................................................................................2 District briefs.............................................................................4 By the Numbers.................................................................. 5, 7 Noteworthy..............................................................................15 TechNotes................................................................................16 Training.....................................................................................17

District news...........................................................................18 Extra Mile Awards................................................................. 20 Awards......................................................................................21 Passings................................................................................... 22 WTDEA..................................................................................... 23 Outdoors................................................................................. 24 Break Time.............................................................................. 27

On the cover:

Sheridan North Interchange groundbreaking ceremony on Aug. 29. Photo: Rick Carpenter

Kindly recycle this publication after reading. October 2016

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District Briefs Commission awards $21 million in highway contracts in September

Cheyenne – Motorists traveling along I-80 and I-25 in Wyoming will soon see additional improvements to road surfaces along several sections. The Wyoming Transportation Commission at its meeting on Sept. 15 awarded three contracts for surfacing work on two sections of I-80 and one section of I-25. The surfacing work contracts were among nine projects the commission awarded totaling $21 million. Mountain Construction Co. of Lovell came in as the lowest bidder on the two projects on I-80 and the project on I-25. The company won a $5.5 million contract for a mill and overlay project on 10 miles of road in the eastbound lane of I-80 between Cheyenne and Pine Bluffs in Laramie County. The work will also include adding a wearing course to the surface, which helps with friction and drainage. Crews will also be working on the on and off ramps, and the turnarounds, which are used by maintenance and Patrol to move from the eastbound and westbound lanes. The contract completion date is June 30, 2018. Mountain Construction also won a $4.7 million contract for a mill and overlay project on 4.7 miles of road in the east and westbound lanes of I-80 between Laramie and Cheyenne near Buford in Laramie County. That contract also includes work on several turnarounds and the shoulders. The contact completion date is Oct. 31, 2017. For the I-25 project, Mountain Construction was the low bidder on a $4.5 million contract for mill and overlay work on about 6 miles of road south of Wheatland in Platte County. The contract completion date is Oct. 31, 2017. The rest of the contracts the commission awarded were for guardrail replacement, railroad crossing replacement,

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October 2016

materials purchases and other surfacing work. McGarvin-Moberly Construction of Worland won a $2 million contract for an overlay project on about 10 miles of road on WYO 387 between Edgerton and Wright in Campbell County. The overlay work will also include a bridge deck on that road. The contract completion date is Oct. 31, 2017. Kilroy of Afton was the low bidder on a $1.5 million contract that will enable WYDOT to purchase and stockpile salt and sand at storage facilities in Lincoln, Sweetwater, Teton and Uinta counties for use in improving traction on snowy and icy highways. The contract completion date is March 31, 2017. Also awarded by the commission were contracts for: n $950,716 to HL Construction Inc. of Billings, Mont., for guardrail upgrades to several locations east of Ten Sleep on US 16 and near Kirby on US 20 in Hot Springs and Washakie counties by Oct. 31, 2017; n $949,100 to Frost Rock Products Co.

of Lovell for crushing and stockpiling materials used for chip seals by March 31, 2017;

n $837,890 to Wilson Brothers Con-

struction Inc. of Cowley to clean culverts, scale rocks and perform erosion repair on 10 miles on US 20 between Shoshoni and Thermopolis in Fremont and Hot Springs counties where a mudslide occurred in 2015 by May 31, 2017; and

n $188,460 to Dietzler Construction

Corp. of Yoder for improvements to the railroad crossing on US 85 south of Torrington in Goshen County by June 30, 2017.

Connected vehicle technology along I-80 corridor Cheyenne – WYDOT has been awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to continue its innovative deployment of connected vehicle technology on the I-80 corridor. The I-80 corridor in Wyoming is one

of only three locations around the nation to participate in the Connected Vehicle Pilot Deployment Program. I-80, which reaches its highest elevation at 8,640 feet, is a major corridor for east-west freight movement in the northwest part of the country. In the last year alone, I-80 has experienced more than 1,400 crashes with 13 fatalities and over 250 injury-related crashes. Connected Vehicle Technology enables trucks and WYDOT’s fleets to “talk” to each other and to “talk” to the roadside infrastructure. By enabling this connection, the pilot project will enable drivers to have 360-degree awareness of hazards and situations, including some they cannot see. In practice, this means when trucks equipped with this technology approach slowed or stopped traffic, they can receive messages in their vehicles to give more reaction time and choices. Or if equipped vehicles pass roadside devices, drivers can receive messages alerting them to hazardous road conditions, crashes ahead, construction zone information, parking recommendations or other road and travel information. If the equipped vehicle is stranded, the vehicle can send out an emergency notification to the appropriate center for assistance. Fleet managers will have new and more accurate information to share with their truckers on I-80. The goal is to improve the safety of the traveling public and reduce the incidents associated with adverse weather conditions frequently encountered on the corridor. “WYDOT’s connected vehicle project presents a unique opportunity,” said Gregg Fredrick, WYDOT chief engineer. “Our project team, along with the private fleet partners and a multidisciplinary research team will collaborate on developing leading edge safety and mobility applications and prove the concept through real world testing along the I-80 corridor. This work will lay the foundation for much larger and exciting opportunities to enhance the safety and mobility on other rural roadways in Wyoming and throughout the United States.” WYDOT successfully completed in August the development of the concept and plan for the pilot deployment of the connected-vehicle technology. The system is planned to be integrated within WYDOT’s existing Transportation Man-

WHP reports zero fatal crashes over Labor Day weekend Cheyenne – Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers were busy over the Labor Day holiday weekend throughout the state. Sept. 3-5, troopers conducted 1,693 traffic stops. Of those stops, six impaired drivers were arrested. During the three-day weekend, 73 total crashes were investigated by Patrol, none of them being fatal. Of the 73 crashes, 15 involved injuries and 58 involved property damage only. Troopers also assisted 191 motorists over the weekend. Troopers were focused on identifying impaired drivers and other highway safety violations. Specifically, the non-use of child and occupant restraints, speeding and other moving violations. Patrol partnered with law enforcement nationwide over the long weekend

to increase highway safety and reduce fatalities during the “August Crackdown on Impaired Driving” national campaign. Through the use of federal grant money, troopers worked overtime through the weekend as part of the national safety campaign. During the Labor Day weekend in 2015, Wyoming experienced 122 crashes that resulted in three fatalities and 45 injuries. The Wyoming Highway Patrol Dispatch Center dispatched 2,955 events and fielded thousands of phone calls over the 2016 extended holiday weekend.

repairs and other work. Residents should see the majority of the project completed by mid-September. Once completed, this project will have milled off and replaced the pavement on parts of East and West Teton and Hitching Post, as well as constructed new curb and gutter that meets federal ADA standards. The new streets will maintain their previous alignment. The contract was awarded to Lewis & Lewis Inc. of Rock Springs for $2.7 million dollars. The completion date for this work is June 30, 2017.

Wyoming Highway Patrol was part of a multiagency team to “crackdown on impaired driving” throughout the nation.

Final stages of paving in Green River Green River – WYDOT and contract crews from Lewis & Lewis Inc. moved into the final stages of paving for East Teton, West Teton and Hitching Post the first few weeks of September. East Teton Boulevard was initially milled at the beginning of the summer to allow unrelated utility work to take place. “It’s easier and more efficient to allow other work to take place while the pavement is removed during this project, instead of doing our job, paving and then having someone else dig it all up and repave it again later,” WYDOT Resident Engineer Clint Lockman said. WYDOT and contract crews moved to Hitching Post and West Teton Boulevard after milling East Teton to allow the utility work to take place, planning to come back and pave the stretch after the utility work was completed. Crews followed up with a wearing course application on all three streets and some miscellaneous punchlist items that included concrete repairs, manhole

Photo: WYDOT

Photo: WHP

agement Center (TMC), and WYDOT anticipates equipping 400 vehicles and installing close to 75 roadside units using this technology. Private fleet partner trucks will also equip their vehicles with the new technology. WYDOT has already gained support from trucking industry leaders and safety advocates such as the Wyoming Trucking Association and the Governor’s Transportation Safety Coalition. WYDOT also obtained support from several private fleet partners interested in having their own trucks participate in the pilot. Additional partners and stakeholders will continue to be included in the project. WYDOT will be supported by a multidisciplinary team including ICF International, National Center for Atmospheric Research, McFarland Management, Trihydro, University of Wyoming and Vital Assurance. WYDOT will also be supported by the vendors who will provide the hardware and software that will be needed for the pilot. The federal government is providing about $4.4 million for the design and deployment phase of the project, and the combined cost of all three phases is projected to be about $5.7 million. WYDOT will continue working closely with federal partners to develop and deliver a scalable and replicable pilot that is a model for rural states to take advantage of vehicle and infrastructure connectivity.

Green River streets enter the final stages of paving, curb and gutter work this month.

Briefs continued on page 6

Total number of employees: as of Sept. 6, 2016

1,899

One month ago

1,907

One year ago

1,984

October 2016

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Rock Springs – Work on the bridges that connect Dewar Drive and Blairtown Road on the WYO 376 Belt Loop is wrapping up and the bridges are now open to traffic. The work was initially scheduled to close the first week of September, but crews encountered some unexpected delays in the schedule, pushing back the opening a few weeks. Motorists may still see WYDOT and contract crews working on the bridge, but traffic will be moving throughout the duration of the project, which is scheduled for completion in October. The contract was awarded to Reiman Corp. and Subsidary of Cheyenne in September 2015 for $1.5 million.

What to do if you get traffic striping paint on your vehicle:

• As soon as possible, take your vehicle to a car wash. This will loosen and remove most of the paint, unless it has dried for more than one full day. • If the car wash does not remove the paint, allow the vehicle to dry. On the dry surface, spray the paint residue with WD-40 and let sit on the area for 1-2 hours. Rewash the vehicle. The WD-40 should soften the paint without hurting the vehicle’s finish. If there is a heavy concentration of paint, repeat the procedure. • For heavy accumulations of paint that have dried for several days, apply a liberal coating of petroleum jelly to the dried traffic paint and allow it to set overnight. Take vehicle to a pressure car wash. Repeat the process if necessary. • Do not scrub the surface of your vehicle with a solvent or scouring cleanser when removing the paint. This will only damage the finish. • Paint is often difficult to remove from wheel wells, due to their flat finish. Apply a liberal coating of petroleum jelly and leave it on for several days. Then use a pressure washer to wash away the residue. Applying an alcohol such as Solox or rubbing alcohol to the area in the wheel well will help to soften any residue left after the petroleum jelly is washed away. Do not scrub the surface, just apply with a rag or sponge. n

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October 2016

to complete its work this November. Other improvements associated with Worland’s 15th Street/Big Horn Avenue intersection are planned in 2017. The City of Worland is planning street improvements at Big Horn Avenue’s intersection with 15th Street during 2017. The work will include relocating a slotted drain and inlet near Arby’s, pipe bursting, and paving of 15th Street. City work will include paving on 15th, one block on each side of Big Horn Avenue.

Photo: WYDOT

Belt Loop bridges open to traffic

WYDOT reminds drivers to be aware of the striping trucks on the road and to slow down accordingly. Drivers are urged to not follow stripers too closely and only pass when it is safe to do so. “Running over a wet paint line ruins the reflectivity, which decreases nighttime visibility. We hope drivers will avoid running over these freshly painted stripes,” WYDOT Striping Foreman Jeff Fox said. Orange cones are used to mark wet paint and are removed when the striping is dry. Striping paint dries fully within three to six minutes.

Photo: WYDOT

Briefs continued from page 5

Unexpected delays cause a setback in the opening of the bridges connecting Dewar Drive and Blairtown Road on the 376 Belt Loop.

Sidewalk improvement project continues in Worland Worland – Minor disruptions to traffic continue during replacement of sidewalk corners, sidewalk, curb and gutter, double gutter and electrical work on Big Horn Avenue between 10th and 23rd streets in Worland. WYDOT Project Engineer Jordan Erz said prime contractor EHC LLC of Deaver is continuing work on the $1.13 million Americans with Disabilities Act project. Weekly public information sharing meetings are continuing with WYDOT, the prime contractor and citizens at 1 p.m. every Tuesday at WYDOT’s engineering office in Worland, 1701 Big Horn Ave., across the street from McDonald’s. Business owners and citizens are encouraged to attend the information sharing meetings. Contract completion date is Oct. 31, 2017, though the contractor is scheduled

Big Horn Avenue and its intersection with 15th Street in Worland.

US 16 pavement improvements east of Ten Sleep Worland – Traffic delays were expected when a $1.94 million pavement improvement project began on US 16 east of Ten Sleep mid-September. Prime contractor McGarvin-Moberly Construction Co. of Worland will mill/ remove 1.5 inches of asphalt pavement on the 7.72-mile project. Milling of pavement will be followed with a 2-inch pavement overlay, WYDOT Resident Engineer Dan McAfee of Worland said. Asphalt milling began Sept. 19 and paving Sept. 27. The project begins about 8 miles east of Ten Sleep (near the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s fish hatchery) and extends nearly 8 miles east through Ten Sleep Canyon to the Ten Sleep Creek bridge. Paving of the Mondo Beyondo climbers’ area parking lot near Ten Sleep Creek is also part of this project. “Next June, the contractor is scheduled to return and complete chip sealing of the project,” McAfee said. Contract completion date is June 30, 2017. Project scope of work includes milling of asphalt pavement, placing crushed gravel base and asphalt pavement surfacing, chip sealing and other work on US

Photo: WYDOT

16 beginning at milepost 34 between Ten Sleep and Buffalo.

A stretch of US 16 east of Ten Sleep.

Third time’s not a charm; solar-powered elk crossing sign stolen again Cody – A safety outreach effort warning drivers of elk crossing the highway between Meeteetse and Cody took another hit this week when a solar-powered advisory sign was stolen for the third time. A resident elk herd moves back and forth across WYO 120 between Cody and Meeteetse, and after a handful of elk were hit by vehicles in the past five years,

WHP

Paving underway on Chief Joseph Scenic Highway near Cody

WYDOT responded to public comments by installing a pair of flashing elk crossing signs on each end of the 13-mile high use corridor about three years ago. Since then, three of the signs and solar panels have been stolen, including one this spring near the Oregon Basin turnoff. Each of the signs and solar panel are each valued at $2,000. “This is extremely frustrating,” said WYDOT Maintenance Foreman Shawn Coggins of Meeteetse. “We responded to a highway safety issue regarding wildlifevehicle collisions involving elk, but apparently someone has other ideas for these taxpayer-funded signs.” The latest sign disappearance occurred in late August about 3 miles north of Meeteetse. The latest incident is similar to the others, in that the post holding the sign was removed with use of a saw. Like the other incidents, tire tracks show a pickup truck backed into each sign before each sign was removed. “We really need the public’s help in identifying the person(s) responsible for this disgusting act,” Coggins said. “The sad part of all this is that these signs were installed to save human lives as well as the elk. Law enforcement is following up on all leads and tips.” Anyone with tips regarding the stolen elk crossing signs is asked to contact the Wyoming Highway Patrol.

Cody – Paving has started on a $3.8 million highway improvement project north of Cody on WYO 296, the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway. WYDOT Resident Engineer Todd Frost of Cody said paving of 1.5 inches of asphalt pavement started the last week of August on WYO 296. The road through Paint Creek Canyon “has been returned to two-way traffic during non-working hours” between mileposts 35.58 and 35.90, just east of Northwest College’s A.L. Mickelson Field Station. “During working hours, the contractor is working on crushed gravel base and guardrail where the slide repairs took place,” Frost said. Frost said the Paint Creek Canyon slide repair will receive four inches of new asphalt pavement. Slide repairs in the canyon carry a cost of $1.7 million; the slide began moving in May 2015. Other project work includes repairs to the Pat O’Hara Creek bridge and a 13.32-mile pavement rehabilitation project of Chief Joseph Scenic Highway from its intersection with WYO 120 to the top of Dean Indian Pass (milepost 33.20). The Chief Joseph Scenic Highway project is between the top of Dead Indian Pass and the intersection of WYO 296 and WYO 120.

Photo: WYDOT

Total number of highway fatalities: as of Sept. 22, 2016

113

Photo: WYDOT

one year ago

Slide repairs in Paint Creek Canyon during August.

The solar-powered elk signs are being stolen with the help of a pickup truck and a saw. Any information about the stolen signs can be forwarded to the WHP.

Briefs continued on page 8 October 2016

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Cody 8th Street wearing course underway Cody – Traffic delays were expected in early September when paving resumed on a $1.95 million highway improvement project in Cody. Prime contractor Mountain Construction Co. of Lovell plans to resume paving with wearing course pavement WYDOT Resident Engineer Todd Frost of Cody said. “Two-way traffic will be carried on one side of the street while wearing course pavement is placed on the other side,” Frost said. “The contractor does not plan to work over the long Labor Day weekend, so any work will be completed after the weekend.” Once the wearing course paving is completed, the contractor is scheduled to start on water valve and manhole adjustments and final concrete repairs. The revised completion date is Sept. 22. “Single-lane closures will be used for manhole and water valve adjustment,” Frost said. WYDOT specifications mandate wearing course pavement to be placed on highways by Sept. 15 due to expected onset of fall and winter weather. The Cody project is between 10th Street and Cody Labs on US 14-16-20, which includes 8th Street and Sheridan Avenue between milepost 50.64 (Cody Labs) and milepost 51.78 (10th Street) in Cody. Project scope of work includes pavement rehabilitation, including asphalt milling and re-paving of three inches of asphalt pavement and asphalt wearing course; Americans with Disabilities Act

(ADA) upgrades; replacement of broken curb and gutter, double gutter and sidewalk; and replacement of a traffic signal pole at the southwest corner of the 8th Street/Beck Avenue intersection at the entrance to the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.

New tow plow deployed to improve safety in Fremont County Basin – Operation of a tow plow this coming winter on Fremont County highways will improve safety and snowplowing efficiency. “The theory is the tow plow can do the work of two trucks, and will result in improvements in driver productivity while decreasing snow removal expenses,” said WYDOT Maintenance Engineer Pete Hallsten of Basin. WYDOT deployed a pair of tow plows last winter in the Casper area and this year, four more tow plows are being added to the state’s snowplowing arsenal for winter maintenance operations. The new tow plows deployed this winter include one each in Douglas, Gillette, Patrick Draw and Riverton. “The tow plow is a trailer mounted, 26-foot plow that is towed behind a 10-wheeled plow truck. It has the capability of plowing and treating with salt brine an entire additional lane of roadway at normal highway speeds when completely deployed,” Hallsten said. “The entire trailer unit shifts to the right, utilizing movable axles on the trailer unit as well as hydraulic controls between the truck and trailer. It can take the place of another plow truck by allowing one truck to plow

two lanes of road, or a single lane of road and an 8-foot shoulder.” Hallsten said WYDOT’s new Rivertonbased tow plow will be used to clear snow on multi-lane sections of highway throughout Fremont County this coming winter, and two-lane highways as well. The truck pulling WYDOT’s tow plow is equipped with heated mirrors which help the driver monitor the plow’s location. For the safety of other vehicles on the road, tow plows have a rear lighting package that mimics the lights of the truck body. The tow plow will plow snow at about 35 mph, but depending on the snow load, it may be able to travel faster while working. Benefits of Tow Plow use include: n Increased efficiency: allowing one plow truck operator to clear two lanes with one pass of the truck, snow removal becomes faster and more efficient. n Improved safety: removing snow

from two lanes at a time provides more clear travel lanes for motorists.

There are currently nearly 300 tow plows in use by transportation departments throughout the country, including nearly 100 by the Missouri Department of Transportation. Viking-Cives Corp., of Morley, Missouri, manufactures the patented Tow Plow. n

Photo: WYDOT

Briefs continued from page 7

The new truck is capable of plowing nearly 24 feet of road surface in one pass.

Put an end to distracted driving 8

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Nighttime Speed Study WYDOT will study nighttime speed limit reductions by Stephanie Harsha, District 3 Public Involvement Specialist Wyoming continues to struggle with wildlife collisions every year on local highways and byways. Wildlife-vehicle collisions pose a serious problem to society with regard to human safety, wildlife mortality, habitat connectivity and financial costs. In Wyoming, an average of 2,228 wildlife vehicle collisions were reported over the last three years, accounting for 15 percent of all reported collisions. These collisions often result in significant damage to vehicles, injure their occupants and are almost always lethal to the animal. Mule deer account for more than 85 percent of all wildlifevehicle collisions in Wyoming. WYDOT’s estimated costs per reported collision are $11,600 in injury and property damage costs and $4,000 in the unclaimed restitution value for each deer that is killed. Taken together, deer-vehicle collisions alone total approximately $24-29 million per year in Wyoming in injury and damage costs and an additional $20-23 million per year in wildlife costs, not including the potentially much higher number of actual lost deer since not all carcasses are retrieved. In an effort to find a cost-effective solution to combat these wildlife collisions, WYDOT is investigating the use of nighttime speed limit reductions. WYDOT will be conducting studies on specific stretches of state highways that have been statistically noted for their higher rate of wildlife vehicle collisions with deer. “Ensuring a highway is safe involves mitigating, to the extent practical, hazards that exist within the right-of-way; in many areas of the state, this includes the presence of wildlife. Additionally, WYDOT recognizes the value of wildlife to the state of Wyoming both from a monetary and a resource perspective,” District Engineer Keith Compton said. The WYDOT’s Programming Research Advisory Committee has approved funding to study the effectiveness of nighttime speed limits on several stretches of highway in western Wyoming. The first of these sections will be a 15-mile stretch of US 191 just south of Boulder to Pinedale. “WYDOT plans to use the results of this study to help guide decisions on implementation of night time speeds in the future. We are looking at areas in which wildlife migration is evident as well as core winter range areas. The study should help us to know if the speed reduction is a viable alternative and in which situations it is most effective,” Compton said.

Other areas will follow, including: n US 189 from La Barge to Big Piney, 23 miles n US 189 South near Lazeart Junction, 16 miles n US 30 from Kemmerer heading West, 10 miles n US 30 near Cokeville, 3 miles n US 191/189 near Warren Bridge, North of Daniel

Junction, 7 miles

n US 89 North of Evanston, 10 miles

Researchers will be taking into account seasonal migration patterns, driver behaviors and driver compliance with speeds. The study will take place over a period of three years, beginning this fall with the segment south of Pinedale. “WYDOT is committed to doing this study correctly so that the results show the level to which the treatment was successful. The benefit here is that, if shown to be effective, this will be another tool in our toolbox to use to decrease wildlife-vehicle collisions and improve overall safety for the driver and animal,” Compton said. WYDOT is performing a similar study on WYO 390 near Jackson. That study will be finalized next spring. WYDOT urges motorists to be conscientious of wildlife, obey all traffic signs and speed regulations and take extra precautions at night, being careful not to out-drive your headlights. For more information on road construction, closures and weather conditions, visit http://www.wyoroad.info. n Pinedale

Airport

Boulder

New Fork

October 2016

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by Aimee Inama

Wyoming Department of Transportation officials held a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, Aug. 29 to mark the beginning of the $55 million North Sheridan Interchange project, which will be completed in 2019. The Wyoming Transportation Commission in June awarded the contract for the work to Reiman Corp. of Cheyenne and High Country Construction Inc. of Lander. The project entails replacing the existing interchange with a new one about a mile north on I-90. The work, which will be completed in three phases, also includes realigning Decker Road and reconstructing North Main Street. See related story to learn more about the phases of the work. “This is true public-private partnership that represents the best of Wyoming, what we can get done in Wyoming,” Gov. Matt Mead said. “We have a number of wrecks as you all know, about 20 per year on this interchange as it is. It will improve safety. It needs to be done and safety is priority number one.” Besides safety, the project will help with tourism by making Sheridan even more accessible, and it will create more jobs for the community, Mead said. Butch Jellis, who owns the land with his partner Neltje, thanked everyone for their efforts in making the interchange a possibility. “In a very short time, this new interchange and gateway will

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October 2016

Photo: Rick Carpenter

Motorists will soon see a new northern interchange into Sheridan on I-90 that will increase safety and provide easier access to the community.

Gov. Matt Mead and WYDOT Director Bill Panos meeting local citizens before the groundbreaking ceremony.

become one of the most inviting entrances into Wyoming,” he said, adding that he was pleased to be able to help make the interchange a reality. State Sen. Dave Kinskey and State Rep. Rosie Burger thanked everyone for their hard work and said this project was a long time coming. Burger thanked former Sen. John Schiffer for his work. Schiffer passed away a few years ago but was active in making the interchange project a reality. WYDOT Director Bill Panos said the project shows great partnership from the community, lawmakers and state officials

Photo: WYDOT

Photos: Rick Carpenter

North Sheridan Interchange work will be completed in four phases

Truman RopesGood from the Crow Nation gives a blessing at the event while other dignitaries listen in.

over the years. “The interchange is a great story of conservation and civil engineering, of government working together, of patience and of public-private partnerships,” Panos said. “This $55 million project actually began in concept 40 years ago when WYDOT engineers determined that a new safer vehicle interchange was needed just north of Sheridan, Wyoming.” Wyoming’s federal lawmakers also offered their support and congratulations on the new project in letters Panos read during the ceremony. “By all accounts this project has been developed through an inclusive process, which should be an example to other communities across Wyoming,” wrote Rep. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo. “You should all be proud of your efforts. You are a great example of Wyoming’s true spirit of collaboration to get the job done.” Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., said groundbreaking events like the one in Sheridan showcase the partnerships that can be formed to make communities and the state safer. “Today we are recognizing the start of another project that will help keep our roads safe and make them a more efficient

Workers will complete construction on the new $55 million North Sheridan Interchange project in four phases starting in 2016. The project involves replacing the existing interchange and building a new one about a mile north on I-90. The Wyoming Transportation Commission awarded the contract to Reiman Corp. of Cheyenne and High Country Construction Inc. of Lander in June. For phase I of the project, which started in August, workers are grading the area of the new interchange for the new on/off ramps and the new realigned Decker Road north of the interstate. Workers are also widening Goose Creek Bridge on Decker Road and installing a pedestrian box culvert. The work could have possible impacts to traffic near the Goose Creek Bridge and the box culvert location. During phase II of the project, which starts in 2017, construction on the interchange will continue. Workers will also construct new alignments on North Main Street, Yellowtail Drive, Industrial Road and Decker Road. On those roads, workers will perform underground utility work, road surfacing, lighting and enhancements and install a pedestrian underpass, sidewalks and pathways. WYDOT will have two-way traffic along those roads, with a pilot car and flaggers for traffic control. All business access will remain open. For phase III in 2018, workers will reconstruct North Main Street from Fort Road to Goose Creek. The work includes performing underground utility, road surfacing, side street and business access tie-ins and improvements, lighting and enhancements, and installing pedestrian sidewalks and pathways. Workers will also do isolated reconstruction and widening, and new surfacing on the westbound lanes of I-90. WYDOT will have two-way access on those roads, and people will be able to access homes and businesses. During phase IV in 2019, workers will do isolated reconstruction and widening, and new surfacing on the eastbound lanes of I-90. They will also complete all enhancements, and do cleanup and reclamation work on the project. n

means of travel throughout our state,” Enzi wrote. The work will also improve traffic flow for residents and visitors. “This new interchange will open the northeast corner of our great state to visitors from around the world,” wrote Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo. “In addition to providing easier access to travelers, the interchange will also improve the overall safety of the junction between Interstate 90 and the community of Sheridan.” The groundbreaking ceremony also featured other dignitaries including Bob Ralston, chairman of the Sheridan County Commissioners; John Heath, mayor of Sheridan; and Truman RopesGood, a member of the Crow Nation who gave the blessing. n

October 2016

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Management Services helps improve state and federal policies for WYDOT by Aimee Inama If there are policy changes, policy questions or legislative action that could impact Wyoming, WYDOT’s Management Services works to keep the state’s best interests in the forefront. John Davis, manager of Management Services, and his team work with WYDOT’s executive staff, state and federal lawmakers and industry leaders on numerous federal laws, policy formulation and research. Davis has two slots on his current team – one senior policy analyst and a recently reclassified position that will soon be filled with another policy analyst to help with the increasing and diverse Davis workload. The federal policy work takes up about 50 percent of Management Services’ time. The team helps WYDOT with legislation like the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act by developing briefs and other materials to help keep executive staff updated. For the past 20 years, the program has been cultivating good relations with the staff of Wyoming’s congressional delegation, a task that was previously handled mostly by executive staff. “With just two available staff members, Management Services produced for the director accurate, WYDOT-specific fact sheets and briefing papers concerning the FAST Act in the days following passage of the bill at a rate faster than the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

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October 2016

or other transportation trade groups with large policy staffs, and even the Federal Highway Administration,” said Davis, adding that those were developed when the text was still in strike-andaddition format. Executive staff used the information Management Services provided for media interviews, and to update the governor’s staff, the Wyoming Transportation Commission and the state Legislature. “Since the passage of the FAST Act, Management Services has produced more than a dozen informational memos for the director and chief engineer regarding various federal legislative and policy issues,” Davis said. During the years leading up to Congress’ approval of the FAST Act, Management Services participated in a variety of activities with congressional staff both individually and on behalf of the director and executive staff, Davis said. Management Services works with a five-state policy group that consists of Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota to help shape policy that keeps Wyoming’s best interests in mind. When looking at federal legislation or rules, Wyoming sends comments that often concur with the five-state or AASHTO comments. However, Management Services coordinates with those groups to help ensure the policy positions are compatible with WYDOT’s best interests, Davis said. “Management Services has also worked successfully to make AASHTO and the five-state positions consistent with WYDOT views,” Davis said. “Notices for which no comments are ultimately posted still must be reviewed and forwarded to appropriate programs for analysis. We also participate in webinars during which federal agencies review and explain proposed or final

rules, as well as AASHTO committee work to ensure that WYDOT’s voice is continuously heard at the national level during policy discussions.” One example of the coordination with the five-state group and AASHTO that Management Services worked on was with the final Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) that was part of the FAST Act. That rule dealt with unpaved roads and data collection on traffic counts. The original HSIP required that states provide traffic data on unpaved and paved roads. But in Wyoming, it would be cost prohibitive to collect data on some of the unpaved roads that average just a few vehicles per day on the roads. With input from the Highway Safety and Planning programs, Management Services was able to work with its partners and get the HSIP rule changed so states like Wyoming wouldn’t have to incur undue expenses, but still would be providing certain data sets like length and ownership. At the state level, Management Services has worked with executive staff and other programs to provide information on topics and to ensure statewide initiatives are followed, such as Gov. Matt Mead’s call for rules reductions. “Since Gov. Mead’s rules reduction initiative began in May 2013, Management Services has spearheaded an estimated 50 percent rules content reduction with 17 rules repealed outright,” Davis said. “Other rules have been shortened or simplified. Gov. Mead singled out WYDOT’s

success at streamlining rules in a recent State of the State address.” The approval process is extensive, with only about three to five rules being reissued in an average year, Davis said. WYDOT has to follow the Wyoming Administrative Procedures Act that explains the process for rule changes. The new or revised rule is first reviewed internally and then sent to the state Attorney General’s Office. From there, it goes to WYDOT’s director and then to the governor for 10 days. After that, there is a 45-day open public comment period. If there are comments that result in substantive changes, those are incorporated and the process starts over. If nothing changes, the comments are written up and the new rule is submitted to the transportation commission for adoption. Once that’s finished, the new rule goes to the state’s Legislative Services Office Management Review Council where a group of legislators look over the new document. They have 75 days to make any changes. If they make substantive changes, the process starts over. If no changes are made, the rule then goes to the governor’s office where it’s reviewed. If the governor signs the rule, it’s then filed with the state Secretary of State’s Office and becomes law. The program is also taking on an increased role with activities involving the state Legislature. These functions will be especially important as the upcoming legislative session approaches. n

October 2016

Interchange

511 Notify service changes

Last year, WYDOT sent out 18.27 million email messages and 22.86 million text messages. So far, we are on track to surpass that number in 2016. We understand how important these messages are to travelers as they make travel decisions. WYDOT will be streamlining and reformatting the 511 Notify messages to respond to concerns from subscribers who have said the number of messages sent during storms can be overwhelming. Our overall goal is to reduce the number of messages that are sent and better manage costs associated with the 511 Notify service. Going forward, closure messages will remain largely the same; however, an estimated opening time will be provided if one is available. The alert messages are the most changed and will now tell the recipient the worst case travel impact (i.e. low, moderate, high) that they will encounter on a given road segment instead of the specific conditions. This will make information sent via 511 Notify consistent with the information displayed on the Wyoming 511 mobile app. There will be a link included in the message that will bring users to the “By Route” page if they want to see the detailed conditions for that route.

WYDOT will also be discontinuing the “resend” of active messages at 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. For example, in the future if someone is only subscribed to daytime messages (6 a.m. - 8 p.m.) they will not receive a message at 6 a.m. for any alerts that went into effect during the nighttime period. They will need to check one of WYDOT’s other information systems to determine the current conditions/closures. Lastly, WYDOT is discontinuing messaging for speed limit reductions. Instead, this information can be found at http:// www.wyoroad.info/Highway/conditions/VSL.html or http://map. wyoroad.info/hi.html. In addition to changing the way we share information through 511 Notify, WYDOT has been working to create new avenues to share travel information. Earlier this year, we launched the Wyoming 511 mobile app for Android and Apple phones. The app is designed to provide information to travelers through voice alerts and to provide pre-trip information via a map. We are also making our traveler information map mobile friendly and have a number of different products geared toward commercial vehicle operators and businesses that require employees to travel or cater to travelers. n

Take road conditions with you. Get the WYOMING 511 app. 



Know traffic hazards & road conditions before you go View highway webcams

  

"Where am I?" function Hands-free, eyes-free function Easy to use

Available for free download at the Google Play Store.

Interchange

October 2016

Available for free download at the Apple App Store.

Noteworthy

WYDOT gears up for new specialty plate background WYDOT is temporarily putting a hold on new specialty and prestige plate applications from Sept. 24 through Oct. 3 to prepare for plates that will feature a new background. Starting in 2017, the new plate design featuring the Lower Green River Lake and Squaretop Mountain will be on the state’s 12 specialty plates, the prestige plates and the standard plates motorists receive at the county when registering their vehicles. WYDOT will stop accepting applications for the specialty and prestige plates featuring the Tetons on Sept. 24. WYDOT will then begin processing and accepting all new applications it has for specialty and prestige plates on Oct. 3. Per Wyoming law, license plate designs change every eight years with the new design needing to be readily distinguishable from the previous design. All designs are required to have the bucking horse logo. “The specialty plate fee is paid each time the plate is redesigned,” said Debbie Lopez, manager of Motor Vehicle Services, adding that the fee is in addition to the annual vehicle fee paid at the county.

For instance, if someone applies for a new specialty or prestige plate that has the Tetons before Sept. 24, they will need to pay the fee again in 2017 to get the new plate design. Drivers who want a specialty plate will complete the application at WYDOT and will pay the fee for that particular specialty plate. The Disabled Veteran plate is the only one not affected. Veterans who request a Disabled Veteran plate can continue to do so because this plate is free to the requester, but they must be a disabled veteran. “We also contact our specialty plate customers within three to six months of their plate’s expiration to remind them to reorder their specialty plate,” said Shannon DeGrazio, of WYDOT’s Motor Vehicle Services program. “All current specialty plate customers who reorder in 2017 will have the option of keeping their existing plate combinations.” Although motorists will be able to start applying for specialty plates in October, they won’t be able to put the new plate on until their current registration expires unless they pay in advance at the county for the extra months of registration. Besides a new look, the prestige plates will now have a maximum of five letters or combination of five letters, numbers and spaces. In previous years, the maximum was four. To view the guidelines for the prestige plates or to learn more about the specialty plates, visit WYDOT’s website at www.dot.state.wy.us.

22 SAMPL

WTDEA 2017 Cash Calendar Enjoy 12 months of photographs taken by WYDOT employees.

All proceeds benefit the WYDOT Employee Relief Fund

The Relief Fund is a benefit available to ALL WYDOT employees. October 2016 n Interchange 15

TechNotes

The risks of using someone else’s Wi-Fi Protecting you and your money from hackers.

The internet has made doing many things much easier. It provides instant gratification for shopping for that perfect outfit or new gadget, and banking and bill payment services are just a click away. But the internet also has made it much easier for cybercriminals to get your personal information.

The dangers of using a public or unsecure Wi-Fi connection

When you connect to an unfamiliar Wi-Fi network, including a public Wi-Fi network at your favorite coffee shop, restaurant or store, you’re opening the door for hackers and cybercriminals to steal your personal and confidential information. They can impersonate you, steal your money or even sell your information on the cyber black market to a host of people who could do the same. How can they do this? In a July 2014 article in Forbes, Vice President of Check Point Software Technologies Bari Abdul highlights common ways a hacker can get into your computer when you’re using a public Wi-Fi or an unprotected Wi-Fi network.

Scenario No. 1: Rogue/evil twin Wi-Fi

“A hacker creates a hotspot named Hotel Wi-Fi in a hotel lobby using a USB antenna and laptop. You connect to it and log in to your email or other account,” said Abdul. “When [you] log in, hackers listen for your passwords and other sensitive information. They can also use these networks to get you to download malware.” And you’re none the wiser, because most hotels offer free Wi-Fi to their guests, and why would something so official-looking be fake?

Scenario No. 2: Man-in-the-middle attacks

Man-in-the-middle attacks happen when a hacker intercepts communication between two computers while one is connected to an unsecure network, like public Wi-Fi. “A common man-in-the-middle attack is when a third party or ‘middle person’ eavesdrops as you exchange bank account or credit card information. Traveling and forgot to set up a payment? Be aware that online shopping interactions or other financial transactions are highly susceptible to man-in-the-middle attacks,” said Abdul.

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October 2016

Other common ways you could unknowingly allow a hacker access to your devices include using smartphones that automatically connect to any available Wi-Fi (including rogue Wi-Fi networks posing as legitimate ones) and even maintaining a home or office network that’s not up-to-date in its firewall and security software. A hacker will wait until you use the device on an unprotected connection and then eavesdrop on everything you type, looking for passwords and sensitive banking or credit card information.

Tips to protect you from becoming a victim of cybercrime

Kaspersky Labs, a renowned global cybersecurity company with a North American base in Massachusetts, shares tips on its website about how to protect yourself while banking or shopping online with an unfamiliar Wi-Fi connection. n Treat every unknown Wi-Fi connection with suspicion. If you’re in a retail store, talk with an employee before connecting. n Use your smartphone as a hotspot instead of connecting to any

Wi-Fi networks, and turn off the capability in your settings to automatically connect to available Wi-Fi without permission.

n Because links are often infected with Trojans or other malware

viruses, always type in the full URL to the online bank or store instead of clicking a link.

n Beware of fake messages from your bank asking for personal

information. A legitimate financial institution will not ask you to send sensitive information via email or a pop-up window; nor will it ask you to visit its site for authorization.

n “When you’re visiting a web page that needs you to enter con-

fidential data, carefully check that the address of the page that’s shown on the browser corresponds with the page that you were intending to access,” said Kaspersky Labs. “If the URL is made up of a random selection of letters and numbers — or it looks suspicious — do not input any information.”

n Before entering any sensitive information, check that the URL in

your browser has a padlock icon and starts with “https” — not “http” — to make sure the connection’s encrypted.

Reprinted with the permission of IMN Inc., 460 Totten Pond Road, Waltham, MA 02451

Training

Learn more about Google Apps by Kurt Bogaard, Training Services If you have participated in the WYDOT New Employee Orientation, you may remember that we encouraged you to learn more about Gmail and other Google Apps with available online tools. We especially encouraged you to learn more if the use of these apps would help you be more efficient and effective with your specific job at WYDOT. Those online tools, which are at our fingertips, are now improved. And there is a new way to get great, effective training on Google Apps. ETS has released the new “Training for Google Apps” extension to all Chrome browsers. It is available to any user, including all WYDOT employees. This training is for all Google Apps including Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Google+, Sites, Groups, etc. Here’s how it works: look for and click on the Training Menu icon ( ) next to your Google account avatar in the upper part of the right hand corner of the screen.

When prompted, you will initially need to allow access by selecting “Allow” on the permissions screen. This confirms your @wyo.gov Google account. Then you can search topics or select topics by category. These lessons are simple, short, interactive videos that will walk you through the instruction. And the lesson occurs right within the app that you are using. This is a great interactive training tool that will help you learn about new features and hopefully increase your effective use of Google Apps. When you have a chance, give it a try! For additional information on “Training for Google Apps” go to: https://support.google.com/a/answer/7039472 If you have questions, contact the ETS Help Desk at helpdesk@wyo.gov. n

Check out these upcoming training opportunities from WYDOT-U, the Transportation Learning Network (TLN) and WeLL.

Coming in November: Date Class 11/7/16 11/9/16 11/14/16 11/15/16 11/15/16 11/16/16 11/16/16 11/17/16 11/22/16 11/22/16 11/21/16 11/29/16

New Employee Orientation TC3 PCC Pavement Preservation Joint Sealing & Crack Sealing WYDOT “Developing The Leader Within You!” Workshop 8 - Vision Leading with Emotional Intelligence WYDOT “Developing The Leader Within You!” Workshop 8 - Vision Developing Your Employees: The Practical Coach Writing & Grammar Skills for Today’s Work Environment John Mawell’s “How to be a Real Success” Be Safe at Home High Friction Surface Treatment Negotiation Strategies and Techniques to Improve Construction Project Management Follow On New Supervisors Orientation

Coming in December: Date Class 12/1/16 12/8/16 12/15/16

State of the Practice & the Future of GPA & NDT for Pavement & Deck Surveys Crashworthiness of Work Zone Devices TC3 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

PMI Competency

Location

Communication Vocational

WYDOT-U Webinar

Leadership Leadership

Cheyenne WYDOT-U

Leadership Developing Others Communication Personal Effectiveness Personal Effectiveness Vocational

Casper WYDOT-U TLN TLN TLN TLN

Vocational Leadership

Webinar WYDOT-U

PMI Competency

Location

Vocational Vocational Vocational

Webinar TLN TLN

Learning at the WeLL this quarter: Learning at the WeLL Highlights: Access e-Learning content from other providers through the WeLL TLN LearnFlex, WyoTraining, Risk Management and more! To register, or to find out more details, visit the Training Program intranet page.

October 2016

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Headquarters

Welcome Cashmere Anderson, Port Of Entry-Cheyenne I-25; Adrian Bustamante, Patrol-Safety and Training; Justin Gardner, Patrol-Safety and Training; Toby Grapes, Human Resources; Austin Holcomb, Patrol-Dispatch Manager; Harley Kalb, Patrol-Safety and Training; Casey Lehr, Patrol-Safety and Training; Joseph Lobert, Facilities ManagementSecurity; Michael Meritt, Patrol-Safety and Training; Jenessa Neal, Port Of Entry-Cheyenne I-80; Adam Powell, Patrol-Safety and Training; Catalina Rickgauer, Patrol-Dispatch Manager; Danny Robinett Jr., Patrol-Safety and Training; Taylor Schmid, Patrol-Dispatch Manager; Theodore Schueler, PatrolSafety and Training; and Chad Seidel, Patrol-Dispatch.

Kiana Zimmerman, IT-Development – 25 years; Michael Menghini, Bridge-Engineering Administration – 25 years; Robert Wise, Bridge-Operations Inspection – 25 years; Lois Phillips, Highway Safety – 15 years; Fulton

Zimmerman

Menghini

Wise

Phillips

Promotions and Transfers Aubrie Cotton, Purchasing-Buying; Ryan Higgins, Materials-Bituminous; Molly Johnson, Driver Services-Policy and Records; Ginni Melton, Highway Project Management Oversight; and Thomas Pritchard, Patrol-Operations.

Service Awards Wayne Miller, Patrol-Support Services Operation – 40 years; Keith Fulton, Planning and Engineering Division-Adminstration – 30 years;

Shannon DeGrazio, Motor Vehicle Services-Registration/ Title – 15 years; Patricia Bennett, Materials-Administration – 10 years; Mick Farrell, Geol- Farrell ogy – 5 years; and Tanya Lallak, GIS/ITS – 5 years.

Retirements Higgins

Pritchard

Interchange

Bryan Baker retired Sept. 1 with nine years of service to WYDOT. Baker was a senior OSHA specialist in the Employee Safety Program.

Melton

Mark Eisenhart, State Field Operations engineer, retired on July 10 with 32 years

Miller

October 2016

Eisenhart

Congratulations Nathan Smolinski was recently chosen as the Wyolink System supervisor for the Telecommunications Program. Smolinski assumed his duties Sept. 1.

Cradle Call

Smolinski

Stacee Raeann Sorensen was born Sept. 14 to Shane and Kassie Sorensen of Brandon, Miss. She weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces and was 21 inches long. She is the granddaughter of Scott Sorensen, business office coordinator in Planning, and his wife Jeanne and the great-granddaughter of the late Edward Crowe, retired assistant chief engineer, and his wife Wilma. Maternal grandparents are Pete and Kellee Wightman of Fullerton, Calif.

Photo courtesy of Scott Sorensen

District News

of service to WYDOT. Eisenhart began his career with WYDOT in May 1984 as a seasonal employee originally reporting to Tim McGary, who is now the District 1 Maintenance engineer. After graduating from the University of Wyoming with a degree in civil engineering, he was hired full time as an engineer in Cheyenne in June 1985. Springboarding from his first engineering position with the department, Eisenhart went on to hold many engineering positions within WYDOT including engineer analyst, resident engineer in Newcastle and for 12 years, the Construction Staff engineer in Cheyenne. In August 2011, Eisenhart assumed duties as State Field Operations engineer, which was a new position at WYDOT overseeing construction, maintenance and equipment staff activities at headquarters.

District 1

Welcome

Service Awards

Congratulations

Rachael Larson, Highway Development-Project Development-Laramie Design Squad; Timothy Stark, Highway Development-Project Development-Laramie Design Squad.

Donald Bridges, Cheyenne Maintenance – 35 years; Rick Ackerman, Rawlins Maintenance – 15 years; Daniel Stafford, Cheyenne Maintenance – 10 years; John Vance, Rawlins Patrol – 5 years.

Aaron Spenny was recently selected as resident engineer for the Rawlins Construction Program. He assumed his duties on Sept. 1.

Promotions and Transfers Tony Robidoux, Rawlins Mechanics; and Susan Wilson, Cheyenne Patrol.

Robidoux

Wilson

Spenny

Bridges

Ackerman

Stafford

District 2

Welcome

Scott Hokanson, Kaycee Maintenance – 20 years; Timothy Kennedy, Muddy Gap Maintenance – 15 years; Geoffery Morgheim, Casper Mechanics – 5 years; Jeremy Holkan, Douglas Maintenance – 5 years.

Steven Hopkins, Chugwater Maintenance.

Promotions and Transfers Tyrel Cross, Torrington Patrol; and James Crowson, Casper Traffic-Striping.

Greenamyre

Hokanson

Retirements

Service Awards Todd Greenamyre, Torrington Mechanics – 35 years; Jeri Kennedy, District 2 Administration – 20 years;

Vance

Cross

Kennedy

Douglas Driver Services Examiner and Supervisor Angela Lola retired on Sept. 2 with 39 years of service to the state. Lola, an Eastern Wyoming College graduate, began her career with WYDOT as a driver license examiner for the Douglas/Wheatland/Glenrock offices in Sept. 1977.

Holkan

Promotions and Transfers

le Afte yc

Benjamin Kiel, Pinedale Patrol.

ading! Re

ease Re c Pl

District 3 Tyler Mullen, Rock Springs Construction – 5 years.

Service Awards Travis Bandemer, Rock Springs Maintenance – 5 years; and Kiel

Bandemer

October 2016

Mullen

Interchange

District 4

Welcome Dustin Roberts, Sheridan TrafficStriping.

Service Awards

as spending time with his two kids and three grand kids. He is loved by all and will surely be missed by his WYDOT family in his retirement.

Congratulations to our August recipient!

Chad Greene, Buffalo Construction – 10 years. Greene

Franklin Peck retired Sept. 7 with more than 15 years of service to the state. He retires from the Buffalo Maintenance crew. Peck is well known for removing road kill from any road – even on the weekend and while traveling. He said he just didn’t want anyone to get in an accident because of that. In retirement, he plans to do a lot of hunting and guiding, putting his mules to good use. He also has quite a “honey do” list that his wife, Pat, has prepared, as well

District 5

Recent retiree Frank Peck (left) with Maintenance Crew Supervisor Dustin Hockett in Buffalo at Peck’s retirement party which came complete with a road kill-riddled, snow-drift loaded cake.

Daniele Galluzzo

For more information about the Extra Mile Award or to nominate someone, contact Katherine Castaneda at katherine.castaneda@wyo.gov.

Procurement Supply Catalog

Welcome Jeremy Paumer, District 5 TelecomRadio Shop.

Promotions and Transfers Anthony Badura, Lander Patrol.

Photo: WYDOT

Retirements

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.

Badura

OF2475 - US flag OF2485 - Wyoming flag

Service Awards Gary Meier, Basin Mechanics – 20 years; and Lance Purdy, Cody Construction – 5 years.

Nylon flags are also available.

Meier

New flags for

high velocity winds. Check them out.

Interchange

October 2016

Awards

Service Award Recipients

WYDOT Public Affairs staff was honored with an award at the American Association of Highway and Transportation Officials Subcommittee on Transportation Communications annual meeting in Charleston, W.Va. in September. The department’s October 2015 Interchange garnered second place in the “Newsletter, Internal” category. The issue featured the Summit Rest Area Abraham Lincoln bust and staff contributors included Carlie Van Winkle, editor/designer; recently retired writers Bruce Burrows and Dave Kingham; and photography by Rick Carpenter. n

Photo: Rick Carpenter

Public Affairs work earns AASHTO award

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: (Clockwise from standing, left) Keith Fulton, Shannon Ratliff, Todd Greenamyre and Don Bridges.

Save the Date! The annual WYDOT Retiree Christmas Party will be held December 8.

Classic? Hot rod? Late model? Two wheeler? Get those photos in!

December Rides deadline:

11/10/16

carlie.vanwinkle@wyo.gov

October 2016

Interchange

Passings Alton L. Cross, Sr.

Alton “Budge” Leroy Cross Sr., 84, died on Sept. 12. Cross had retired in July 1988 with 21 years of service to the state. He worked in the State Equipment Office in Cheyenne. Cross was born Oct. 1, 1932, in Boyes, Mont. He graduated from Cheyenne Central High School Cross in 1950 and joined the U.S. Marine Corps. Cross served in the Korean War where he was awarded two Purple Hearts. After his recovery, he returned to Wyoming and worked for the Great Western Sugar Company and then began his career with the Wyoming Highway Department, retiring in 1988. The highlight of his life was the love he shared with his wife Dorothy. They met in 1957 and were married on June 20, 1959. Together they had four children. Cross’ family knew him as a strong, independent, loving man who was always there when needed. He was there to help fix a car, make home improvements, teach something new, tell a story, go hunting, fishing or camping, or just go to the park and fly a kite. Everyone knew he loved taking care of and spending time with his family and friends. A celebration of life was held at Cheyenne Moose Lodge on Sept. 23. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to Toys for Tots to honor Cross’ tie to the Marines and love of making others smile.

Richard W. Douglass

Robert Michael

Richard Wayne Douglass, 70, of Fort Collins, Colo. passed away Sept. 15 after a long battle with brain cancer. Douglass began his career with WYDOT in April 1989 as an Economist with WYDOT Programming. He also spent time as an Urban Planner with the Planning Program before Douglass moving to the Local Government Coordination Program in 1990. Douglass was born on June 23, 1946 in Greybull. Following high school, he attended and graduated from the University of Wyoming with a degree in economics in 1968. After college, he served in the U.S. Army as SGT E5 with the 25th Infantry Division in Vietnam during 1969 and 1970. For his service, Douglass received the National Defense Service Medal; the Vietnam Service Medal; the Army Commendation Medal; the Good Conduct Medal and most importantly, the Bronze Star Medal. After his service in the Army, he moved from Cheyenne to Buffalo, Wyo. and became the city/county planner. On May 31, 1975, he married Rowena Esther Wright. Shortly after his marriage, he started his own landscaping business which he ran for 10 years and then served as the mayor of Buffalo from 1987-1988. Douglass loved remodeling and other fun projects around the home – building retaining walls, gardening and constructing train tracks for model trains. He especially enjoyed spending time at breweries with his brothers, friends and other family members. Another of Douglass’ interests was college football and he was an avid fan of the Wyoming Cowboys.

Robert “Bob” Michael, 88, died July 24. Michael was born July 3, 1928 in Bairoil. He worked for the Wyoming Highway Department, WYDOT’s predecessor agency, at Muddy Gap. Michael retired from the state after 41 Michael years of service. Graveside rights were held Sept. 23 at the Wyoming Memorial Gardens of Mills.

**Editor’s note: The August issue of Interchange included a mislabeled photograph in the Passings section. We sincerely apologize to the family of Ted Wilson for mislabeling his photo. We didn’t mean to upset anyone with the layout mistake.

Get smart!

Spring skiing? Beach vacation? Hunt lately? Get those photos in!

January Outdoors submission deadline:

12/16/16

carlie.vanwinkle@wyo.gov

Download and use the free Drive Sober Wyoming smartphone app. drivesoberwy.com 22

Interchange

October 2016

AVOID THE

DUI LIFE

WTDEA

WyHy Federal Credit Union contributed $2,500 to the WYDOT Employee Relief Fund on Sept. 7, the fourth year it has done so under the partnership that allows it to issue credit cards carrying the WYDOT and Wyoming Highway Patrol logos. WyHy CEO Bill Willingham presented the check to Director Bill Panos and Ryan Sorenson, state board president of the Wyoming Transportation Department Employees Association. The credit union has pledged to donate $5 to the Employee Relief Fund for every credit card issued with the WYDOT or WHP logo, or a minimum of $2,500. All active WYDOT employees are eligible for crisis assistance from the relief fund. They can receive assistance payments of up to $1,000 for uses such as health care costs or unexpected expenses due to floods, fires, vehicle crashes and

Photo: Rick Carpenter

WyHy donates $2,500 to Employee Relief Fund

WyHy Federal Credit Union presented a check in the amount of $2,500 to WTDEA for the Employee Relief Fund Program. Attending the giant check presentation were from left: Pam Fredrick, WyHy Chairman; Bill Willingham, WyHy CEO; Bill Panos, WYDOT Director; and Ryan Sorenson, WTDEA State Board President.

deaths. The fund has received 10 requests from department employees so far this year, and provided $6,750 in assistance, WTDEA State Board Treasurer Audrey Hobbs said. The fund assisted 20 employees last year. To request assistance, an employee must complete a relief fund form available on the WTDEA page of the WYDOT em-

ployees website and send it to Sorensen or Hobbs. Applications can be made anytime during the year, but employees are limited to receiving assistance once a year. WyHy started 69 years ago with seven Wyoming Highway Department employees as members, and now serves more than 13,000 people throughout the state. n

1,000 Tickets for Sale at $5 Each or 5 for $20

Gift Certificate This Certificate Entitles:______________________________ For:

CVA Optima V2 .50 Cal. Stainless Steel Muzzle Loader w/Cabela's 3-9x40 scope

$500.00 (five hundred dollars and no/100) From: WyHy Credit Union . Authorized by: CH

Expires: N/A NOT REDEMABLE FOR CASH Albany Lodge 1148 State Hwy 11 Laramie, WY 82070 (307) 745-5782

Custom Made Patio Swing by WYDOTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Carl Moody (Photo example only)

2016 Framed Conservation Stamp Print w/Conservation Stamp

$500 Gift Certificate to the Albany Lodge in Snowy Range

(32 Miles West of Laramie)

Winners will have choice of remaining prizes.

Drawing will be held at the November State Board Meeting

Raffle to Benefit the College Scholarship Fund October 2016

Interchange

Photo courtesy of Neal Perkin

Outdoors

Neal Perkins with the

bull elk he shot with his

bow on Sept. 11.

Photo: Dan McA

fee

Forest fires in the we stern part of our sta te made for a gorge the Wind River Valley ous sunset over near the end of Augu st.

land Ten Sleep. Wor mmer east of in su g in of y sk da ba e al tre rched in this ds enjoy the fin saw them pe Turkey buzzar e fe cA M n neer Da Resident Engi n. su e th

Interchange

October 2016

wing on the This North American badger was found burro sign shop. the near lex comp rs uarte west side of the headq tions snapped Jeff Mellor with Signing Design and Opera this close-up.

Photo: Merna Carver

Photo: Jeff Mellor

Photo: Merna Carver

Photo: Cody Beers

Baggs Maintenance Foreman Merna Carver attended the “Ride the Divide Antique Tractor Ride” in July. The antique tractors rode between Dixon and Encampment this past July 16 and 17. What a great sight to see! To her knowledge, none of the tractor drivers are WYDOT employees, but one of the drivers is Bob Dunkley, who works with a local energy company in Baggs. Top to bottom: All the tractors and drivers gathered at a highway pull off; the tractors driving down the highway “parade style”; a young woman enjoying the drive.

October 2016

Interchange

Looking to refinance… we’re with you. With a variety of options, WyHy is able to help you refinance an existing home loan you have elsewhere. • Conventional, VA, FHA and USDA home loan options • Loan-to-Values (LTVs) up to 100% • Competitive rates • 10, 15, 20 and 30 year terms • Easy online access to make payments, check your balance and more • Interest Saver Program where you can have payments automatically deducted from your account every 2 weeks, shaving years off of the life of your loan! • Pay your home loan off sooner with our Streamline Mortgage At least 98% of mortgages are retained by the servicer throughout the lifetime of the loan and a WyHy representative is with you from application to closing and beyond!

Not sure if refinancing your current home loan would be the best decision and money-saving option for you? No worries, we can sit down with you to look at your current situation, develop a plan and figure out the best route for you.

Looking to purchase a new home, or second home? We can help with that too!

WyHy.org/HomeLoans • 307-638-4200 26

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October 2016

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October 2016

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