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WYDOT seeks input from residents on where to put its money
WYDOT seeks input from residents on where to put its money

Yahoo

time19-07-2025

  • Business
  • Yahoo

WYDOT seeks input from residents on where to put its money

CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Department of Transportation is nearly done with creation of its 25-year Long Range Transportation Plan, which takes public feedback to outline its top priorities for the next quarter-century. As the organization continues to take public feedback, it is also informing the public of potential funding challenges and asking for input on how to use its funding to best meet the needs of Wyoming residents, as well as potential avenues to increase its revenue. Between increasing fuel efficiency, increasing construction costs and a stagnant gas tax revenue, WYDOT estimates an annual funding gap of $200 million. Over the last decade, WYDOT's construction costs have increased 42%, and its primary revenue sources have remained relatively flat. Wyoming has not increased its state fuel tax since 2014, when it went from 14 cents to 24 cents per gallon. The number of vehicles registered in the state has decreased over time, and there is a cap on how much the agency can receive from mineral royalties and severance tax. However, WYDOT is expected to receive additional funds beginning in October 2026 after House Bill 33 was passed by the Wyoming Legislature earlier this year. It provides around $70 million in additional transportation revenue due to the transfer of sales and use tax on vehicles and trailers to the highway fund. This year, WYDOT is expected to receive $818.2 million from its revenue sources; 57.4%, or $469.4 million, of that goes toward the highway improvement program, which utilizes 70% federal dollars and the remaining 30% from the state. The other biggest expenditures include 15.4%, or $129.9 million, for maintenance and operations, and 6.6%, or $53.7 million, allocated for law enforcement expenses. As part of this long-range plan, WYDOT is asking the public and industry stakeholders how they should balance budget challenges with Wyoming's priorities. There is an online survey available until Aug. 9 at and feedback is accepted by email, mail or phone calls, as well. The email address is connect@ and the U.S. mail address is WYDOT Headquarters, 5300 Bishop Blvd., Cheyenne, WY 82009-3340. The survey asks participants to rank their preference on where the transportation agency should invest, including things like maintaining pavement, replacing bridges, public transit and new roads. It also asks in what ways Wyoming residents would consider contributing to fill the funding gap, including options like increasing the fuel tax rate, increasing the vehicle registration fee or implementing a mileage-based user fee. 'It's meant to gather ideas and just strategize in a new way,' said Jordan Young, WYDOT's deputy public affairs officer. 'I don't want folks to think that these are all things that we're definitely going to be doing. It's just kind of getting ideas, taking the temperature on what the public is feeling.' She said this stage of the plan is very high level, and not determining any specific projects. That decision falls under the State Transportation Improvement Plan, which takes public feedback on specific projects when WYDOT is determining what to prioritize. This step of the process only focuses on where to strategically allocate funding to work toward common goals and how to potentially acquire more funding. As the public comment period for this plan is still open, Young said it is too early to say which priorities are the frontrunners so far, but that will be outlined in the final plan, expected to be finalized sometime this fall. 'I think there is a big push from the agency to try to get out of this preservation-only mode. You know, we've been really focusing on maintaining what we have, which is great. We want to make sure we have a really great driving surface for everybody,' she said. '... And I think we also want to look at some of those capacity improvements, dividing more highways, adding more turn lanes, and those quality-of-life things that people appreciate and learn to really look for in different towns as they're growing.' Though Young didn't say if WYDOT anticipates approaching the Wyoming Legislature for additional funding anytime soon, she said the data collected from this public comment period – both quantitative and qualitative – could be useful information to have going forward if they decide to pursue any extra funding. On the survey website, there are several testimonials provided, including one from Dan Benford, executive director of Associated General Contractors of Wyoming. 'The highway system is our number two asset in Wyoming – only behind the people of Wyoming. I believe it is absolutely vital to the economy,' he wrote. Another testimonial comes from Jim Magagna, executive vice president of Wyoming Stock Growers Association. He wrote, 'WYDOT is a true partner in the enterprise of running livestock in Wyoming with highways all over the state.' connect@ Solve the daily Crossword

Final fix for Teton Pass landslide will require a weekend closure
Final fix for Teton Pass landslide will require a weekend closure

Yahoo

time13-06-2025

  • Automotive
  • Yahoo

Final fix for Teton Pass landslide will require a weekend closure

Crews are nearly finished rebuilding the section of highway that collapsed last year on Teton Pass. To guard against future landslides, the project has installed drainage, stitched the base together with micropiles and used lighter-weight material to complete the "Big Fill." (Photo courtesy of the Wyoming Department of Transportation) Closing Wyoming's busiest two-lane highway for two-and-a-half days during the height of the summer tourism season will disrupt travel for thousands of commuters and visitors who rely on Teton Pass. But the alternative would be worse. CONTACT US 'You never want to close the road, but a two-day closure has a lot less impact on everyone,' said Bob Hammond, resident engineer with the Wyoming Department of Transportation. WYDOT plans to close the road to traffic during the weekend of June 21. Without the closure, work needed to finish fixing the 'Big Fill' landslide — last year's catastrophic failure of a 30-yard chunk of Wyoming Highway 22 over the steep mountain pass — could stretch over 10 days or more. Keeping the road open during construction would mean resorting to one, alternating lane of travel. 'It would just back up horribly,' Hammond said of the traffic that would result. During peak traffic hours, delays could be so substantial that motorists might opt for the longer detour anyway. When the mountain pass closes, commuters from the Idaho side of the Teton Range, where housing is cheaper than Jackson Hole, typically re-route their daily travel through Swan Valley, Alpine and the Snake River Canyon. That adds roughly 1 hour and 6 minutes to what is usually a 24-mile and 32-minute drive. Community stakeholders have generally agreed that it's best to end the disruption quickly, said Stephanie Harsha, a WYDOT public relations specialist who has been working with Teton County organizations to get the word out about the closure slated for 6 p.m., June 20, through 6 a.m. June 23. 'I think people understand how we came to the decision,' Harsha said. 'We're very thankful for their support. When we do close it, we are disrupting commerce and the economy because there are so many commuters. We understand the impact it has in the area.' Crews will work 24 hours a day to expedite milling, grading, placing crushed base and paving. They'll also install guardrails and signs. The highway will be closed between the Coal Creek Campground on the west side and the gate at mile marker 7 on the east side. People can still bike and otherwise recreate on the east side of Teton Pass and access the Coal Creek Campground on the west side. But WYDOT is warning walkers and bikers to beware of heavy trucks and not descend from the top of the pass down the west side toward the Big Fill work site. The June 7, 2024, landslide made national news, spurring local businesses to reassure visitors they could still reach Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. But the closure also highlighted the vulnerabilities of a mountain community's robust tourism and lifestyle economy. That so much depends on a single road became evident just last week when a trailer lost its load on Highway 22, blocking both lanes of travel near the Snake River bridge. On June 5, Hammond started receiving texts from contractors working in Teton County on a second major WYDOT project, building a new four-lane bridge over the Snake River between Jackson and Wilson. The multi-year, $60 million bridge reconstruction and intersection redesign is expected to wrap up in July. A log cabin fell off a trailer, 'at least twice,' including on the WYDOT jobsite. Crews moved some concrete barriers to give the abode a temporary home. 'We were able to get that cabin off the road to get the lanes open,' Hammond said. 'Otherwise, it was blocking the entire road.' The transport company had tried to move the Etna-bound cabin in the middle of the night but quickly ran into trouble, the Jackson Hole News and Guide reported Friday. The sudden sight of a cabin taking up residence on the bridge spawned some humor on social media, with commenters posting on Facebook, 'rent is 3k as it sits'; 'Hey you can't park there' and 'someone move in, squatters rights!' But it also seriously snarled the morning commute, backing eastbound traffic all the way up Teton Pass and disrupting travel for workers, visitors and school kids, who had their tardies excused. Even after the road reopened, it took another four hours to clear the congestion, Hammond said. The cabin was finally removed Saturday morning, he said, 'before everyone was up.' Although unrelated to the Teton Pass project, the cabin debacle shows how long it can take to clear traffic once commuters from Idaho get stacked up, Hammond said. Highway 22 between Jackson and Teton Village Road sees about 18,000 vehicles per day on average — but 24,000 in July and August with a peak of 27,000, according to WYDOT data. The stretch over Teton Pass to the Idaho state line sees an average of 10,000 vehicles per day. In the height of summer, daily trips jump to around 16,000 west of Teton Village Road and 10,000 east of Victor, Idaho. For comparison, the divided four-lane stretch of Interstate 80 between Green River and Rock Springs accommodates an annual average of 25,000 vehicles per day. Knowing how any disruption can create problems on the busy Teton corridor, WYDOT wanted to give at least two weeks advance notice of the upcoming weekend pass closure so workers could plan ahead. 'We wanted to give them an opportunity to maybe set up an alternate schedule,' Hammond said. 'We can't really reach all the tourists, but we'll be putting up variable messaging signs.' After the road first failed, WYDOT contracted for $900,000 with Evans Construction to put in an emergency detour. That got the vital highway reopened within 20 days. Now Ames Construction is putting the finishing touches on the permanent fix to the tune of about $43 million. The detour functioned well but has an 11.3% grade and a 20-mph speed limit. The rebuild follows the original, more gentle contour that uses fill material to create a bridge between two hills, hence the name 'Big Fill.' The speed limit will return to 45 mph with a speed advisory that likely will be set at 35 mph, Hammond said. Although WYDOT had observed movement there for decades, Hammond said, 'it wasn't a big concern until it was. When it slid out.' WYDOT hired a geotechnical engineer with experience working on landslides around the country and has taken steps to avert future problems. The three factors that contributed to the slide were lubrication, too much weight 'or driving force' on top of the fill and too little 'resisting force' holding the bottom together, Hammond said. 'When you get all three together, that's typically when landslides happen,' he said. So crews have inserted drains at the base of the fill so groundwater doesn't pool there like it did before. Workers have excavated and drilled 'micro piles' — steel rods inside a casing — in a pattern to stitch together the ground beneath the new fill to increase 'resisting force.' To reduce 'driving force,' the new fill includes lightweight material that cuts the total weight in half to around 60 pounds per cubic foot compared to the typical 120-125 pounds per cubic foot, Hammond said. Hammond credits both Evans and Ames with getting the job done quickly in the face of catastrophe. 'We got some contractors who understood what they had to do and how important it was,' he said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

Officials celebrate as grizzly bears are caught on camera using unique new bridge: 'It was pretty amazing to see firsthand'
Officials celebrate as grizzly bears are caught on camera using unique new bridge: 'It was pretty amazing to see firsthand'

Yahoo

time12-06-2025

  • General
  • Yahoo

Officials celebrate as grizzly bears are caught on camera using unique new bridge: 'It was pretty amazing to see firsthand'

KHOL 89.1FM reported that grizzly bears in Wyoming are exploring the new wildlife crossings near Wyoming Highway 22. WYDOT, Teton County, and the Wyoming Wildlife Natural Resources Trust funded the four new crossings in the area for wildlife navigation around the existing intersection construction. After a rancher spotted the bear using one, project engineer Mick Farrell captured a photo as it crossed the Snake River. Designated crossings can improve wildlife conservation for Wyoming's 122 mammal species by reducing unnecessary contact with people. Seeing a healthy grizzly bear safely using the crossing was good news after four fatalities in a month. KHOL 89.1FM reported that one cub was hit by a car, and two young bears may have been killed by an adult male grizzly. Another one was euthanized after dangerous behavior in Yellowstone. Grizzlies enable healthy biodiversity, so it's a good sign to see them roaming in their space. These apex predators keep nature in balance by hunting herbivores capable of overgrazing, which also reduces foraging and habitat space for pollinators. Typical grizzly activities like digging help aerate the soil, and they disperse blueberry and buffaloberry seeds in their feces. The brown large bear that can reach up to 700 pounds is listed as threatened by the Endangered Species Act. However, conservation acts like wildlife crossings and data from tracking collars placed by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department can prevent them from moving up to endangered. Wildlife crossings in other areas have already shown success. The Banff Wildlife Crossings in Canada have reduced car collisions with wildlife by 80%. Bison in the UK are also getting some space — their roaming area will increase from 123 acres to 494 acres — from government-backed construction on the nation's first-ever bison bridge. Los Angeles is also taking action by building the world's largest wildlife crossing — measuring 210 feet long — over an eight-lane freeway. According to Smart Growth America, there are as many as one to two million collisions between cars and wildlife. Consequently, people can also get hurt, as 200 human fatalities, 26,000 injuries, and as much as $8 billion in property damage result from these specific accidents, per Pew Research. Safer and separate crossings are invaluable for all species, not just grizzlies. However, it's good that these legendary bears are leading the way. Farrell said, "It was pretty amazing to see firsthand the wildlife crossings working." Should the U.S. invest in building more wildlife overpasses? Absolutely Depends on how we do it Depends on where we do it Nope Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.

NTSB investigation reveals likely cause of deadly Green River Tunnel crash
NTSB investigation reveals likely cause of deadly Green River Tunnel crash

Yahoo

time20-03-2025

  • Automotive
  • Yahoo

NTSB investigation reveals likely cause of deadly Green River Tunnel crash

GREEN RIVER, Wyo. () — The (NTSB) released a into the in Wyoming, saying the event was likely caused by a pickup truck crashing just after exiting the tunnel. Three people were killed in the Feb. 14 crash, and 20 people were treated for injuries sustained in the crash, the NTSB said. Preliminary details revealed that the first pickup truck that crashed — a 2006 Toyota Tundra — reportedly spun while exiting the tunnel, hit a metal guardrail, came to a stop near the exit of the tunnel, and then blocked the right lane, according to the NTSB. PREVIOUSLY: 3 victims killed in Green River Tunnel crash identified, 18 people treated for injuries 'Snow had fallen earlier in the day, and although the weather was clear, the roadway was wet with possible ice and/or slush forming near the tunnel exit,' the NTSB said. The variable speed limit on I-80 and through the tunnel was reduced from 65 miles per hour to 55 miles per hour because of the weather. After the pickup truck crashed, a tractor-trailer attempted to avoid crashing into the pickup truck, but hit the left side of the tunnel. The tractor-trailer stopped on the shoulder, after which another vehicle attempted to stop and began to spin before striking a guardrail and stopping against a hillside. Another semitrailer hit the brakes to avoid hitting the vehicles ahead, causing it to jackknife inside the tunnel and block both lanes just before the tunnel exit. A Dodge pickup truck in the left lane, carrying four people, crashed into the jackknifed truck. Another semi-truck crashed into the tunnel wall and 'collided with and overrode' the pickup truck. Two occupants of the Dodge truck received deadly injuries, and a third person died from a 'postcrash fire' after being trapped inside a 'tractor/semitrailer combination vehicle,' the NTSB said. On Feb. 18, the (WYDOT) as Christopher Johnson, 20; Quentin Romero, 22; and Harmanjeet Singh, 30. Johnson and Romero were both from Rawlins, Wyoming, and Singh was from Nova Scotia, Canada, according to WYDOT. All three succumbed to their injuries at the scene. At the top of its report, the NTSB clarifies that the information shared is preliminary and subject to change. 'All aspects of the crash remain under investigation while the NTSB determines the probable cause, with the intent of issuing safety recommendations to prevent similar events,' the NTSB said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Noncitizen ID bill passes House, fails concurrence vote
Noncitizen ID bill passes House, fails concurrence vote

Yahoo

time24-02-2025

  • Politics
  • Yahoo

Noncitizen ID bill passes House, fails concurrence vote

CHEYENNE — A bill to include text denoting that someone is not a U.S. citizen on state identification cards has passed the Wyoming House of Representatives, but changes made in that chamber were rejected by the Senate. On Thursday, the House voted on third and final reading to pass Senate File 33, 'Noncitizen driver's license and ID card-revisions.' During committee of the whole debate on Tuesday, the House adopted an amendment to the bill that would change language from 'not a U.S.' to 'not a U.S. citizen,' as recommended by the House Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Committee. Currently, Wyoming state IDs and driver's licenses for noncitizens say 'NR,' which stands for 'nonresident.' Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray has said that is a 'tenuous' description that could be unclear to election judges, who have to determine voter eligibility at the polls. The Wyoming Department of Transportation has testified in committee about the amount of space on the card, saying there wasn't room for an entire line of text reading 'not a U.S. citizen' on the state-issued ID card. After passing on third reading in the House Thursday morning, SF 33 failed a concurrence vote in the Senate, meaning it will be sent to a joint conference committee to reconcile differences. Sen. Stephan Pappas, R-Cheyenne, told his fellow senators that adding the word 'citizen' to the line of text on the identification cards would 'ignore the request of (WYDOT) to keep it short.' Sen. Stephan Pappas, R-Cheyenne (2025) Sen. Stephan Pappas, R-Cheyenne 'I have polled my committee, and we all agree we should honor the wishes of the department, so that down the line when we want to add another thing, we will have some real estate there,' Pappas said. Neither body has allocated any funding for the change. On Wednesday, Rep. Trey Sherwood, D-Laramie, proposed a second-reading amendment to allocate $67,000 to WYDOT for the cost of printing. 'In order to enact the changes that we are requesting the department to do, I thought allocating some fiscal resources would be a smart move,' Sherwood said, continuing that lawmakers often discuss tight budgets at WYDOT. Rep. Mike Yin, D-Laramie, added that WYDOT is in 'maintenance mode for all of our roads.' 'If it is $67,000 to pay for this bill, that means $67,000 that isn't going to take care of roads in your neck of the woods,' Yin said. However, Rep. John Bear, R-Gillette, said he did not support any additional funding for WYDOT after the Legislature appropriated $69 million in general fund money for the agency. Rep. John Bear, R-Gillette (2025) Rep. John Bear, R-Gillette 'There is a new influx of funds, so these minor expenditures that come along should be well taken care of,' Bear said. Rep. Landon Brown, R-Cheyenne, pushed back, saying that he supported the appropriation. 'Unfunded mandates' are exactly why WYDOT is stretched so thin, he said. 'What we've been doing for the past 14 years is doing these unfunded mandates, placing another burden on them and saying, 'Well, you guys have money. Go figure it out'.' Sherwood's amendment failed.

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