CHEYENNE — The Wyoming Transportation Commission awarded almost $73 million in contracts for nine Wyoming Department of Transportation construction projects during its July 21 business meeting.

The commission awarded a $21.1 million bid to Lewis & Lewis, Inc., out of Rock Springs for a project that involves paving, milling, a plant mix wearing course and other work on almost 12 miles of eastbound and westbound Interstate 80 in Sweetwater County.

Other key projects earmarked by the Commission include:

• A $16.2 million bid was awarded to Knife River out of Cheyenne for a project involving paving, structure work, milling, a plant mix wearing course, grading, fencing and other work on more than 15 miles of northbound Interstate 25 in Converse County.
• Casper Electric, Inc., out of Casper was awarded a $2.1 million bid for a project involving electrical work, sidewalk work, curb and gutter, signing, concrete work, grading, striping and other work at various intersections within the town of Green River in Sweetwater County.

The contracted completion date for the above projects is October 2023.

Two projects were awarded to out-of-state contractors:

• Montana-based Riverside Contracting, Inc., was awarded a $22.2 million bid for a project involving paving, grading, structure work and other work on just over 8 miles of both northbound and southbound I-25 in Natrona County. The contracted completion date is June 2024.
• Idaho-based Avail Valley Construction-ID, LLC, was awarded a $6.8 million bid for a project involving paving, fencing, milling, chip seal, bridge deck repair and other work on almost 9 miles of US Highway 189/191 in Sublette County. The contracted completion date is September 2023.

All of the projects awarded this month are funded primarily with federal dollars. Almost all WYDOT projects are awarded to the lowest bidder. July’s meeting saw an average of about two and a half bids per project.