LUSK – Wyoming Governor Matt Mead will attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open to traffic the U.S. 85 bridge in Lusk. The ceremony will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, July 15 at the Lusk WYDOT facility, 328. N. Main St.
Mead will join state and local officials, WYDOT representatives, and others involved with the reconstruction of the highway bridge washed away by last year’s flooding, in commemorating the new bridge and recognizing the Lusk community for overcoming the challenges the town has faced over the past year.
The event is open to the public. Refreshments will be provided. Parking is available at the WYDOT facility, accessible from N. Daley Street.
A June 4, 2015 storm sent a torrent of water down the Niobrara River flooding houses and buildings from Manville to Lusk, taking the bridge with it. A detour was quickly established and WYDOT crews went to work erecting its Acrow Corporation of America portable bridge. That bridge served as a temporary alternative as plans for the permanent replacement emerged. The temporary bridge opened to traffic July 31.
Cheyenne’s Reiman Corp. won the contract to repair the approaches and build a new bridge. Work began mid-February.
WYDOT officials said this is a fantastic way to see the new bridge and to officially open it to traffic.
