June 2017 Interchange

Interchange June 2017

District 4: A ‘close encounter’ with northeastern Wyoming

Letters Spring at WYDOT

All, As winter releases its hold on Wyoming, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your service to our agency and state. You make a difference. Our people demonstrate professionalism and teamwork every day. Your effort stands out! Our citizens and your coworkers appreciate it.

Keep up the great work!

Bill Panos

Hats off to Driver Services employees

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To Director Bill Panos, I wanted to complement the professionalism and assistance of employees Misty Zimmerman and Dani Galluzzo. I am an attorney. Each of these employees has assisted me with different issues in the past few months. I found both to be very helpful and knowledgeable.

Also, I know no one wants an automated complaint system on their website, but you should consider adding an option for the public to praise an employee. You might find that citizens have had a far greater number of positive interactions with the public than you were already aware of.

Interchange is published for employees of the Wyoming Department of Transportation by its Public Affairs Office and a number of field correspondents.

Interchange invites submissions from all employees. Please send them to either your district correspondents or to: Carlie Van Winkle, Interchange editor, 5300 Bishop Blvd., Cheyenne, Wyoming, 82009-3340.

The Public Affairs Office may also be contacted by phoning (307) 777-4165 or sending email to carlie.vanwinkle@wyo.gov

Jeff Van Fleet

Vol. 45, Issue 6

Staff WYDOT Director: William T. Panos

Public Affairs Manager: Doug McGee

Editor: Carlie Van Winkle

Contributors: Aimee Inama J.L. O’Brien Carlie Van Winkle Matt Murphy Jeff Goetz Stephanie Harsha Ronda Holwell Cody Beers Lt. David Wagener

Public Affairs Public Affairs Public Affairs District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 Patrol

Photography: Rick Carpenter

Public Affairs

Be sure to check out the online version of Interchange at http://issuu.com/wydot.pao or click on the link found on the employee’s internal website home page.

In Wyoming, operating a motor vehicle, ATV, boat, snowmobile, personal watercraft or motorcycle under the influence of alcohol is a crime.

THE average DUI cost is $10,000.

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June 2017

A WYDOT PUBLICATION

Contents

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Features 8 Wind River Canyon rock slide US 20/WYO 789 closes in May

10 District 4 in the spotlight A ‘close encounter’ with northeastern Wyoming

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14 Welcome to Wyoming New state line signs erected

15 WYDOT’s travel website Site reaches 1 billion views, new features added

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Also in this issue Letters.........................................................................................2 District briefs.............................................................................4 Noteworthy..............................................................................14 TechNotes................................................................................16 Training.....................................................................................17 District news...........................................................................18 Extra Mile Awards..................................................................19 By the Numbers.................................................................... 22 WTDEA..................................................................................... 23 Rides......................................................................................... 24 Break Time.............................................................................. 27 On the cover:

Devils Tower National Monument stands tall behind the stars and stripes near Sundance and Hulett.

Photo: Rick Carpenter

Kindly recycle this publication after reading.

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District Briefs Commission awards $25 million in highway contracts in May

CHEYENNE – Motorists will experience reduced traffic congestion on US 310 near Lovell after construction crews install additional lanes and make other changes to improve traffic flow.

The Wyoming Transportation Commission awarded S & S Builders, of Gillette, an $11.7 million contract at its meeting on May 18. The commission awarded that and 11 other contracts totaling $25 million.

For the work on the 4 miles near Lovell in Big Horn County, crews will build two new bridges, make repairs to an existing bridge and realign sections of the road.

The work will also include widening certain sections near the junction of US 310 and US 14A to five lanes to decrease congestion. The remainder of the affected road will be configured as either two or four lanes. The contract completion date is June 30, 2019.

The other contracts the commission awarded included road surfacing projects, railroad crossing work and traffic light detection upgrades.

Kilgore Co., of Rock Springs, was the low bidder on a $4.5 million road surfacing project on 2 miles of road on Elk Street and Dewar Drive in Rock Springs in Sweetwater County. The work also includes resurfacing a bridge with concrete.

The work is being paid for with 10cent fuel-tax revenue and is expected to be completed by Oct. 31.

Simon Contractors, of Cheyenne, won a $1.9 million contract for a road surfacing project on 4 miles of WYO 270 between Guernsey and Manville in Platte and Niobrara counties.

Crews will also install new guardrail.

The work is being paid for with 10-cent fuel-tax revenue and is expected to be completed by June 30, 2018.

The commission awarded Oftedal Construction Inc., of Casper, a $1.8 mil-

HQ

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lion contract for slide repair work on US 26 between Moran Junction and Dubois in Fremont and Teton counties.

The work includes installing new drains, filling in portions of the road with slope stabilization rock and removing other fill. The contract completion date is June 30, 2018.

71 Construction, of Casper, was the low bidder on a $1.2 million project to fix erosion damage at various locations between Lusk and Manville in Niobrara County. The contract completion date is Oct. 31.

The commission also awarded contracts for: n $843,722 to Modern Electric Co., of Casper, to install new traffic light detection systems at several intersections in Casper in Natrona County by Nov. 30; n $831,491 to Wilson Brothers Con-

struction Inc., of Cowley, for a 0.15 mile road surfacing and guardrail replacement project on US 14 between Greybull and Burgess Junction in Big Horn County by Aug. 31;

n $807,000 to DeBernardi Construction

Co. Inc., of Rock Springs, for a 0.20 mile road surfacing project on WYO 374 near the Little America interchange in Sweetwater County by Oct. 31;

n $584,959 to McGarvin-Moberly Con-

struction Co., of Worland, for a road surfacing and erosion control project on 2 miles of US 16 between Worland and Ten Sleep in Washakie County by Oct. 31;

n $296,190 to 71 Construction, of

Casper, to improve a railroad crossing on WYO 160 and Laramie Avenue in Fort Laramie in Goshen County by Oct. 31;

n $255,576 to EHC LCC, of Deaver, to

improve a railroad crossing on WYO 319 in Glendo in Platte County by Oct. 31; and

n $174,161 to EHC LCC for a road sur-

facing project on 0.25 mile of road on County Road 176 in Lysite in Fremont County by Sept. 30.

Wi-Fi added at some rest areas in state CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Department of Transportation is finding new ways to provide connections for the traveling public.

New partnerships with telecommunications companies has added to the number of rest areas, welcome and information centers throughout the state at which Wi-Fi is available.

The newest locations with Wi-Fi are the rest areas located at Chugwater, Dwyer Junction and Orin Junction, all on Interstate 25 between Cheyenne and Casper.

WYDOT partnerships with the telecommunications companies means Wi-Fi service at these locations is provided at no cost to the public.

Wi-Fi will also soon be available at rest areas at Independence Rock, southwest of Casper on WYO 220 and both the westbound and eastbound Bitter Creek rest areas, 41 miles east of Rock Springs on I-80, said Mark Gillett, WYDOT assistant chief engineer for operations. Those will likely be completed within the next 12-18 months.

“We are always watching for opportunities to partner with companies that may allow us to get Wi-Fi at a new location,” said Keri Bohlmann, WYDOT utilities and design software support supervisor.

“WYDOT would like to get Wi-Fi at all of our rest areas.”

Additionally, Wi-Fi is available at the Southeast Welcome Center, on I-25; the Northeast Welcome Center and the Sheridan Information Center, both on Interstate 90. The connection in those locations is provided by the Wyoming Office of Tourism.

CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Aeronautics Commission met May 2-3 in Cheyenne for an education session, swearing in of new members and a business meeting.

The new commissioners sworn in were Chuck Brown of Wheatland, representing district 1; Bruce McCormack of Cody, representing district 4; and Dr. Sigsbee Duck of Rock Springs, representing the district at large.

The seven commissioners, appointed by the governor for six-year terms, approve grants and loans of state and federal money for airport construction, maintenance, improvements, marketing and air service enhancements.

The commission holds four in-person meetings per year. All other monthly meetings are held by teleconference at 1:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month.

Director Panos testifies before U.S. Senate committee CHEYENNE – WYDOT Director William T. Panos testified before a U.S. Senate committee on May 3 in Washington, D.C.​,​about a variety of streamlining and efficiency issues.

Panos testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., chairs the committee.

In addition to Wyoming, his written statement will be submitted on behalf of the departments of transportation of Idaho, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Panos presented some of the challenges related to the current environmental review process for surface transportation projects, especially for routine highway projects within the existing right of way.

He emphasized opportunities for speeding up the timetable for this analysis while still protecting the environment.

His testimony discussed ways federal regulations can burden states without increasing safety or providing other benefits to the public. Recent regulatory provisions, for instance, would require

all states, including Wyoming, to report congestion data to the federal government on a wide variety of routes, even though congestion isn’t a problem in many parts of the country, especially rural areas.

Panos will suggest some ways, such as waiver clauses, to increase the flexibility of federal requirements in circumstances where the rules were not designed to apply.

Finally, Panos’ remarks reminded Congress of the importance to the nation of federal transportation investment in Wyoming and other sparsely populated states. Highways and other facilities in these states connect U.S. population centers and economic hubs and provide access to energy production facilities, national parks and forests, agricultural commodities and other vital resources.

WHP initiative yields arrests while increasing highway safety CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Highway Patrol participated in a criminal interdiction initiative along the I-80 corridor April 10-15. This initiative was a nationwide effort with the Ohio State Highway Patrol to focus resources along I-80 across the nation.

For this initiative, WHP K-9 teams were patrolling I-80 in the Cheyenne, Laramie, Rawlins, Rock Springs and Evanston areas. The WHP K-9 teams, along with their respective division troopers assigned to I-80, conducted a high number of traffic stops after a violation was observed with an emphasis on looking for criminal activity including human and drug trafficking as well as increasing highway safety.

The WHP troopers and K-9’s stayed busy during the initiative as multiple arrests and drug seizures were made. Twenty-one drug-related felony charges and 13 drug-related misdemeanor charges were filed during the effort. Non-drug-related felony and misdemeanor arrests were also made. Approximately 16 pounds of methamphetamine, 249 pounds of marijuana and THC edibles, eight-tenths of one pound of ecstasy and smaller amounts of prescription medications (such as oxycodone) were also seized during the initiative.

Also during the initiative in Wyoming,

one missing/endangered male was found and reunited with his family, one child who was taken into protective custody, two sex offenders in violation of sex offender registry were arrested, one stolen vehicle was recovered, one stolen handgun was recovered and nearly $2,000 in suspected drug proceeds was siezed.

Shortly after the initiative ended, a stop on I-80 west of Cheyenne on April 19 resulted in 360 pounds of marijuana seized.

The criminal interdictions were a result of 982 highway safety related traffic stops, which resulted in 673 warnings and 530 citations including five impaired driving arrests, 30 seat belt and 10 child restraint tickets issued. Thirty-two motorists also received some form of assistance during the initiative.

No fatal crashes occurred on I-80 in Wyoming during the initiative.

Nationwide, participating agencies initiated a total of 3,615 traffic stops. There were 30 arrests for impaired driving and 116 seat belt citations issued. Criminal enforcement resulted in 56 felony drug charges and 75 misdemeanor drug charges. Five stolen vehicles were recovered and six illegal weapons were seized.

Photo: WYDOT

Aeronautics welcomes new commissioners

160-pounds of marijuana was seized on April 11 near Green River. Individual breakdowns of arrests and locations from the initiative were not available at the time of the release.

Snowy Range opens for Memorial Day weekend LARAMIE – WYDOT crews have been working on WYO 130 and the Snowy Range Pass near Centennial to clear it for its annual spring opening.

The road opening was Memorial Day weekend.

“We have some new crew members getting trained on

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Briefs continued from page 5

New signage for Casper West Belt Loop placed along WYO 220

Jackson South Snake River North Section underway

CASPER – WYDOT crews installed directional signs on WYO 220 to let drivers know about WYO 257, the Casper West Belt Loop, as a way to get to I-25 and US 20-26.

Prior to the belt loop, drivers would have to go through Mills and Casper to get to WYO 220 from the interstate.

The signs were placed in early May.

JACKSON – The Jackson South project is underway as crews from Wadsworth Brothers Construction Co. and WYDOT met in mid-May to discuss work schedules and mobilization of equipment. Crews began work on May 22.

“People are going to see a lot of work going on this summer.

They have a very aggressive schedule,” Resident Engineer Bob Hammond said.

Residents and travelers will see restriping and narrower lanes next week, so crews can begin working on moving dirt.

In some areas, turning lanes will be temporarily removed, but crews will maintain two-way traffic.

Crews will keep two lanes of traffic open during commuter hours and minimize impacts to motorists during other times.

Updates and other information on the construction will be available on the Facebook page at https://www.facebook. com/wydotjacksonsouth/.

“Safety is a critical component of the work we do—both for the public and for our employees and contract crews. Drivers should be attentive and aware of their surroundings,” Hammond said.

The project, which will be constructed to improve the US 26-89-189-191 corridor south of Jackson, will include added lanes, bridge replacements and improvements, wildlife connectivity underpasses and fencing, as well as a pedestrian/bicyclist pathway.

The project was awarded on April 20 to Wadsworth Brothers Construction Co. for $33 million. This will be a two-year construction project. The work is required to be completed by June 30, 2019.

Wadsworth Brothers’ schedule shows early completion in the fall of 2018.

The purpose of this project is to resolve existing roadway deficiencies while safely and efficiently accommodating current and future traffic volumes and improving system linkage.

The Jackson South project is broken into two parts. The first half of the

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Photo: Matt Murphy

equipment this year,” said District 1 Public Involvement Specialist Matt Murphy.

“Once they’ve opened 130, the crews will start working on WYO 70 and Battle Pass.

In both cases, the mild winter we’ve had should make clearing easier.”

12th Street, Wyoming Boulevard intersection reconstruction CASPER – An update on the intersection reconstruction project at 12th Street and Wyoming Boulevard began June 7, the day after school was out for summer in Casper.

The order of the work being done includes: n Water line work on west side of 12th and Wyoming Boulevard;

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n New water lines through the intersec-

Photo: WYDOT

District 1 Maintenance Engineer Ralph Tarango and District 1 Public Involvement Specialist Matt Murphy visited Snowy Range on April 28 right after the crews had started clearing snow. There was a bit of drifting from a previous day’s clearing.

New signage for the WYO 257 bypass in the Casper area.

I-25 bridge maintenance in Casper area CASPER – Casper maintenance worked on an I-25 bridge expansion joint at milepost 185.5 over Walsh Drive in Casper.

This minor repair fixed an expansion joint that had come loose, forcing the closure of an on-ramp and the southbound driving lane over the bridge.

Casper Guardrail Foreman Spike Smith said they repaired the area by cutting out the damaged area and replacing it with a steel plate and epoxy.

tion – starting from the west side of the intersection working eastward (water line is under 12th Street); and

direction. During the course of construction there will be times of no access to 12th Street from Wyoming Boulevard. The plan is to also have this project completed by the Aug. 21 eclipse with all lanes open to traffic.

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Photo: WYDOT

n Traffic reduced to one lane, either

WYDOT performed minor bridge repair to fix an expansion joint in the Casper area.

speeds and slight delays. WYDOT will close the road section if conditions deteriorate and become unsafe for the traveling public.

Increased water levels on Hoback cause concern

Jackson maintenance crews place boulders along the river bank to help quell the erosion from runoff.

JACKSON – In light of recent weather and this year’s snowpack levels,WYDOT has been cautiously monitoring areas of US 191 that could be affected by high flowing water of local streams and rivers.

Crews recently identified an area on US 191 north of Bondurant at about milepost 148 that is currently experiencing some bank deterioration from the Hoback River.

Maintenance crews worked in the area May 10-11 and brought in gravel material to protect the bank and keep the water from destroying the roadway.

“It’s getting to close to the roadway,” WYDOT Maintenance Foreman Bruce Daigle said. “Eventually, it could cause some damage. That is why we are bringing in the gravel.”

WYDOT crews continue to monitor state highways affected by this year’s temperatures and snowpack levels. Crews are ready to respond to any potential disaster.

Speeds have been reduced in the area and a single lane closure has been implemented and will remain until the work is completed.

WYDOT advises travelers to use extreme caution when traveling through this area and to be prepared for reduced

Photo: WYDOT

project, the north section, from mileposts 145-149, is near the WYDOT shop to South Park Look Road by Melody Ranch.

Work will include new pavement, widening, added lanes, turnouts, pathways and landscaping, bridge work as well as various other improvements. This is the project that is currently underway.

The second half of the Jackson South project, the south section, mileposts 141 to 145, is near the Hoback Junction to the WYDOT shop. Work will include new pavement, widening, added lanes, turnouts, pathways and landscaping, bridge work as well as various other improvements.

Information about the development of the project, including the public involvement and planning process is available at: http://www.dot.state.wy.us/jacksonsouth.

Information on the pathway, wildlife crossings and fencing, approaches, retaining walls, bridges and other key components of the job will also be available on the website.

The northbound driving lane on Chief Joseph Scenic Highway saw movement when a moisture-related slide near Dead Indian Creek started moving downhill.

Photo: WYDOT

Driving lane disappears on Chief Joseph Scenic Highway

Nighttime closure of WYO 413 LYMAN – WYDOT removed the I-80 bridge over WYO 413 at the North Lyman interchange at milepost 41.99 in the eastbound lane May 8.

The bridge removal work forced a closure of WYO 413 below during nighttime hours. The roadway beneath the bridges were inaccessible from 9 p.m. May 8 until 6 a.m. the morning of May 9.

The job was awarded to Lewis & Lewis, Inc. The work includes the bridge replacement of the eastbound and westbound bridges, grading, draining, milling plant mix, placing crushed base and bituminous pavement surfacing, plant mix wearing course, reclaimed asphalt pavement widening, bridge deck repair and miscellaneous work on approximately 10 miles of I-80 in both directions beginning at milepost 39.21 between Lyman and Granger Junction for approximately $14.7 million. The completion date for the work is Nov. 30, 2018.

CODY – A moisture-related slide near Dead Indian Creek on Chief Joseph Scenic Highway (WYO 296) continued to move, as the northbound lane of the highway continued to move downhill.

“We have lost the northbound lane of the highway, but we are maintaining two-way traffic,” said WYDOT District Engineer Pete Hallsten of Basin. “Our Cody maintenance crew has filled in the ditch on the uphill side of the highway and surfaced it with mill tailings to provide adequate width for two-way traffic at the present time.”

If the hillside continues to slide this spring and summer, Hallsten said WYDOT is planning for the possibility of not having enough room for one-way traffic on the highway. “The roadway to Cooke City (Montana) is now open for the season, so people who live in this valley have another way out of the Sunlight and Crandall areas if we lose the entire width of the highway,” he said.

The Dead Indian Creek slide is in the roadway at milepost 26.1, about 20 miles west of the WYO 296 intersection with WYO 120. The slide caused the roadway to begin dropping in March.

Hallsten said the long-term repair of the slide “is now beyond what we could do with our maintenance crews.

(WYDOT) Geology is still mapping this slide to determine how big it is and what is causing it. We still have not determined

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what it will take to stabilize the slide and repair the road. We believe this could be a small failure within a giant ancient landslide.”

Sidewalk project in Worland continued through May WORLAND – A handful of disruptions to traffic were expected mid-May at the 15th Street/Big Horn Avenue intersection in Worland as part of the $1.13 Americans with Disabilities Act project.

Prime contractor EHC LLC of Deaver closed the intersections to allow the work to be completed, according to WYDOT resident engineer Dan McAfee of Worland.

The project included: 17th Street (by the health club) was closed to allow for installation of a slotted drain; North 15th Street (by Maverick) was closed for removal of asphalt and grading base; North 15th Street was paved and reopened to traffic within a few hours of paving; and South 15th Street (by Arby’s) was closed for removal of asphalt and grading, but only if the 17th Street was ready to be opened to be used as the detour.

Contract completion date is Oct. 31.

Pavement improvement project underway east of Shoshoni SHOSHONI – Traffic delays are expected on a 6.15-mile pavement improvement project east of Shoshoni on US 20-26.

Prime contractor McGarvin-Moberly Construction Co., of Worland, is the prime contractor on the $1.12 million project about 32 miles east of Shoshoni.

The contractor’s schedule calls for paving to take about two weeks to complete.

By contract, chip sealing won’t begin until after June 1.

Project work includes asphalt pavement leveling, chip sealing and replacing half of a damaged pipe at milepost 72.5, about 28 miles east of Shoshoni.

Contract completion date is Aug. 31.

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May 2 rock slide closes road, destroys guardrail on US 20/WYO 789 THERMOPOLIS – WYDOT personnel reopened US 20/WYO 789 through Wind River Canyon about 1 a.m. May 3 after a rock slide closed the highway and destroyed about 100 feet of guardrail.

“The rock slide covered both driving lanes of the highway at the north end of Wind River Canyon, took out about 100 feet of guardrail, and damaged the highway shoulder,” according to WYDOT area maintenance supervisor Clint Huckfeldt of Thermopolis. “The highway was closed for about 90 minutes.”

Guardrail project begins on US 20 near Kirby WORLAND – A $951,000 district guardrail upgrade began May 1 on US 20 near Kirby.

“The work in Washakie County will be on US 16 east of Ten Sleep on guardrail sections, including four bridges,” said WYDOT resident engineer Dan McAfee of Worland. “A width restriction may be put into place as the bridge rail modification work will be protected with temporary concrete barrier.”

The project includes grading, removal and replacement of guardrail, bridge railing modifications and other work in Hot Springs and Washakie counties.

Contract completion date is Oct. 31.

The project was awarded by HL Construction Inc., of Billings, Mont., last September.

Riverton’s North Federal Boulevard highway project subject of public meeting RIVERTON – A public information sharing meeting to discuss the North Federal Boulevard highway improvement project was held May 11 at Riverton City Hall.

The North Federal Boulevard project is scheduled for bid letting in July; the total engineering estimate is $12.62 million.

Project limits for the project are East Washington Avenue and the north ap-

proach at Burger King in Riverton. The project will include removal of existing concrete pavement on North Federal Boulevard, removal and replacement of some concrete curb and sidewalk, and removal of existing concrete at street corners and replacement of concrete to meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, and replacement of traffic signals at Webbwood Road, Sunset Drive and Pershing Avenue.

“This project is combined with numerous city projects that entail upgrading of street lighting, replacement of sanitary sewer, water mains and services in some areas,” said WYDOT resident engineer Robert Scheidemantel of Riverton. “The upgrade of storm sewer is a combined project between WYDOT and the City of Riverton.”

The project will have two phases: The southern phase will span from Washington Avenue to Forest Drive, and the northern phase will span from Forest Drive to the north approach of Burger King on North Federal Boulevard.

The prime contractor will be directed, through construction requirements, to not work Aug. 17-23 during the upcoming solar eclipse celebration and provide “full unrestricted vehicular and pedestrian travel during this period.”

The contractor will be required to maintain two-way traffic at all times during construction, and the contractor may close access to landowners and businesses only with permission of the landowner, business owner and WYDOT. n

Photo: WYDOT

Briefs continued from page 7

Storm sewer improvements on North Federal Boulevard are designed to eliminate future water issues near the intersection of Webbwood Road, such flooding near the intersection in March.

Photos: WYDOT

Falling rock is a danger in Wind River Canyon, even more so when the boulders are the size of a small house or mid-size car. WYDOT Resident Engineer Kaia Tharp inspects some fallen rocks in the canyon; WYDOT maintenance crews work to remove some of the boulders from the road.

Wind River Canyon rock slide closes road in May THERMOPOLIS – A few Wyoming Department of Transportation employees call it the two-bedroom house. But it doesn’t have any windows, and it’s sitting just off the roadway inside Wind River Canyon.

It’s the big rock, easily the largest that’s fallen in Wind River Canyon in years.

The big rock, combined with other falling rocks and mud, has created a nearly $650,000 falling-rock problem inside Wind River Canyon since the big rock and hundreds of others slipped to the US 20/WYO 789 roadway in late April and early May. Continued rainy and snowy weather hasn’t helped the situation, either. The busy canyon roadway connecting the southern Big Horn Basin to the world south of the canyon has been closed several times for safety due to falling rocks.

Wilson Brothers Construction of Cowley was already working on a rock-scaling project inside Wind River Canyon. The rockscaling project, which began last fall, was intended to take care of issues caused during the Memorial Day flooding and mudslides in 2015.

Wilson Brothers was finishing up its work in early May when the rocks started rolling, sliding and falling again in Wind River Canyon, thanks to near record-breaking moisture in the Owl Creek Mountains.

The upshot is that Wilson Brothers has agreed to stay on board to help clean up the rock that has fallen to the roadway during May at a cost of about $440,000. And Colorado contractor GeoStabilization International (GSI) is joining Wilson Brothers

in the effort to provide stability and rockfall emergency repairs at a cost of about $212,000.

Wilson and GSI were scheduled to begin work on the rockslide cleanup effort and slope stabilization during the last week of May between mileposts 121.7 and 122.2 – also known as Big Windy Curve – about 10 miles south of Thermopolis. The work at Big Windy Curve will include scaling, breaking up large rocks and cleaning the ditches. Rocks and other debris will be hauled south about 13 miles to WYDOT’s Birdseye Pit between Wind River Canyon and Shoshoni, and south seven miles to the Upper Wind River Campground.

Citizens should expect delays of up to 40 minutes, six days a week, during the rock/mud cleanup project, which carries a completion date of July 14.

During this effort, WYDOT maintenance employees are continuing to monitor the roadway for additional new cracking which began to appear in mid-May. Public interest remains high concerning Wind River Canyon, which provides consumer, life-blood traffic for the Thermopolis community and other town and cities in the Big Horn Basin. US 20/WYO 789, like other transportation corridors, remains important for commerce, the flow of tourists through the summer months and other travel.

WYDOT understands the importance of this state scenic byway, and with safety remaining the top priority, is committed to ensuring that US 20/WYO 789 meets WYDOT’s mission of providing a safe, high-quality and efficient transportation system for the citizens of Wyoming. n

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District 4: The prairie between mountains & iconic monuments

By Ronda Holwell, District 4 Public Involvement Specialist

Northeast Wyoming has lots of elbow room and not much to obstruct the view. Its immensity is matched only by its diversity. It is home to WYDOT District 4 and is wonderfully unique.

Photo: Rick Carpenter

“The definition of the word unique is ‘being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else,’ and unique is the perfect word to use in describing District 4,” said Kerry Becker, Drivers Services supervisor for Gillette, Buffalo and Sheridan. “The landscapes from one end of our district to the other are completely differ-

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ent. When you leave the eastern side of the district and drive along I-90 to the western side, you encounter it all: from the grassy plains, the historic Black Hills, to rolling foothills and the majestic Big Horn Mountain range. I mean, how can you get more unique than having our country’s first national monument, Devils Tower National Monument, right here for our District 4 folks to enjoy? I joke to my family and friends about living in this area and how every time I travel our district, I see something new, beautiful and completely unexpected!”

District 4 is made up of five very diverse counties that all bring different strengths to the area and make up one WYDOT family.

“The goal in District 4 is for the traveling public to not be able to tell where one crew ends and the next crew begins,” said Rich Hall, area maintenance crew supervisor for Sheridan and Buffalo.

This statement, though black and white, really depicts there is no gray area. And though, geographically, you have the Big Horn Mountains, coal mines, Devils Tower, the Black Hills and miles of grassland, the people remain the same, and there is no specific crew. District 4 Highway Patrol Capt. Jason Green said, “There are no boundaries; everyone helps everyone”.

Sheridan County is home to the district office, sits just south of the Montana state line and is back-dropped by the beautiful Bighorns to the west. Voted the No. 1 Best Western Town America in 2006 by “True West Magazine,” it continues to rank among the top 10 every year.

The resident engineers office in Sheridan is working on one of the largest projects WYDOT has ever let in one contract –

Photo: Rick Carpenter

the $46.4 million North Sheridan Interchange project. The three and half year project began last year and includes re-constructing and relocating the north interchange on I-90, realigning sections of North Main Street, 345 338 improvements to 343 Sheridan existing North Main 14 336 SHER IDAN 331 Street and improve90 ments to mainline I-90.

335 341 Construction Project En87 14 gineer Mick Brinkerhoff is new 191 14 16 to WYDOT but has taken on this Greybull enormous project. He came to Sheridan Buffalo BIG HOR because he loved the landscape, peopleN 16 and atmosphere.

90 196 31 District Maintenance20technician Doug 25 JOHN SON McLean said: “Northeast Wyoming is 16 unique because this is where people want 435 436 to be. Every so often you get someone that Worland 196 87 432time, but most people is only here for a good are here for a long time.”

434 191crew, equipment Sheridan is also home to a maintenance crew, guardrail WAS HAK IE shop crew, rural striping and urban striping crew and a sign crew. 192 190Mountains, rolling “Scenic District 4 – northeast Wyoming’s epic Bighorn 25 hills, grasslands,Thermopolis rivers, creeks, lakes, reservoirs and the Black Hills – there are so many amazing landmarks throughout the district. In Sheridan, you 387 have Steamboat Rock, the Historic Sheridan Inn, the Mint Bar and Little Goose Falls just to name a few,” said Travis Harnish, District 4 urban striping 259 crew. “Sheridan is full of history and adventure; there is abundant wildlife and recreation. The scenery is as diverse as the wildlife.”

CROO K CAM PBEL L 14

212

112 24

24

16 59

Sundance

14 113

16 90

Gillette

Moorcroft

111

90

16

14 116

585

85 50

59

116

451

16

Newcastle

450

387

85

WEST ON

59

18

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Burgess Junction, is on top of the beautiful Big Horn Mountains and is home to three year-round employees who aid in keeping the mountain pass safe for the traveling public. Rich Hall, area crew supervisor for Sheridan and Johnson counties spent the first 20 years of his 30 plus years with WYDOT at Pole Creek. “Pole Creek was a wonderful place to raise the first five of my six kids,” said Hall.

Buffalo boasts having the first runaway truck CatchNET system. The ramp was constructed in 2004 and has been used more times than any of the other 15 CatchNET Systems in the world.

It is also the first system in the U.S. with a capacity to catch a runaway truck traveling 120 mph and weighing up to 120,000 pounds. Since it has been used more than any other CatchNET system, the Buffalo and Pole Creek maintenance crews are the most experienced group at not only maintaining it, but re-assembling it after a use.

Thirty-plus-year employee Vicky Gearhart, construction technician in Buffalo said, “Seeing the progress of a project from the beginning to completion, how the improvements were made and knowing you were involved with the project is a prideful accomplishment.”

Thanks to local author Craig Johnson, who based his book series and now the hit TV show “Longmire” on the little town of Buffalo, Buffalo has now made its mark on the map.

Campbell County, “the energy capital of the nation,” is part of the Powder River Basin located between the Big Horn Mountains and the western Black Hills. It is the leading coal producing area in the nation. Among the coal mines in Campbell County, there are also oil and natural gas, and the development of these natural resources has made it the richest county in Wyoming.

Gillette, the largest city in Campbell County, has a WYDOT resident engineers office, a maintenance crew, an equipment shop, Drivers Services office, Highway Patrol office and a Port of Entry. The maintenance crews are constantly challenged keeping up with heavily loaded commercial trucks and copious amounts of traffic, especially on WYO 59 south of Gillette to Wright. Wright is in southern Campbell County and is home to a maintenance station. Engineering has relocated numerous road sections to facilitate mining operations beneath the highways.

Even though Gillette is consumed with the energy industry, it still offers a unique and diverse landscape.

“When visitors arrive, they are routinely amazed at the buffalo herds north of Wright and the coal mines scattered throughout Campbell County,” said Wyoming Highway Patrol Lt. Will Zilka. “Some will then mention the wide open spaces and blue skies, as if the coal only created black skies and soot dust on everything. The amount of energy produced is astonishing, and they expect the entire landscape to be one big open pit mine.”

Crook County, just south of Montana and west of South Dakota, is one of the least populated counties in Wyoming.

However, it is rich in tourism. It is home to Devils Tower National Monument, which was the first national monument in the United States, declared in 1906 by Photo: Rick Carpenter

Photo: Rick Carpenter

The abundance of wildlife is why Sheridan ranks among the top places in the state for wildlife collisions, which are investigated by the Wyoming Highway Patrol in the Sheridan area.

Sheridan is also home to a Drivers Service office and a Port of Entry.

Robert Haugen, supervisor at the Dietz Port of Entry, said he believes the people and the scenery make The painted side of Margo’s Pottery and Fine District 4 the best in Crafts in Buffalo.

Wyoming.

“We have hard working people who care for each other, with hometown mentality,” said Haugen. “We are a family in District 4, and even though families at times have disagreements, we work together to help each other.”

Sheridan County is also home to the Burgess Junction maintenance camp. This camp is on top of the Bighorn Mountain, and although only consists of four people, these four people alone have nearly 100 years of experience at WYDOT. Two of the employees have 30 years under their belts at the mountain camp where they have aided in keeping the roadways in the mountainous terrain safe for the tourists who visit the Big Horns each year to hike, backpack, fly fish, horseback ride or snowmobile.

Johnson County is just south of Sheridan and is home to Buffalo, which, like Sheridan, is nestled in the foothills of the beautiful Big Horn Mountains. It is conveniently located at the intersection where I-25 ends its 1,068 mile north/south trek through the western United States and intersects with I-90. Buffalo houses a WYDOT residents engineer’s office in addition to a maintenance crew and an equipment shop. Pole Creek maintenance camp, like

A CatchNET runaway truck ramp west of Buffalo on US 16.

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Photo: Rick Carpenter

US 14 near Burgess Junction in Sheridan County.

the U.S., I can say that our highways are superior to most of the country, with the exception of some interstates. I’m proud to be responsible for our roadways.” In Weston County people experience old-fashioned ranching communities with relaxed lifestyles and friendly hospitality and see amazing prairies, grasslands, wildlife, blue sky and clean air.

Mark Gillett, former District 4 district engineer, and current assistant chief engineer of Operations in Cheyenne said: “It is the people who make or break any organization or group. The people in District 4 is why the district is so great.”

Rusty Speidel, maintenance crew foreman in Sundance added: “In District 4, we are aware we are not perfect, but we are more than willing to come up with solutions, help each other out and strive daily to be the best little corner of the state.”

The northeast corner of Wyoming is not only diverse and beautiful, it becomes a part of your family. That family value system helps to accomplish the goal throughout the district, which is for the traveling public to not be able to tell where one crew ends and the next crew begins. So if you are traveling through District 4, expect to be treated like part of our extended family. n

Photo: Rick Carpenter

President Theodore Roosevelt. Devils Tower is 28 miles from Sundance, which is the largest town in Crook County with a population of more than 1,000. Sundance is the first stop for visitors coming from the east into northeast Wyoming along I-90.

Sundance houses a resident engineers office, a maintenance crew, an equipment shop, Highway Patrol office, and a Port of Entry.

There is also a maintenance crew in Hulett and in Moorcroft.

These crews work closely with each other and are an example of WYDOT family.

“In District 4, there is a sense of community that, I believe, is unparalleled – there are no borders,” said Rusty Speidel, maintenance crew leader in Sundance. “We work really well with each other. We know each other and have formed strong working relationships with each department. When someone needs something they can call and get assistance with whatever project or catastrophe has arisen.”

Dean Bethea, shop foreman at Sundance added: “I like to come to work every day because of the people I work with. It doesn’t seem like work. It is more like hanging out with your friends to complete a task.” Crook County might be small in population, but it is rich in genuinely great people.

Weston County, Wyoming, is on the edge of the Black Hills just west of South Dakota and south of Crook County. It was named in 1887 for John B. Weston, who was a geologist and surveyor. Weston and Frank Mondell found rich deposits of coal north of Newcastle, which caused the railroad to be built through the area. Newcastle is the largest town in Weston County and has a residents engineers office, a maintenance crew, an equipment shop and a Drivers Services office. Joni Kachelhoffer, the resident engineer in Newcastle was one of the first few women to become a field engineer in the early 1980s. Kachelhoffer said: “I’ve met and worked with hundreds of people: unique, interesting, hard working, practical, off-beat people, all working to provide a quality product for the traveling public. We’ve innovated, invented, negotiated, cooperated and collaborated to get the best value for the dollar available. We’ve spoiled the Wyoming traveler who expects wide, smooth, dry (not snow packed) roads they can drive fast on and not experience delays. After traveling around

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Noteworthy

Travelers entering Wyoming will soon be greeted by new Welcome to Wyoming signs, featuring a scenic view of the Lower Green River Lake and Squaretop Mountain.

The Wyoming Department of Transportation’s Sign Shop recently constructed the highly visible reflective signs, and department crews are now installing them. WYDOT will have the signs up by June 1.

Crews will be installing 32 8-by-4 foot and five 16-by-8 foot reflective signs at several locations in Wyoming, said Mike Calaway, WYDOT Sign Shop supervisor.

“The larger signs will be going on interstates 80, 25 and 90, while the smaller ones will go on the secondary roads,” Calaway said. “The signs will be at locations where motorists enter the state.”

WYDOT changes the design of signs every eight years to match the new state license plate, which is also changed every eight years.

“Our new Welcome to Wyoming signs mirror the image of our license plates, which reflect the natural beauty of the state of Wyoming,” said Gregg Fredrick, WYDOT chief engineer. “This unique sign will welcome visitors to our state as they travel to Wyoming’s picturesque and scenic destination areas.”

WYDOT and the Wyoming Office of Tourism collaborated on the signs. WYDOT’s Public Affairs Office designed them to look like the state’s license plates.

“No matter which state agency we work for, it’s our job to champion Wyoming,” said Diane Shober, executive director for the Wyoming Office of Tourism. “This interagency project allowed us to work collaboratively with the Wyoming Department

2016 WHP accomplishments In a performance report from February, Wyoming Highway Patrol Col. Kebin Haller acknowledged some of the WHP’s accomplishments for 2016. The focus of the report was to highlight accomplishments for troopers, Dispatchers, and Port of Entry officers.

Troopers were busy throughout the year patrolling Wyoming highways for a total of 131,528 hours. From those patrolling hours, 42,436 citations for speeding were issued, 972 drivingwhile-under-the-influence arrests were made and 1,704 misdemeanor and felony drug arrest were conducted.

While enforcement of the Wyoming laws is one of the main aspects of a trooper’s job, they are also entrusted with serving the motoring public when they need assistance. Troopers assisted the motoring public 10,575 times for various reasons. Examples of troopers assisting citizens range from changing a tire to bringing stranded motorists gas for their vehicles.

Last year in Wyoming, troopers investigated 6,629 motor

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Photo: WYDOT

WYDOT crews busy installing new ‘Welcome to Wyoming’ signs

A new “Welcome to Wyoming” sign being hoisted into place by District 1 crews near Pine Bluffs on the I-80 Nebraska-Wyoming border.

of Transportation as we collectively greet visitors to Wyoming, while also welcoming residents home.”

With the signs displaying a scenic Wyoming location, visitors sometimes stop where there’s a pullout to get a photo of themselves with the signs.

“We’re proud of the state of Wyoming so, we also decided years ago to start adding some artwork to the welcome signs,” said Joel Meena, Traffic program manager. “Not only are these signs beneficial for Wyoming’s tourism, but more importantly, they let travelers know when they’re entering the state of Wyoming.” n

vehicle crashes. Seventy-three of those crashes investigated were alcohol related. One hundred and twelve motor vehicle fatalities were reported on Wyoming’s highways. Thirty-four of those fatality crashes listed impaired driving as a contributing factor.

Fifty-five of those 112 fatalities listed lack of seat belt as a contributing factor. Troopers issued 905 citations for lack or misuse of child restraints and 5,343 citations for lack or misuse of seat belts.

Trooper’s responded to 24,939 calls for service and assisted other officers and/or law enforcement agencies 8,747 times throughout the year. Many of those calls for service were for Patrol’s K-9 teams, crash investigation team and general law enforcement support.

Often times the WHP Dispatch Center is thought of as the heart of the agency. Dispatchers not only dispatch for the WHP, but they also field calls for eight other agencies. Last year alone, WHP dispatchers dispatched 213,268 calls for service.

In 2016, the WHP Dispatch Center also took on four additional duties including endangered person advisories, Amber

Motorists in need of road and weather conditions will have access to new map features on the Wyoming Department of Transportation’s travel website, which broke a record in 2016 with more than 1 billion views.

The map on WYDOT’s 511 Road and Travel Information website now includes real-time weather radar, long-term weather watches and warnings and short-term weather advisories from the National Weather Service.

The public relies not only on the map, but also on the entire website for its travel needs.

In 2016, the site had 1.2 billion views, which included views of the map and the other parts of the website. So far in 2017 for January through March, the website had 401.8 million views.

“This is an indication of how the agency is moving forward in the realm of transportation technology,” said WYDOT Director Bill Panos. “People rely on the information we provide on the website to let them know about travel conditions. It’s another way we can help further driver safety.”

WYDOT continually adds new features to the map in response to public demand.

“Each year we see the demand for travel information grow,” said Vince Garcia, WYDOT’s GIS/ITS manager. “People rely on this information, so they can make good travel decisions. Year after year our website views grow, and we’re continually breaking records for views.”

The new weather radar shows viewers a real-time animation of precipitation impacting an area. The information loops over the past hour, giving viewers the path the storm is heading.

For long-term watches and warnings, the map shows impacted areas as a certain colors, which represent such events as flood watches, heat warnings, high-fire danger and others.

Short-term weather warnings will also show an impacted area

Alert notifications, Safe2Tell and probation/patrol warrant entries into the National Crime Information Center. Dispatchers answered 107 calls for the newly formed Safe2Tell program that started in late October of 2016.

Image: WYDOT

WYDOT’s travel website reaches 1 billion views; new road, weather features added

The WYDOT 511 Travel Information map now includes a real-time weather radar feature.

as a dashed color depicting tornados, severe thunderstorms or flash floods.

The new map also has a road conditions layer, which was on a previous version of the map. When that layer is turned on, the road impact layer is automatically turned off.

The road conditions layer provides surface conditions such as dry, wet, slick spots, and closed. It also gives atmospheric conditions such as rain, fog and snowfall.

The road impact layer alerts motorists of conditions based on low, moderate, high, partial closure and closed. Users can easily get detailed information by clicking on any road.

“We’re always looking to enhance the 511 Travel Information website to provide our customers with the best possible tool to use when making travel decisions,” said Ali Ragan, GIS/ITS project manager. “Our users can access the map, see real-time information and conditions and then make informed decisions about traveling.” n

The ports of entry throughout the state had 1.4 million trucks pass through in 2016. Port workers checked 594,414 trucks for overweight violations. Out of that number, 33,701 were overweight. Port workers also issued 58,100 trucks oversize permits that equaled a total of $7.7 million in fees. The ports of entry are also tasked with finding unsafe commercial vehicles through Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance inspections. Port officers conducted 5,734 CVSA inspections. Port workers found 1,336 commercial vehicles unsafe to operate and placed them out of service until the violations could be fixed.

A major accomplishment in 2016 for the WHP was the lower number of fatal crashes in comparison to the previous two years. Col. Haller said, “I believe that a significant contributing factor is due to the hard work and concentrated effort of our troopers, dispatchers and Port of Entry officers all working together toward a safer Wyoming.” n

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TechNotes

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Training

The WYDOT e-Learning Library (WeLL) launched on Monday, March 16, 2015, and with it, introduced and new type of e-Learning to our employees across the state. The WeLL offered professional development opportunities that aligned with the state’s behavioral competencies such as communication, customer service, judgment and decision making, team player, personal effectiveness, leadership, and developing others. It not only allowed but encouraged employees (with supervisor approval) to self register for e-Learning modules, complete the training on their own time and at their work location, and view their own training progress and transcripts.

In 2017, Training Services will be working with several other programs within WYDOT to upgrade the WeLL, so that it is the central resource for all training in WYDOT. Essentially, the WeLL will become WYDOT’s new Learning Management System (LMS). What’s an LMS you might ask? According to the 2014 article “Building the Business Case for LMSs,” published by Brandon Hall Group, Michael Rochelle said that, LMSs “… offer the ability to support the entire blended learning strategy to support both formal and informal learning” and “… provide full support for a blended learning strategy – where it be instructor-led or self-paced e-learning.”

Once updated, the new WeLL will be your one-stop shop to find the education and training you need. You can check out our Interchange articles in the coming months to keep up to date on the progress made toward the WeLL update, or reach out to us directly at dot-training@wyo.gov if you have any questions or would like to be involved in this project. n

Check out these upcoming training opportunities from WYDOT-U, the Transportation Learning Network (TLN) and WeLL.

Coming in June: Date Class

PMI Competency

Location

Coming in July: Date Class

PMI Competency

Location

6/7/17 6/8/17 6/14/17 6/20/17

7/13/17 7/17/17

Mood Management Memory Skills Managing Multiple Priorities in Time RESCHEDULED Franklin Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Successful Performance Management New Employee Orientation

Personal Effectiveness Personal Effectiveness Personal Effectiveness Personal Effectiveness

WYDOT-U WYDOT-U WYDOT-U WYDOT-U

Developing Others Communication

WYDOT-U WYDOT-U

To register, or to find out more details, visit the Training Program internet page.

Summer parties will be gearing up soon, and law enforcement will be looking for drunken drivers.

Please designate a sober driver.

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District News

commission thanking him for his service.

Right of Way Supervisor Mark Corbridge made the presentation to Evanoff.

Corbridge said that Evanoff had said that his longevity was because of Scotch, while presenting him with a fresh bottle of the spirits.

Corbridge said that WYDOT was Evanoff ’s third career. Evanoff served 30 years in the United States Air Force and served the U.S. Army in Germany during World War II.

Headquarters

Welcome Ashley Clark, Patrol-Safety and Training; Bill Daugherty, Patrol-Safety and Training; Amber Huschka, Patrol-Safety and Training; Patrick Maez, Patrol-Safety and Training; Jeffrey McMillen, PatrolSafety and Training; Geetha Paladugu, Bridge-Engineering Design; and Samuel Szott, Patrol-Safety and Training.

Christensen

Jan Hertel retired from WYDOT on April 1 after 13 years of service. She worked as a tax examiner in Fuel Tax.

Sanderson

Promotions and Transfers

Sutton

Yaffa

Service Awards Bradford Bean, Materials-Bituminous – 25 years; Daniel Lyons, Highway Development-Project Development – 25 years; Deborah LoLyons pez, Motor Vehicle Services-Registration/ Title – 25 years; William Stevenson, Bridge-Engineering Design – 25 years; David Norby, Photogrammetry and Survey – 10 years; Katherine Darrah, Norby Motor Vehicle Services-Registration/Title – 10 years;

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Hertel

Galluzzo

Lucero

Matthew Gribble, Facilities Management-Grounds – 10 years; Raquel Christensen, Human Resources – 10 years; Tobias Gutierrez, Facilities Management-Building Maintenance – 10 years; Cassandra Sanderson, Strategic Performance Improvement – 5 years; Daniele Galluzzo, Driver ServicesPolicy and Records – 5 years; Meghan Connor, Highway Safety – 5 years; and Vance Lucero, Equipment-Mechanics – 5 years.

Retirements Headquarters employees celebrated the retirement of Right of Way Technician Harry Evanoff May 1, capping a 40-year career at the department.

Evanoff, a lifetime WTDEA member, was presented with his 40-year service award and a letter from the transportation

Photo: Rick Carpenter

Clayton Barker, Professional Standards Manager; Ethan Bowers, Patrol-Capitol Services Protection; Ronald Hartwig, GIS/ ITS; Daniel Sutton, Materials-Surfacing; and Christine Yaffa, Planning-System Planning.

Bowers

Retiree Harry Evanoff (center) with family members at his retirement party on May 1.

Maj. Perry Jones retired from the Wyoming Highway Patrol on April 14 after more than 25 years of service.

Jones began his career with Patrol on Aug. 12, 1991, as a Jones patrolman in Cheyenne. He was promoted to sergeant in the Headquarters Division in December 1999 where he served as staff coordinator.

In March 2001, he was promoted to lieutenant and served as the Division O supervisor in Cheyenne, where he oversaw troopers in Division I, Executive Protection and Capitol Protection Services Division.

In April 2005, he was promoted as the District 1 captain, where he oversaw five divisions in southeast Wyoming. He was then promoted to the Patrol’s executive command staff in October 2012 as Support Services major.

“Perry leaves big shoes to fill here at WHP headquarters,” said WHP Col. Kebin Haller. “Many of us, including myself, relied on Perry to get the job done without ever having to ask for it. Perry not only did his job well, he did it with pride and professionalism. I have always appreciated Perry’s quick wit and dry sense of humor, with the ability to not take himself too seriously while taking the job and his responsibilities very seriously. I believe that Perry will always be a part of the Wyoming Highway Patrol.”

Jones was influential in many agency

advancements. For example, he had a role in the initial rollout of the variable speed limit program. Many troopers Jones supervised throughout his career are now currently in leadership roles within Patrol.

“Perry has been an integral part of the Wyoming Highway Patrol and a close friend for a long, long time, said Lt. Col. Shannon Ratliff. “His wisdom, quick wit and leadership will be missed by the agency and certainly by me, personally. He’s a good man. He’s earned his retirement, and I wish him many years of good health.”

Joe Mikesell retired from WYDOT on April 4 after 42 years of service. He worked in WYDOT’s Budget Program as a senior budget specialist.

Mikesell, who was born in Idaho, started working for WYDOT in 1973 as a statistician. Over the years he’s held several other positions in the Budget Program.

He graduated valedictorian of Burns High School. Mikesell completed his bachelor’s degree in mathematics/statistics from the University of Wyoming.

Michael Woodworth retired from WYDOT on April 4 after 27 years of service. He worked in the Materials Lab

as a field data collection and lab analysis specialist 1.

Woodworth started working for WYDOT in 1989 on the resident engineer’s crew in Cheyenne. During his time with the department, he worked as an engineering assistant, engineering technician, engineering technician – senior and an engineering technician – specialist.

Woodworth, who was born in Nebraska, also served in the U.S. Air Force.

Congratulations Wyoming Highway Patrol Col. Kebin Haller recently promoted two troopers to take on leadership roles within the Patrol.

Both the Professional Standards and Conduct Division lieutenant and the Safety and Training Division Public Relations and Recruiting sergeant were appointed.

Trooper Clayton Barker was promoted to supervising lieutenant of the Professional Standards and Conduct Division. The Professional Standards and Conduct Division lieutenant is a first line supervision position that has management Barker

input into policy development, policy maintenance and policy application for the WHP. The position has an assisting role in agency internal affairs and internal investigations.

Barker is an 11-year veteran with the Patrol and native of Douglas. Barker will be the first to hold this position in the history of the WHP. Trooper Kyle McKay has been promoted to become the Public Relations and Recruiting sergeant in the Safety and Training Division. McKay will be the primary agency point of contact for media relations in the state of Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain region. McKay will also be the primary recruiter for the agency McKay while assisting with the Wyoming Highway Patrol Academy and WHP safety campaigns.

McKay is a 16-year veteran with the Patrol and native of Cheyenne. McKay will be replacing Sgt. David Wagener who was promoted to the Safety and Training Division lieutenant in February. n

s S tate E mployee

SERG

up Retirement Gro Gather with other state retirees monthly.

SERG meets at noon the second Monday of each month at the Cheyenne Radisson.

The gatherings include a brief business meeting, social luncheon and an educational program.

Congratulations to our April recipients!

WYDOT salutes the following Director’s Extra Mile Award recipients. The award is presented to individuals who have traveled the “extra mile” in service to WYDOT.

Kirk Hood Carlie Van Winkle

Contacts for further information:

Roger Nelson – 634-1881 Ron Labreque – 632-8240 Donella Marrs – 635-5858

For more information about the Extra Mile Award or to nominate someone, contact Katherine Castaneda at Katherine.Castaneda@wyo.gov.

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District 1

Congratulations

Robert Robidoux, Rawlins Mechanics; and Gerald Thuente, Laramie Maintenance.

Merna Carver, the maintenance foreman in Baggs, and Scott Kinniburgh, the maintenance foreman in Saratoga, were recently recognized by the U.S. Forest Service for dedication to cooperative efforts between WYDOT and the Forest Service.

Melanie Fullman, the district ranger for the Brush Creek/Hayden District of Medicine Bow National Forest, presented Carver and Kinniburgh with the plaques in May. n

Service Awards Jack Hoffman, Highway Development-Project Development-Laramie Design Squad – 15 years; Joshua Petty, Laramie Maintenance – 10 years; and Matthew Haas, Pine Bluffs Maintenance – 5 years.

Hoffman

Photo: WYDOT

Promotions and Transfers

Carver, Fullman and Kinniburgh.

District 2

Retirements

Madison Bloodgood, Torrington Port of Entry; and Gabriel Reyes, Wheatland Maintenance.

Wheatland Maintenance employee Gary Hanley retired with more than eight years of service to the state on April 4.

Service Awards

Congratulations

Gary Enniss, Wheatland Construction – 15 years; and Zachery Miller, Douglas Maintenance – 5 years.

Mark Goodman with the Douglas Mechanic Shop crew obtained the level of WYDOT master technician by completing his remaining four Fundamentals of Service (FOS) certifications in welding, power trains, electrical and administrative procedures. Congratulations on earning this master level certification.

Lt. Clint Haver received his lieutenant bars from Col. Kebin Haller at his pinning in Casper on April 26. Haver has been a member of WHP since 2012 and has been stationed in Casper. n

Photo: WYDOT

Welcome

Col. Kebin Haller and newly pinned Lt. Clint Haver in Casper.

ea Pl

Photo: WYDOT

le Afte yc

ading !

Re

se Re c

Miller

r

Enniss

Goodman

District 3

Welcome Shawn Dunn, Afton Traffic Striping; and Teresa Nelson, Jackson Construction.

Promotions and Transfers Royce Fundell, GIS/ITS.

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Service Awards

Retirements Jerry Moudy retired from Patrick Draw Maintenance on April 4 with more than five years of service to WYDOT. n

Clint Lockman, Rock Springs Construction – 20 years.

Lockman

June 2017

District 4

Retirements

David Ford, Sheridan Construction; Trevor Keyworth, Sundance Construction; and Sarah Measles, Gillette Driver Services.

Richard “Rick” Parkison retires from the Sheridan/Dietz Port of Entry with nearly six years of service to the state.

He started at the Port of Entry on Nov. 1, 2011, and worked as a special officer until his retirement April 1. He excelled in his customer service and always Parkison kept a positive attitude in his position. Parkison is now enjoying his time off these days in Arizona.

Service Awards Heath Oetken, Sheridan Construction – 15 years; Scott Renkly, Sheridan MaintenanceGuardrail – 10 years; Misty Wood, Sheridan Construction – 5 years; and Robbie Goodnough, Moorcroft Maintenance – 5 years.

Oetken

Wood

Renkly

Lance Robinson retired from the Sheridan/Dietz Port of Entry on March 31 with 11 years of service to the state.

Robinson worked at the Sheridan/Dietz Port of Entry as a level 3 inspector until his retirement. He showed concern about how his fellow officers were do- Robinson ing and showed caring for them in times of need. Robinson is currently working on the construction project for the new Sheridan Interchange, driving a water truck.

105th birthday celebration for retiree William Sands Retiree William Sands has recently celebrated his 105th birthday. Sands worked 20 years for the Wyoming Highway Department (1957-1977). Sands started in Buffalo, transferred to Torrington and then on to Sundance, where he retired. n

Photo: WYDOT

Welcome

A happy 105th birthday for retiree Bill Sands.

Goodnough

District 5

Welcome

Retirements

Timothy Defuentes, Lovell Maintenance; and Douglas Etsinger, Riverton Construction.

Bruce Johnson, retired from Lander Construction on April 1 with more than 29 years of service to WYDOT. Johnson began his Johnson career with the Wyoming Highway Department in November 1987 in Casper.

He is a native Wyomingite and a graduate of Lander Valley High School. n

Promotions and Transfers Cathy Titmus, Basin Construction.

Service Awards

Titmus

Marilyn Greenway, Driver Services-Cody/ Lovell – 15 years; Victor Flores, District 5 Traffic-Signing – 15 years; and William Hensel, Basin Construction – 5 years.

Hensel

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WHP Total number of employees: as of May 8, 2017

1,915

One month ago

1,945

One year ago

1,930

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June 2017

Total number of highway fatalities: as of May 19, 2017

35

one year ago

16

Spring skiing?

Beach vacation?

Hunt lately?

Make us jealous!

Outdoors deadline:

Sept. 15 carlie.vanwinkle@wyo.gov

WTDEA

State Board Photography Contest

WTDEA State Board is seeking submissions for the 6th annual WTDEA Photography Contest –

Life in Wyoming.

The 12 winning photographs will be displayed in the 2018 WTDEA Cash Calendar. The contest and online voting is open to all active WYDOT employees. Your “Life in Wyoming” photos must be taken in Wyoming. Winners will receive a 2018 WTDEA Cash Calendar featuring a $100 monthy bonus drawing.

Give us your BEST SHOT! Submit your “Life in Wyoming” photos to DOT-WTDEA-Stateboard@wyo.gov Deadline for submissions is July 31, 2017. Voting will be open from August 7-11, 2017.

C

IT

OR

ET

LICK

T IC K

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Photo courtesy of Dave Thompson

Rides

Mustang , recently had his 1966 Ford hanic from the Laramie shop miles. inal orig 00 37,0 Dave Thompson, a retired mec only has it vehicle in the 1970s, and restored. Thompson bought the

Photo: Rick Carpente

r

Retiree Joe Whalen and his 1936 Chevy pickup. Whalen has owned the truck since 1959. He is in the process of adding modern running tor gear and a 350 Chevy mo and a 700r4 transmission.

Harley Davidson

1955 Chevy Bel Retiree Mike Schulte and his y/harvest gold ivor a Indi inal orig Air with its inch, two-tone paint job, 265 cubic or engine. uret carb rrel 4-ba , wer epo 180 hors The Bel Air also boasts original er brakes Powerglide, power steering, pow and electric wipers.

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1200 XL

Photo: Rick Carpenter

01 mirez with his 20 Retiree Hank Ra . cle cy tor Custom Sport mo

Whalen and his da ughter Laura Steeg e, who works in Ch his 1971 Austin Am eyenne Driver Servi erica. It was restored ces, with in 2015 and has a transmission.

1275cc motor and 4-speed

Photos: Rick Carpenter

Photo: Rick Carpenter

Retiree Don Moench has owned this 1955 Chevy Nomad since 196 6. He purchased the red beauty while still in high school. Moenc h drove all of his childre n home from the hospital in this car. The Chevy has a 327 small block with a turbo 400 transm ission. He drove the car to WYDOT for many years.

Photo: Rick Carpenter

Materials employee Ch uck Cisco owns this red 1999 GM C 1500 short bed. The utility bed came from Douglass Truck Bod ies in Bakersfield, Calif. which also did the bodywork and pai nt. The truck has a minor lift to cor rect for the extra weight, 20� GMC factory wheels and ARMA coa ting. Cisco has owned the truck sin ce 2001.

Cisco’s son, Rick, is the proprietor of Douglass Truck Bodies .

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Wyoming Department of Transportation 5300 Bishop Blvd.

Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009-3340 Address Service Requested

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