16 minute read
District Briefs
by WYDOT
Headquarters
CHEYENNE – During its Sept. 16 business meeting, the Wyoming Transportation Commission awarded more than $24 million in contracts for seven Wyoming Department of Transportation construction projects.
The commission awarded a $10.7 million bid to Cheyenne contractor Knife River to complete milling and paving work on Interstate 25 in Platte County.
In Park County, McGarvin-Moberly Construction Co. out of Worland will be grading, paving and chip sealing a six-mile section of Wyoming Highway 120. McGarvin-Moberly was awarded the project with a bid of over $2.6 million.
An $890,000 bid for sign replacement and other miscellaneous work along I-25 in Converse and Natrona Counties was awarded to S&L Industrial, LLC out of Cowley.
The commission awarded a bid of $680,000 to Casper-based Modern Electric Co. for a project involving upgrading electrical systems and other miscellaneous work in Campbell, Crook, Johnson, Niobrara, Sheridan and Weston Counties.
Also in Sheridan County, a project involving grading, paving work, sidewalk replacement, curb and gutter replacement and electrical work on Wyoming Highway 336 in Sheridan was awarded during the meeting. Casper Electric, Inc. out of Casper had the low bid of $483,000 for the project.
All of the above projects have a contracted completion date of Oct. 31, 2022.
The commission also awarded an $8.5 million bid for milling, paving and bridge rehabilitation work on Interstate 80 in Albany County to Cheyenne contractor Simon Contractors. This project has a contracted completion date of June 30, 2023.
All of the above projects are federally-funded projects.
A project involving crushing and stockpiling surface material and other miscellaneous work in Big Horn and Washakie Counties was awarded to Mountain Construction Company out of Lovell, who submitted a bid of about $690,000. The sole state-funded project awarded at the meeting, this work has a contracted completion date of April 30, 2022.
Almost all WYDOT projects are awarded to the lowest bidder.
FMCSA Emergency Declaration from Hurricane Ida
CHEYENNE – The President of the United States declared an emergency due to the destructive power of Hurricane Ida. The southern and western service center of FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Administration) issued Regional Declaration No. 2021-008 under 49 CFR § 390.23.
By execution of this Emergency Declaration, motor carriers and drivers providing direct assistance to the emergency related to Hurricane Ida in the affected states are granted emergency relief from 49 CFR § 395.3, maximum driving time for property-carrying vehicles, and 49 CFR § 395.5, maximum driving time for passenger-carrying vehicles, subject to the restrictions and conditions set forth herein.
To ensure continued safety on the nation’s roadways, the emergency declaration stipulates that once a driver has completed their delivery, the driver must receive a minimum of 10 hours off-duty if transporting property and 8 hours if transporting passengers. Upon termination of direct assistance to emergency relief efforts related to Hurricane Ida in the affected states, the motor carrier and driver are subject to all requirements of the FMCSRs, except that a driver may return empty to the motor carrier’s terminal or the driver’s normal work reporting location without complying with 49 CFR §§ 395.3 and 395.5.
In accordance with 49 CFR § 390.23, this Emergency Declaration is effective immediately. It shall remain in effect until the end of the emergency (as defined in 49 CFR § 390.5) or until 11:59 P.M. (ET), Sept. 28, 2021, whichever is earlier. FMCSA intends to review the status of this Emergency Declaration continually and may take action to modify or terminate the Emergency Declaration sooner if conditions warrant.
“WYDOT understands the critical importance freight movement has on not just our state but our nation, especially after natural disasters such as Hurricane Ida,” said WYDOT Director Luke Reiner. “We hope this emergency order helps bring important supplies to those affected, but we also encourage freight haulers to not drive drowsy or distracted.”
The state of Wyoming fully supports this declaration. It stands ready to help those in need of emergency relief while transporting goods to those affected by Hurricane Ida.
District 1
Epoxy striping work in Cheyenne
CHEYENNE – Crews with Harvey Contractors, Inc. and the Wyoming Department of Transportation placed epoxy striping in various locations around Cheyenne starting Sept. 27.
Epoxy striping is more durable than traditional striping, especially in high-traffic areas.
Work included minor work in intermittent locations around Cheyenne. Crews focused on a portion of Lincolnway between Missile Drive and Morrie Avenue (mileposts 361.5-362.87.)
This was a mobile work zone with slow-moving striping equipment. Motorists were encouraged to drive slowly, obey all traffic control and avoid passing the heavy equipment where epoxy is still wet. Cones were in place to help indicate where epoxy was still be wet.
Short I-80 closure in Laramie caused delays
LARAMIE – Travelers on Interstate 80 experienced delays as utility work took place on Sept. 28.
I-80 was closed in both directions at about milepost 313 (Third Street exit) to
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Motorists needing to drive into or out of Laramie can use exit 310/Curtis Street or exit 316/Grand Avenue as detours around the closure. Exit on- and offramps were included in the closure.
Concrete slab work in downtown Cheyenne
CHEYENNE – Sept. 20, crews with S&S Builders and the Wyoming Department of Transportation began concrete slab repair on Central Avenue in Cheyenne.
Crews began near 22nd Street, replacing failed concrete slabs and repairing sections of curb and gutter as they move south to Lincolnway. They completed similar work on Lincolnway between Pioneer and Capitol Avenues.
Traffic was reduced to one lane during slab repair operations, delays to traveling public was expected. Parking spaces along Central Avenue and Lincolnway were temporarily closed as repair work took place. Sidewalk access to all businesses remained open throughout the project.
This project has an expected completion date of November 2021 for the Central Avenue portion, and June 2022 for the Lincolnway portion. Traffic control will be removed during the winter season. WYDOT paving work on I-80
CHEYENNE – Maintenance crews with the Wyoming Department of Transportation paved a small section of I-80 starting on Sept. 20.
Work began in the passing lane (left lane) of the eastbound lanes at about milepost 359.3. Motorists encountered lane closures, reduced speed limits and other potential delays through this work zone.
On Sept. 21, crews paved the right lane of the same section. A detour was in place for motorists wanting to take exit 359A to Interstate 25 south (Fort Collins) using exit 358 to West Lincolnway.
This work was completed Sept. 24.
LARAMIE – U.S. Highway 30/287 between Medicine Bow and Bosler was open to local traffic only after a 4-foot sinkhole was discovered at about milepost 290 on Sept. 14.
A detour was in place in Rock River for all traffic around the affected area. Motorists were asked to use caution and obey all posted speed limits and other traffic control.
The estimated reopening time is unknown.
Pavement work on WYO 212/College Drive
CHEYENNE – Crews with Knife River Corp. and the Wyoming Department of Transportation began pavement patching work on WYO 212/College Drive on Sept. 7 that were expected to cause delays.
Work is focused between Pershing Boulevard and Campstool Road and includes milling, paving, concrete work, curb and gutter repairs, sidewalk repairs and other miscellaneous work.
Motorists should expect potential delays from lane closures, reduced speed limits, flaggers and other traffic control as the work is taking place. In any work zone, avoid distractions like cell phones and buckle up.
This work is scheduled to be complete at the end of October.
Bridge work east of Saratoga
SARATOGA – Travelers on the Snowy Range Scenic Byway experienced delays as crews with Reiman Corp. and the Wyoming Department of Transportation began bridge work east of Saratoga on Sept. 7.
Work focused on a structure located at milepost 57 on WYO 130. Crews constructed a detour and began replacing the timber structure with a culvert.
Motorists can expect delays from this work, including lane closures and flaggers as the detour was built followed by a traffic light directing motorists across the single-lane detour.
This project is in response to weight restrictions placed on the structure earlier this spring that limited logging operations and other traffic on the highway. Once this work is complete, no weight restrictions for legal loads will be in place for the structure.
This work is expected to take about six weeks.
Bridge damage prompts lane closure on Parsley Bridge over I-80
CHEYENNE – Travelers on the Parsley Boulevard bridge over Interstate 80 experienced delays due to lane closures prompted by recent bridge damage.
On Aug. 30 an oversized load collided with the Parsley structure over I-80, bending part of the outside girder.
Due to the bridge damage, the northbound lane of Parsley Boulevard is closed. Traffic currently alternates in the southbound lane.
No oversized or overweight loads are permitted to use the Parsley structure.
The same vehicle also damaged the WYO 212/College Drive structure over I-80, causing both shoulders of the structure to close to traffic. WYDOT is still assessing whether lane closures are needed in that instance.
The Wyoming Department of Transportation has scheduled the Parsley structure over I-80 for replacement in 2022.
Bridge damage is apparent from under the Parsley Boulevard bridge.
Seasonal paving operations in Baggs
BAGGS – Maintenance crews with the Wyoming Department of Transportation began seasonal paving operations in Baggs on Sept. 7.
Work began on WYO 789 between mile-
posts 30.4-31.7. This operation took about three days.
Once crews wrap up there, they moved to another section of WYO 789 closer to Baggs, between mileposts 46.8-47.2.
Motorists through any of the above areas encountered delays due to lane closures, reduced speed limits and other traffic control.
Pokes encounter minor construction delays during travels to UW games
LARAMIE – Fans traveling to Laramie for University of Wyoming home football games can expect to encounter construction delays along their routes:
In Laramie: • Crews continue work on Interstate 80 between the Curtis Street and Third
Street interchanges (mileposts 310313). Expect lane closures, reduced speed limits and other potential delays through this area. Game day traffic may want to exit at 310 or 316 and travel through town to avoid some of these delays. • U.S. 30/Grand Avenue between 21st and 30th Streets, traffic control removed for game day. • The city of Laramie and University of
Wyoming have ongoing construction projects in various locations in town, stay alert for construction activity and add some extra time to reach War
Memorial Stadium.
Between Rawlins and Laramie: • Work on I-80 in various areas between mileposts 221-291, or between Sinclair east of Rawlins and the Quealy Dome area west of Laramie. Expect areas with reduced speed limits, lane closures and other potential delays. • The Fort Steele Rest Area east of
Sinclair remains closed due to ongoing construction in the area.
Between Casper and Laramie: • Bridge rehab work on WYO 487 near Medicine Bow as well as on U.S. 30/287 near Bosler and the WYO 34 interchange. Expect potential delays. • Other construction work in various locations along Interstate 25 south of Casper. Potential lane closures, reduced speeds and other delays.
While some fans may not need to worry about heavy construction along their routes to War Memorial Stadium, drivers should always stay alert for changing conditions and avoid driving distracted or impaired.
District 4
Mill, overlay and bridge repair on US 14/16 near Ucross
SHERIDAN – The Wyoming Department of Transportation Commission recently awarded a 10.42-mile mill and overlay with bridge repairs project to Croell Inc.
The project area is located between Clearmont and the Ucross U.S. 14/16 Junction between mileposts 27.64 and 38.1.
Bridge repairs began the first week of September. Croell, Inc. subcontracted the bridge work to S&S Builders who began replacing isolated bridge barriers and guardrail on the Piney Creek and Coal Creek bridges.
Piney Creek Bridge is located at milepost 27.87, and the Coal Creek Bridge is located at milepost 28.32.
Prior to paving, contractors performed minor reconstruction of the road base at the bridge approaches, mitigating the soft spots and potholing that currently exist.
Traffic was reduced to one lane over the structures with a traffic signal at either end of each bridge at their respective mileposts. Additional measures will be taken to route school bus traffic through the construction in a timely manner.
This project is scheduled to be completed by July 31, 2022.
Photo: WYDOT
US 14/16 Junction near Ucross.
Paving operations on I-90 at the Acme Interchange west of Sheridan
SHERIDAN – Westbound travelers on I-90 west of the Sheridan/Dietz Port of Entry encountered a short detour between the Tongue River Bridge and Acme Interchange Bridge starting Sept. 7.
The Wyoming Department of Transportation Commission awarded Simon Contractors the contract to reconstruct, mill and overlay the east and westbound lanes of I-90 between mileposts 19 and 15. This project will be completed in two phases – phase one starting Sept. 7 and phase two in May 2022.
Due to the late letting and awarding of this contract, Simon and its subcontractors performed the reconstruction component of the westbound lane this fall and will return in May to complete the entirety of the project.
In phase one, Simon began reconstruction of a portion of the westbound lane of I-90 between the Tongue River Bridge and Acme Interchange Bridge. Once the westbound reconstruction is complete, traffic will resume its normal pattern. This portion of the project is scheduled to be completed by Oct. 31.
To accommodate construction, WYDOT closed the travel lanes between these structures and detoured traffic to the Acme Interchange on and off ramps.
Traffic control began at the top of the hill just west of the Port of Entry. Traffic was reduced to one westbound travel lane with reduced speed limits and flagging operations.
This project is scheduled to be completed by July 31, 2022.
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Concrete slab replacement/ repair project moves to US 14A in Powell
POWELL – A $683,000 concrete slab/ repair project moved to the Powell area, and work began Sept. 27.
“The contractor was scheduled to be in Powell for about two weeks with single-lane traffic limited to the north lanes of US 14A from about Blair’s Market to Bent Street,” said Project Engineer Andy Freeman, of Basin.
Prime contractor on the concrete slab replacement project is Riverside Contracting, Inc., of Billings, Montana.
Freeman said the contractor has completed four months of slab replacement work in Lovell. The Lovell work involved removing and replacing more than 1,600 square yards of concrete slabs, and the contractor also made more than 350 concrete spall repairs on Lovell’s main street.
Repairs on the US 14A concrete in Powell involved about 150 square yards of concrete.
Riverside Contracting, Inc., was awarded the concrete slab improvement project in February by the Wyoming Transportation Commission. Project completion date is Oct. 31, 2021.
LANDER – Completion of the $6.89 million Lander concrete rehabilitation project on US 287 project is near, and paving on each end of the Main Street project began Sept. 20.
Milling was completed Sept. 17 south of the Middle Fork of the Popo Agie River bridge, and 5,325 tons of asphalt paving and 1,921 tons of pavement wearing course applied beginning on Sept. 20 in Lander.
One section of the paving is between Buena Vista Drive and the Middle Fork bridge, and the second section is between 9th Street in Lander and milepost 2.07 (just north of Baldwin Creek).
Traffic was moved in one-lane each direction during the paving operation and delays were minimal, Smith said.
A 2-inch layer of asphalt pavement was applied to the road surface, and later was topped by a 3/4-inch layer of pavement wearing course.
The US 287 (Lander Main Street Americans with Disabilities Act improvements and concrete rehabilitation, and US 287 pavement overlay) project is 16.2 miles in length, between the Main Street/Buena Vista intersection in Lander and Ft. Washakie. The project includes concrete grinding, concrete joint sealing, asphalt paving, chip sealing, and curb, gutter and ADA ramp repairs.
Prime contractor is Mountain Construction Co., of Lovell. Contract completion date is Nov. 30.
WYO 296 slide repairs in Paint Creek Canyon
CODY – A 300-foot work zone was in place in Paint Creek Canyon for $130,000 slide repairs on WYO 296 (Chief Joseph Scenic Highway).
The work zone is located about 11 miles west of WYO 296’s junction with WYO 120, northwest of Cody. Single-lane traffic around the short work zone is being handled with the use of portable traffic signals.
“Motorists encountered short traffic delays,” said District Maintenance Engineer Lyle Lamb, of Basin.
Repairs involve placing grouted hollow bar anchors and a concrete gravity retaining wall into a section of canyon wall for permanent support below Chief Joseph Scenic Highway. Lamb expected the soil nailing repairs to take several weeks to complete.
Contractor on the slide repair project is Geological Stabilization, Inc., (GSI) of Grand Junction, Colorado, who will work with WYDOT maintenance to complete the repairs.
“Several of the existing gabion baskets were washed out this spring during a runoff event,” Lamb said. “Maintenance workers installed new asphalt pavement curb in the area this summer to mitigate future water flows, but our goal with this small project is to repair the wall and prevent future issues.”
Fremont County DUI Task Force focused on Labor Day impaired driving enforcement
RIVERTON – Over the Labor Day holiday weekend last month, the newly formed Fremont County DUI Task Force implemented impaired driving enforcement operations. The task force made 858 traffic stops, arrested 20 impaired drivers, and made 14 controlled substance arrests.
“Law enforcement was out enforcing traffic laws to ensure motorists can safely make it to their destinations. Our law enforcement took immediate action on distracted and impaired drivers. Be responsible, don’t drink and drive, or you will be held accountable,” said Col. Kebin Haller with the Wyoming Highway Patrol.
While the focus was on impaired driving, the task force also issued 62 citations for no seatbelt, 22 citations for the lack of child safety restraints, 151 citations for speeding, 130 citations for other offenses and made 37 other arrests. The task force also issued 475 warnings during the 4-day operation.
The Fremont County DUI Task Force includes the Wyoming Highway Patrol, Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lander, Riverton, Shoshoni and BIA Wind River police departments.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 10,142 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2019 that involved an alcohol-impaired driver. During 2019 in Wyoming, 26% of traffic fatalities involved an alcohol-impaired driver.
“We want Wyoming to understand that it’s our first priority to keep people safe, so we’re asking everyone to plan ahead if they know they’ll be out drinking,” said Haller. “We need commitment from our communities that they’ll keep the roads free of drunk drivers so that everyone has a safe holiday. This is a campaign to get the message out that drunk driving is illegal, and it takes lives. Let’s also make this a partnership between law enforcement and drivers: Help us protect our state and put an end to this senseless behavior.”
