Wyoming Transportation Commission Awards $58.9 Million For 10 Highway Projects

Contracts totaling $58.9 million for 10 highway projects around the state, including two pavement preservation projects made possible by increased fuel tax revenue, were awarded by the Wyoming Transportation Commission during its October meeting in Cheyenne.

Hedquist Construction of Mills submitted the low bid of $18.5 million for improvements to US 20-26 and WYO 254 west of Casper.

Six miles of US 287 immediately north of the Colorado border will be upgraded to four-lane divided highway under a $17.9 million contract won by Kirkland Construction of Rye, Colo.

Safety will be improved on nearly eight miles of WYO 112 immediately north of Hulett under an $8.3 million contract awarded to Simon Contractors of Cheyenne. Simon also won a $4.5 million contract for reconstruction of Laramie’s Grand Avenue between 15th and 21st streets. The contract award is conditional, pending approval by the Laramie City Council.

Increased fuel tax revenue will be used for resurfacing 9.5 miles of US 189 between Interstate 80 and Kemmerer. LeGrand Johnson Construction of Logan, Utah submitted the low bid of $2.8 million for the work. Additional fuel tax revenue also will be used for a $2.8 million contract for a new layer of pavement on nearly eight miles of US 14 east of Greybull. Lovell’s Mountain Construction was the low bidder for the contract.

Gillette’s Intermountain Construction and Materials won an $839,000 contract to upgrade the CatchNET system that stops runaway trucks on US 16 about six miles west of Buffalo, and to build a parking area about 18 miles to the west for trucks to stop for mandatory brake checks.

The commission also awarded three contracts for crack sealing on multiple highway sections to:

· Highway Improvement of Harrisburg, S.D., $1.7 million for 136 miles of highways in Big Horn and Fremont counties by June 30;

· Kirkland Construction of Rye, Colo., $841,000 for highway sections in Albany, Carbon, Laramie and Sweetwater counties by June 30; and

· Highway Improvement of Harrisburg, S.D., $740,000 for 112 miles of highways in Campbell, Crook, Johnson, Sheridan and Weston counties by May 31.