Roadwork revealed

Over the next six years, Crook County can expect to see three bridges replaced or repaired and plenty of maintenance on the highways and interstate.

At around this time each year, representatives from WYDOT’s northeast district visit the towns and counties to lay out their plans for the next period. The “STIP”, which stands for State Transportation Improvement Program, is developed to meet federal expectations, but is also intended to ensure transparency and encourage public engagement.

According to District Engineer Scott Taylor, planned projects in this area are expected to total around $70,558,071 between now and the year 2030.

This figure includes work that is ongoing or soon to begin in 2024, such as the mill and overlay work on U.S. 14 north of Moorcroft, which is taking place right now at a cost of $5.6 million.

Rockfall mitigation is complete on U.S. 14 on a six-mile stretch of highway near Carlile, which cost $1.36 million. Going out to bid this week, said Taylor, is a bridge repair at the Beulah interchange for $1.1 million.

No projects are scheduled for next year, according to Taylor, other than those that carry over from 2024 and some chip seal and culvert lining.

In 2026, WYDOT intends to mill and overlay a 17-mile stretch of I-90 between Moorcroft and Sundance. This maintenance for the Inyan Kara section is expected to cost just over $22 million.

In the same year, two bridges are set to be replaced: one on Inyan Kara Road and the other on Donkey Creek Road. These two projects are estimated at $651,000 and $950,000 respectively.

The sole project planned for 2027 is a bridge replacement on WYO 51 near Moorcroft for $2.47 million.

In 2028, WYDOT plans to complete ten miles of mill and overlay on US 212 near Colony for a cost just under $10.5 million.

A 14-mile section of I-90 between Sundance and South Dakota will be milled, levelled and overlayed in 2029 at an expected cost of $13.3 million. In 2030, WYDOT plans to mill, level and overlay almost ten miles of WYO 24 from the Devils Tower Junction to Hulett.

During this six-year period, said Taylor, WYDOT anticipates that it will continue to provide public transportation in all 23 counties, primarily provided by senior centers, and grant funding for transit-related projects.