Parts of a $14.63 million highway improvement project are entering a winter shutdown on Wyoming 132 between Ethete and U.S. 287.
Prime contractor High Country Construction, Inc., of Lander has moved 84,000 cubic yards of dirt in 2018, 17,000 square yards of geogrid fabric, and more than 6,000 cubic yards of pit run rock, according to Wyoming Department of Transportation Project Engineer Brian Martin of Lander.
“The new highway is beginning to take shape. More than three miles of new fence is in place, and 80 percent of all new pipes and irrigation structures have been installed,” Martin said. “Clearing and grubbing and all tree removals are complete. All topsoil has been stripped from the new roadway alignments and has been stockpiled.”
Martin said the contractor plans to continue to place as much of the irrigation system as possible this winter. “This work will include pipe, concrete for diversion boxes, and siphon structures,” he said. “Fencers will continue to build new fence throughout the winter. This week and next week, the contractor is focusing on preparing the roadside for a winter shutdown of heavy equipment operations. Earthwork operations will resume in late February or March (2019). Once operations resume in the spring, the existing roadway will be milled and traffic shifted to detours or the new roadway alignments.”
Improvements on the Blue Sky highway improvement project, prior to the contract completion date of Oct. 31, 2019, include grading, draining, milling asphalt pavement, placing gravel pit run and crushed gravel, asphalt paving, chip sealing, electrical work and other work on seven miles of Wyoming 132 north of Lander.
Real-time project updates on the Blue Sky Highway (WY132) project are available at #abetterbluesky.
