CHEYENNE – With summer just around the corner and families starting to make summer plans, knowing as much as possible can be helpful. The Wyoming Department of Transportation is letting people know about upcoming work west of Cody near the Shoshone National Forest boundary.
Dirt work is reaching its final stages and crushed gravel base is being placed in areas of reconstruction on the $8.77 million highway improvement project on U.S. 14-16-20 west of Cody between Wapiti and the east boundary of the Shoshone National Forest, according to Wyoming Department of Transportation resident engineer Todd Frost in Cody.
The project begins at the Wapiti bridge (milepost 31.98) over the North Fork of the Shoshone River and extends west 4.26 miles to just east of the Shoshone National Forest boundary (milepost 27.72).
Over the next few weeks, prime contractor Riverside Contracting, Inc., of Missoula, Mont., is scheduled to be finishing slopes on each side of the highway, placing topsoil, finishing approaches, and placing the last crushed gravel base.
“Paving is tentatively scheduled to begin the week of May 18 and will continue into June,” Frost said. “By contract, asphalt paving must be complete by June 15, 2015. Chip sealing is tentatively scheduled to start June 15.”
Frost said asphalt paving will consist of a one-inch leveling layer, a four-inch overlay, and a chip seal finish.
“Traffic is currently being controlled with flaggers and a pilot vehicle, and motorists should expect delays of up to 20 minutes,” Frost said. “The contractor is currently working six days a week.”
The Wyoming Transportation Commission awarded the contract to Riverside last June.
All work, except the chip seal, fencing and reclamation, is required by contract to be complete by June 15, 2015. The final contract completion date is Sept. 30, 2015.
The project’s scope of work includes widening and overlaying U.S. 14-16-20 with isolated reconstruction, replacement of all existing pipe culverts and box culverts, new fence and new cattle-guards.
“The highway is being widened from the existing 12-foot lanes and six-foot shoulders to 12-foot lanes and eight-foot shoulders, and shoulders are being flattened to improve safety,” Frost said. “Existing pipes and box culverts are in poor condition and have been replaced, and drainage is being improved.”
