Thermopolis highway project planned

The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) held a public meeting at the firehall last week to give details to the planned work on Hwy. 20 in 2020.

According to WYDOT spokesman Cody Beers, the work will go to bid in 2019 and begin the spring of 2020. The work should be completed by the end of that summer's construction season.

"The streets are coming apart," Beers said. "The sub-grade is getting bad. We're planning an overlay as well as fiixing the curbs and gutters at the corners to make them ADA compliant."

When the corners were first changed, ADA ramps were part of the project, but after several years, they are no longer compliant and need redone.

Beers said there is a real issue with water damage to the road near the turn off to the State Park as you come into town from the north. Part of the plan is to tear up that section of the roadway and put in a drainage system that should eleviate the problem.

In addition to the curb and corner work along the highway, WYDOT plans to enhance the visuals for the school crossings to make them safer.

Parts of the concrete road sections on Broadway will be repaired with the project, too.

The entire project will be completed in three phases, so the entire road will not be torn up at once.

Beers said there will be areas of flagging as well as the possibility of some delays, but it should have little impact on traffic. Business access will be provided along the construction route.

As an extra, Beers said WYDOT is planning on upgrading the detection system at the stoplight to stop the overly long wait for east/westbound traffic.