City looks to link 21st Street

A potential new project could see the north and south ends of Sundance connected on the east end of town via an extension to 21st Street.

Jeremy Holt of the Economic Development Committee approached the city council last week with news of a potential federal grant that could bring the two ends of the street together, passing under the interstate to create both a road and walkway.

The funding would come through the through U.S. Department of Transportation "Safe Streets and Roads for All" program.

The advantages of connecting the street would be numerous, according to Holt. For example, the new road could relieve traffic on Hwy 585, alleviate traffic in front of the schools, provide an alternate route for trucks heading to the Port of Entry and offer access to the baseball diamonds as well as potential extensions to bike and walking paths.

Holt said he had also spoken with Crook County Sheriff's Office and the Sundance Fire Department and ascertained that the connected routes could allow for emergency services to more easily respond, especially in the situation that concurrent emergencies happened at either end of the road.

"It would be another access point to the south end of town for emergency services," he said.

Mayor Paul Brooks shared that the project could also open the door to a WYDOT grant for a bridge replacement. The funding could also see 27th Street and Black Buttes Road upgraded with improved curb and gutter, Clerk-Treasurer Theresa Curren added.

Not to mention, Brooks said, that the road could encourage development in the area, which would be a plus for Sundance during the current housing crisis.

"It's the same thing that everybody's got," he said. "We're out of housing."

Council Member Randy Stevenson agreed, commenting, "An underpass there would certainly support future housing and industrial business that we've got some starting. There's growth going to happen in that area."

Holt requested permission to pursue the exploratory grant that would kickstart the process. Curren explained that this would be for the initial stages of determining viability.

"This one is a planning and demonstration grant to come up with an action plan to see if it's actually possible," she said.

The exploratory grant, Holt said, would involve such things as traffic studies and inspections to determine whether the project would be worthwhile.

The council approved a letter of support for the grant, the application for which was due on July 10. As an 80% grant with a 20% match, Brooks noted that the city may need to approach the State Loans and Investments Board to seek help with the matching funds for the next, more expensive portion of the project.

As the council voted, Stevenson made the request that the city host public hearings as the process moves forward to enable residents in that area to voice their concerns and opinions.

While the city is not legally required to do so, Brooks agreed this would be a good idea.

Holt also noted that the committee is looking into state funding, potentially through the American Rescue Plan Act, that could help connect utilities to parts of town that do not have utilities. Having spoken to landowners in an area that does not have sewer at this time and currently live in campers, he told the council that these citizens would be willing to build permanent structures if sewer was available.

The committee is still in the investigation process for this funding.

Noting that this would also promote development on the east of town, Brooks commented, "The growth is going to get here regardless, so I think it's way better to be ahead of it than behind it."