Interchange – September 2023

Program Performance

Multi-purpose team provides agency-wide support

By Mark Horan

“Jack of all trades” is an apt term to describe the Wyoming Department of Transportation’s Program Performance office.

Whether it’s coordinating highway design projects, collecting survey data or strategizing for the agency’s future, the eight-person Program Performance team has a broad reach. You might not be familiar with their office, but they’re familiar with yours.

There are three sub-programs in the Program Performance Office: Strategic Planning, the State Transportation Improvement Plan, and Project Delivery.

The Strategic Planning Program includes two staff who help to develop, evaluate and implement WYDOT’s strategic plan every three years. Using a balanced scorecard method, they work closely with executive staff to establish and evaluate the overall goals for the department, with regard to WYDOT’s mission, vision and values.

A balanced scorecard uses metrics and timelines to track how the agency is progressing in meeting its goals within the strategic plan.

“It’s our actual live evaluation of how successful we are with our strategic planning goals,” said Program Performance Manager Julie Newlin.

That information is then shared with all the department programs to align what they’re doing with the overall plan for the agency.

“I always say strategic planning doesn’t stop with the top plan at the agency,” Newlin said. “You can strategic plan all the way down to an entry level employee.”

According to Newlin, the Strategic Planning section is a legislatively mandated, all-around support program to all the other programs within WYDOT in that they can help programs create their goals, hit their measures, and understand what’s working or not working in their program.

The process is not intended to be punitive or discouraging, but is rather “an exploration of how to be better,” Newlin noted.

“I think that’s where strategic planning is important, because it really puts the money where your mouth is when it comes to the mission; the strategic plan should reflect exactly what the mission says, and it should be able to deliver,” she said.

The program also coordinates other projects throughout the year, including working with the Wyoming Survey and Analysis Center to administer the biannual employee and customer satisfaction surveys.

In order to maintain confidentiality, WYSAC is responsible for administering the surveys and extrapolating the data. However, the Strategic Planning program helps develop the survey questions on the front end.

This year, Newlin says the surveys will provide more solid data points through the use of specific drop down menu options,

versus open-ended questions that are difficult to quantify. This will help her office better identify trends and patterns, ultimately making the findings more meaningful to the agency.

The STIP is the second sub-program within Program Performance. That program involves two WYDOT staff who help develop, maintain and respond to all information about the STIP, which is a dynamic single-source snapshot of existing and proposed projects and their schedules. Highway projects are on a six-year plan, Aeronautic projects are on a five-year plan, and Transit, Capital Improvement and Public Safety Communications Commission projects are each on a one-year plan.

The Program Performance office assists design programs and the Districts in using a data-driven decision methodology, supported by technical data from a variety of sources, to assess the transportation system and develop a program of projects that will yield the highest return on investment. These projects are incorporated into the STIP to best meet WYDOT’s performance goals, as well as state and federal requirements with the agency’s limited funding.

The STIP is an ongoing endeavor that takes a lot of work to make sure that it’s the most updated it can be. The team works with other programs and the districts on a regular basis and handle constant changes to metric updates and document spreadsheets. Iterations of the STIP are put out for public comment and then published. They’re also reported to the Federal Highway Administration as required.

Project Delivery is Program Performance’s third sub-group. It consists of a three-person team (two project-managers and a project coordinator) who manage more than 400 highway design projects within the STIP.

Project Delivery works with about 14 different programs within WYDOT, helping them to develop schedules to ensure that the STIP is delivered on time and on budget.

“They just make sure that everything is running smoothly,” said Newlin.

Project Delivery helps to get projects let and then on the shelf, which means closing them out ahead of schedule to allow for extra funding. If a project is in jeopardy of not making its timeline, Project Delivery can switch out projects to adjust accordingly.

WYDOT is one of the only DOTs in the nation that has a shelf where projects are shovel ready, meaning they can be moved up and back within WYDOT’s STIP.

Project Delivery’s main objective is to support and facilitate conversations between design teams to make sure everyone is on the same page. Each of the programs has their specific project function and expertise. Project Delivery helps to bridge the gap between programs to make sure that they’re all getting what they need in order to complete their activities and complete the project on time.

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 Dakins, Interchange editor 5300 Bishop Blvd., Cheyenne, Wyoming, 82009-3340 or send an email to carlie.dakins@wyo.gov.

Staff WYDOT Director

Darin J. Westby, P.E.

Public Affairs Manager

Doug McGee

Editor

Carlie Van Winkle Dakins

Contributors

Jordan Young Public Affairs

Matt Groth Public Affairs

Mark Horan Public Affairs

Carlie Dakins Public Affairs

Andrea Staley District 1

Jeff Goetz District 2

Stephanie Harsha District 3

Laura Dalles District 4

Cody Beers District 5

Lt. Kyle McKay Patrol

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.

The ultimate goal, Newlin said, is to get money back onto the road so that Wyoming can thrive and roads are kept safe for families, the traveling public and commerce.

Newlin has been the Program Performance manager for almost five years. It’s admittedly not the most glamorous job in the world, but she enjoys overseeing her group.

“We have a fun and hardworking team,” she said. “That’s what makes it a blast. Everybody’s really, really good at their jobs and they’re invested. They can see the larger picture in each of their programs, they understand their respective roles, and they work fabulously together.”

She said she likes working for such a vast organization.

“This agency is huge, and it does so many different things,” she added. “To be able to experience all those different things is something that I really love about this program. I get to learn about so many different facets and work with a ton of different people who are super talented. That’s pretty cool.”

Westby named new WYDOT Director

By Jordan Young

Governor Mark Gordon announced Aug. 11 that he appointed Darin Westby the new director of the Wyoming Department of Transportation.

Westby had been serving as interim director since March after former director Luke Reiner’s retirement.

Prior to his time with WYDOT, Westby spent 22 years with the Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources, serving as Director of the agency from 2016-2023. He has more than 28 years of experience in the environmental, architectural, engineering, construction and management fields.

Westby earned his Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Wyoming and holds a Civil Professional Engineering license and a certificate in public management.

Westby was one of three finalist candidates for the position that the Wyoming Transportation Commission submitted to the Governor.

“I am grateful to the Transportation Commission for doing such a thorough search and for advancing three highly qualified

candidates for my consideration,” Governor Gordon said in a news release. “Darin has shown himself to be a strong leader while serving in the interim role. His experience as an administrator, in law enforcement, and as an engineer will be critical as he works to advance WYDOT’s mission.”

Westby announced his appointment to WYDOT employees on Friday afternoon, noting his excitement to officially be a part of the WYDOT family.

“Over the past several months, many of you here at headquarters and across the state have taken time to educate me on the operations and challenges of our agency, and I thank you for your time and energy in working to bring me up to speed,” he said in his email to staff. “I know there is still more to learn, and I look forward to continuing our work and leading the agency into the future.

In both the Governor’s news release and in the message to the force, Westby noted one of his top priorities as director is employee retention and recruitment, “which should lighten the burden of our existing passionate, but overworked team.”

Another goal is shoring up “the stateside funding streams to ensure we are maximizing our ability to meet today’s transportation and infrastructure challenges,” he said in the Governor’s news release.

Beyond his work with state government, Westby has been very active in his community, serving on a variety of boards, commissions and other volunteer positions. He served for nearly 30 years as a volunteer for Cheyenne Frontier Days, known as the World’s Largest Outdoor Rodeo and Western Celebration. In that capacity, he’s held positions as Committee Chairman (the equivalent of Executive Vice President); General Chairman (similar to a Chief Operating Officer); Chief Executive Officer; and been on the Board of Directors. Additionally, Westby has served on the Cheyenne Building Code Board of Appeals. He also co-owns a business in Cheyenne with his family, Westby Edge Brewing Co.

WYDOT’s Program Performance office from left: Robert Rodriguez, Meg Mordahl, Julie Newlin, Devon Nelson, Spencer Travis, and Dom Ragan.

Photo: WYDOT

Westby

District Briefs

Headquarters

WYDOT’s 2024 STIP now available for comment

CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Department of Transportation sought public comment and review of its 2024 transportation improvement planning document.

WYDOT’s draft 2024 State Transportation Improvement Plan is available on the department’s website, www.dot. state.wy.us/home. People can navigate to the STIP web page by selecting Planning/Projects/Research from the menu, followed by the STIP Project Listing subpage, which contains the 2024 STIP PDF and a map where users can make comments or suggest new projects.

The STIP contains a listing of highway and bridge projects, airport improvement work, transit projects and Public Safety Communications Commission projects that WYDOT tentatively expects to contract for during the upcoming fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. The final STIP will also incorporate WYDOT’s capital improvement projects. The final approved STIP is published annually and updates are issued monthly.

Beyond the 2024 projects, the draft STIP includes a listing of transportation projects slated through 2029. It also includes a summary of pass-through federal funding for public transportation throughout the state.

Projects are listed by county and note the general character of work for the various transportation system projects.

WYDOT emphasizes that the STIP project listing is tentative and is revised in accordance with changes in funding levels, highway conditions and other issues that arise during the advance project design phase.

District 1

WYDOT to host ribbon cutting ceremony for I-80 Winter Freight Project

LARAMIE – The Wyoming Department of Transportation will be hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 20 to

celebrate the completion of the Interstate 80 Winter Freight/BUILD project.

The ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. at the Quealy Dome truck parking lot at mile marker 290 on I-80.

The purpose of the project is to provide safe areas for commercial drivers to rest or wait out winter storms and closures. The project also includes added truck passing lanes to increase motorist safety and improve traffic flow on steep inclines.

New truck parking from the project is focused on I-80, specifically at Quealy Dome at mile marker 290 and Fort Steele Rest Area at mile marker 228, totaling to nearly 200 spaces. The truck climbing lanes are located at Halleck Ridge, between mile markers 250.5-252.5 in the eastbound lanes, and at Cooper Cove, between mile markers 279.5-281.5 in the westbound lanes.

Other features included in this project are 12 miles of wildlife fencing near Halleck Ridge, more than 6 miles of pavement preservation overlay, and a new salt/ sand storage building at Quealy Dome.

WYDOT applied for and received a federal BUILD grant for $20 million in 2018. The total project budget was $34 million, which included a state match. Simon Contractors was awarded the bid in 2020, and began work that fall.

The completion date for the project is fall of 2023.

Curtis Street Bridge open to vehicle traffic

LARAMIE – Crews with Reiman Corp. and the Wyoming Department of Transportation opened the Curtis Street Bridge in Laramie to live vehicle traffic.

The $10.6 million project began in May with an 88-day timeline for completion. Crews finished the new structure ahead of schedule. All detours were removed as vehicle traffic was permitted to use the bridge.

The new structure is wider, including a left turn lane and a multi-use pathway for pedestrians and cyclists. Free right turn lanes have also been added to the off-ramps.

The multi-use pathway is not open at this time. Crews will be completing work

Work begins on Little Snake River Bridge in Baggs; expect delays

BAGGS – Starting Aug. 16, drivers along Wyoming Highway 789 in Baggs encountered delays as crews with McGarvin-Moberly Construction Co. and the Wyoming Department of Transportation begin bridge rehabilitation work at milepost 50, the Little Snake River Bridge.

Work requires a lane closure with a concrete barrier, with traffic alternating each direction using temporary signals on each end of the work zone. Delays of about three minutes are expected. There will be a 14-foot width restriction through the project.

Seasonal paving in Carbon County

RAWLINS – Maintenance crews with the Wyoming Department of Transportation began seasonal paving operations in Carbon County Aug. 8.

Work began at the Wagonhound crossroad and one off-ramp at milepost 267 along Interstate 80. The Wagonhound Rest Area was closed for the duration of the paving operation.

Other locations in Carbon County maintenance crews plan to pave this year include:

• US 30 at mileposts 254 near Hanna and 274 near Medicine Bow

• I-80 bridge approaches at mileposts 259, 263, 267 near Elk Mountain

• I-80 at mileposts 193 and 208 near Rawlins

• Various sections along WYO 70 and WYO 230 near Saratoga

• Various locations on WYO 70 near Baggs

Please note the above list is not necessarily in project order; crews may move between these locations based on weather conditions, material and equipment availability, or other factors.

Motorists encountered delays due to

into the fall tying the pathway to the Laramie River Greenbelt Trail.

lane closures, reduced speed limits and other traffic control.

District 3 Snake River bridge project forced lane closures

JACKSON – The Wyoming Department of Transportation, along with contract crews from Ames Construction Inc., reduced traffic to one alternating lane of traffic on the night of Aug. 21 to remove the bridge railing and replace it with concrete barrier on the Snake River Bridge on Wyoming Highway 22.

The work was conducted at night, to reduce the impacts to local traffic. Traffic was carried through the work area at reduced speeds on a single lane, controlled by flaggers.

Drivers encountered traffic control signs and nighttime delays occurring throughout the work zones.

“The bridge railing had to be removed in order for us to install the foundation for the new bridge. The concrete barrier will be placed for the public’s safety until the old bridge is removed next summer. The single lane was just for one night to keep the bridge construction on schedule,” WYDOT resident engineer Bob Hammond said.

The free right turn at the WYO 22 and Wyoming Highway 390 intersection was closed for westbound traffic heading from town to WYO 390. The closure of the free right turn lane took place Aug. 23 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Those traveling westbound on WYO 22 and turning northbound onto WYO 390, the Village Road, in the morning hours did not have access to the free right but were able to make the right turn at the WYO 22/390 signal.

The closures were necessary for the contractor to conduct paving operations for the future detours for the project.

The work is part of the Snake River Bridge and Intersection project, which was awarded in November 2022. The work includes the replacement of the Snake River Bridge on WYO 22, the reconstruction of the intersection of WYO 22 and WYO 390, wildlife crossings and other work on approximately 1.80 miles of WYO 22 & WYO 390 in Teton County. More information about the project his-

tory is available at www.dot.state.wy.us/ snakeriver. The completion date for this project in June 30, 2025.

For more information about the current work going on at the WYO 22 and WYO 390 intersection and Snake River Bridge, visit https://wy22wilsonsrb.com.

Crews milling, paving north of Rock Springs

ROCK SPRINGS – The Wyoming Department of Transportation, along with contract crews from McGarvin-Moberly Construction Co. conducted milling work north of Farson on US Highway 191 from milepost 51 to 62. Operations began Aug. 14 and lasted roughly a week. Crews moved on to paving operations after milling.

Traffic was carried through the work areas at reduced speeds on a single lane using flagger and pilot cars. Drivers encountered traffic control and delays through the work zones. Delays could last 10 to 20 minutes at a time.

The completion date for the work is June 30, 2024.

performed investigative geotechnical drilling work along Wyoming Highway 22, around milepost 12.6 on Teton Pass, Aug. 1.

Work took place between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and while work was underway, a single lane of traffic was controlled by flagging operations. Traffic control was needed to lift a crane over the guardrail for the work.

Crews installed equipment to monitor movement of the highway in the area.

District 5

Chip sealing near Meeteetse, Lovell, Powell

MEETEETSE – A Wyoming Department of Transportation chip sealing crew resumed its summer work Monday, Aug. 14, on 6-miles of Wyoming Highway 290 west of Meeteetse.

Meeteetse chip sealing took place between mileposts 0 and 6.02 on WYO 290.

The crew is scheduled to move the chip sealing operation Aug. 16 to nearly 4-miles of US Highway 310 south of Lovell (mileposts 225.45 to 229.20), Aug. 17 to Wyoming Highway 37 north of Lovell (mileposts 0 to 3), Aug. 21-22 to US 310 (mileposts 235.00 to 236.27) at the east edge of Lovell and at the west edge of Lovell (mileposts 237.42 to 238.28), and Aug. 23-28 on Wyoming Highway 295 (mileposts 0 to 12.17) on both sides of Willwood.

WYDOT Chip Sealing Foreman Tyd Erickson of Meeteetse said the chip seals will be swept at the end of each day, but some loose rock may still be present.

“Drivers are asked to slow down in these areas in order to prevent windshield damage after operations have ceased for the day,” Erickson said.

Chip sealing of WYO 294 project near Ralston

Drilling work caused traffic impacts on Teton Pass

JACKSON – The Wyoming Department of Transportation, along with contract crews from Salisbury Drilling,

CODY – Chip sealing of a $5.6 million pavement improvement project began mid-August on Wyoming Highway 294 (Badger Basin Road) near Ralston.

The 9.84-mile project included rotomilling of existing pavement surfacing, a 2-inch asphalt pavement overlay, chip sealing, minor slope flattening, guardrail replacement, and other work. Project

Briefs continued on page 6

The intersection at WYO 22 and WYO 390 as part of the Snake River Bridge project.

Photo: WYDOT

WYDOT paving crews out this summer.

Photo: Rick Carpenter/WYDOT

work began at the intersection of US Highway 14A and WYO 294, south of Ralston, and extends 9.84 miles northwest to milepost 9.84 on WYO 294.

Prime contractor is Mountain Construction Co. of Lovell.

Paving project on WYO 789/US 287 outside Lander

LANDER – Paving of 5.8 miles of Wyoming Highway 789/US Highway 287 began in early August on the south edge of Lander.

Avail Valley Construction-WY LLC of Afton is the prime contractor on the $4.95 million US 287/WYO 789 Muddy Gap-Lander/Lyons Valley Section on the south edge of Lander, and Avail is also the prime contractor on the $2.9 million WYO 789 Lander-Hudson State School Section project on the north edge of Lander.

Paving of the WYO 789 Lander-Hudson project was scheduled to follow the Lyons Valley project paving, according to Wyoming Department of Transportation resident engineer Erik Smith of Lander. Both projects carry contract completion dates of Oct. 31, 2023.

During paving and chip sealing operations, traffic was controlled with a pilot car and flaggers. Motorists encountered delays of up to 15 minutes during all work. In Lander, the paving was limited to two-lane traffic, with no left turns allowed.

A 12-foot, 9-inch width restriction remains in effect.

The WYO 789/US 287 project included bridge rehabilitation, curb and gutter, sidewalk, rotomilling of existing asphalt pavement surfacing, a 2-inch pavement overlay, chip sealing, and other miscellaneous work.

The work north of Lander on WYO 789 included asphalt pavement surfacing, traffic control, sidewalk, curb and gutter, milling, grading and other work on 1.4 miles of WYO 789 beginning at milepost 80.97 – the traffic signal at the intersection of US 287 and WYO 789.

Pavement improvement project between Riverton

and Shoshoni

RIVERTON – A $2.27 million pavement improvement project began in early August on US Highway 26/Wyoming Highway 789 between Riverton and Shoshoni.

The project includes asphalt pavement surfacing, milling, chip sealing and other work on 2.3 miles of US 26/WYO 789 beginning at milepost 118.86 (just south of the US 26/WYO 789 intersection with Wyoming Highway 134, also called Missouri Valley Road) and ending at milepost 121.18, just south of Bass Lake Road.

Prime contractor on the project is Knife River of Casper.

“The contractor’s schedule calls for topsoil stripping of the shoulders beginning Monday (Aug. 7), with asphalt milling beginning Wednesday,” said Wyoming Department of Transportation resident engineer Robert Scheidemantel of Riverton. “Motorists should expect single-lane traffic through the project led by a pilot car, traffic delays of up to 20 minutes, and a milled driving surface by late next week.”

Placement of more than 9,500 tons of asphalt paving is scheduled Aug. 16-23, with chip sealing of the highway this year dependent upon favorable weather.

The Wyoming Transportation Commission awarded the bid to Knife River of Casper, in January. Contract completion date is Oct. 31, 2023.

Total number of employees: As of July 28, 2023

1,750 One month ago

1,737 One year ago

1,767

Total number of highway fatalities: As of August 9, 2023

83 One year ago

67

Take me to your leader…ship training

National, regional programs prepare WYDOT for the future

By Mark Horan

One of the topics that staff within the Wyoming Department of Transportation frequently bring up as an area of need is leadership training and development. Whether it’s a program manager wanting to help their team become more effective, or an ambitious employee seeking to work their way up the agency ladder, a sharpened set of skills is key.

According to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, “training the next generation of transportation leaders is vital in developing and running the transportation systems of tomorrow for every community around the country.”

Providing employees with quality guidance is a fundamental way to increase things like job satisfaction, employee engagement, and retention within WYDOT.

It’s also a necessary factor in planning for the agency’s future.

“Careers aren’t as long as they used to be, and people find themselves in leadership roles earlier in their career,” said Support Services Administrator Taylor Rossetti.

This can create a challenge for succession planning within programs as well as for the agency as a whole.

“Our focus within WYDOT is to develop a broad pool of people with multiple skill sets, so when leadership positions open up, we have multiple people who are qualified to step into those roles,” Rossetti said.

Staff who are interested in broadening their horizons have several options to consider:

The AASHTO Leadership Development Series offers three separate institutes to engage in active learning with colleagues and leadership experts. AASHTO’s website describes the institutes as follows:

• The AASHTO Management Institute takes place on average five times a year at various locations around the United States. Throughout the four-day training, participants are introduced to the tools, techniques and best practices required to manage people and projects effectively. For more experienced managers, the instruction updates and refines existing skills and challenges current thinking, introduces new concepts and explores changing employee and customer relationships. The course also allows participants to share experiences—difficulties and successes that impact transportation managers—as they learn from one another in the interactive exercises throughout the week. This conference is intended for current and aspiring supervisors, managers, and leaders looking for training on the crucial competencies and resources needed to simplify and perform their critically important roles. In the last five years, between eight to 12 WYDOT employees attended one of the management institute sessions each year.

• The AASHTO Leadership Institute is a nine-day immersive professional development experience held in Lawrence, Kansas. ALI provides research-driven, professional instruction from KU faculty and transportation professionals. ALI focuses on self-discovery and practical management

techniques. The ALI curriculum is developed around four pillars; Managing Work, Developing Self, Leading Others, and Understanding Transportation. Three WYDOT staff attended this institution in the last five years.

• The AASHTO Executive Institute offers a unique senior-executive management experience in Washington, D.C. The course content focuses on issues that match the needs of senior leadership and executive responsibilities and provides participants with the space to discuss their challenges with peers. Participants are exposed to emerging transportation policies and discuss critical transportation issues with seasoned transportation leaders.

The Western States Coalition Leadership Academy offers a relatively new curriculum that has earned positive reviews from WYDOT participants.

Led by top tier instructors from around the nation, the twoweek event draws participants from its namesake: Idaho, Montana, the Dakotas and Wyoming. Among the many topics covered are high performance teamwork, creativity and innovation, time and stress management, managing multiple generations, and leading change transition.

There have been two academies thus far. WYDOT sent five participants to the first session in the fall of 2022 and eight participants to the second session in the spring of 2023. Both academies were hosted by the Montana Department of Transportation in Helena. WYDOT is pleased to be hosting the next academy in the spring of 2024, which will potentially be held in Sheridan.

Project Development Engineer Ken Keel attended the second academy. He described the experience as an intense experience that was well worth the commitment.

“It was tiring, but it was great,” Keel said. “I wish I could I could capture everything they covered and present it to my supervisors.”

Keel said the course helped him to learn his management style and how to adapt in group settings. It also gave him new insight into creativity and innovation, which, as “a black and white engineer type,” he never felt was one of his strengths.

“The session helped me realize I actually am creative,” he said. “I just didn’t think I was.”

The soon to be graduates of the 2023 WY Lead Academy, alongside members of WYDOT’s executive staff.

Photo: WYDOT

At the internal level, WY Lead was recently unveiled by WYDOT University. It’s a structured series for existing supervisors or those with previous management experience who are interested in advancing with WYDOT. The training lasts six months and includes approximately 12 hours per month for homework, in person and online meetings, and project work. It also includes a mentorship component.

There are 15 WYDOT staff who are currently participating in the inaugural WY Lead class, selected from more than 30 applicants.

According to Rossetti, the leadership programs that are available to WYDOT staff are meant to compliment and reinforce each other, even though the style and format varies.

“There’s some fundamental principles when it comes to leadership that aren’t going to change, but the way they’re presented might be different at the national level versus the local level,” he said.

Similarly, there are different opportunities for networking depending on the training. At the AASHTO institutes, for example, there might only be one participant from each state, but they’ll be able to connect with others on a national level to discuss broad issues in the transportation industry. The Western States Academy gives participants a chance to meet people who share the same regional challenges and issues – not necessarily the same

job, but from the same environment. And WY Lead participants are afforded quality time to bond with and collaborate with their fellow WYDOT employees.

For those who are interested in furthering their education but are unable to make a multi-day commitment, WYDOT U offers several less time-intensive options throughout the year, such as one-day presentations, virtual workshops and other self-enrollment courses. Visit the Neogov website to learn more, or contact Training Services.

Regardless of how long a person has been in the agency or what program they’re in, the resources are out there if they’re willing to make the effort and take the time to better themselves, better their team, or advance through the department.

Whichever option staff are considering, the first step is to express interest with their supervisor and put themselves on the radar as a potential candidate. In the same manner, supervisors and managers are encouraged to invite their high performing employees to apply.

And, of course, anyone in a current leadership role should consider their own development as well.

“No one is a fully-formed leader,” Rossetti said. “There’s always room to grow and learn new skills.”

WYDOT employees rescue kitten

By Stephanie Lowe, Environmental Services

On the morning of Monday, Aug. 7, Cheyenne Environmental Services employee John Laughlin came into work and heard a kitten meowing. He discovered the kitten had fallen into the window well at the Materials Lab building.

The kitten was a bit skittish and wouldn’t let Laughlin come close enough to pick him up, so he informed a fellow Environmental Services coworker, Phil Flores, who brought in a live trap the next day.

However, on the morning of Aug.

8, Laughlin and Flores discovered the kitten had fallen into an overflow drain pipe and could not be easily rescued. Facilities

Maintenance were contacted for assistance and one of them had a scoping camera that allowed the kitten to be found in the pipe. After this, employees secured several different types of rope and sent one end down the pipe, hoping the kitten could climb out of the pipe by himself. Food was left in the pipe and in the live trap that was set up just outside the pipe in case the kitten climbed out overnight.

Wednesday morning brought the surprise of finding the

mother cat in the live trap! A few hours later, the kitten was discovered outside the pipe in a different window well. April Patrick, with Employee Safety, heard the kitten meowing outside her window and ran outside to grab him.

Kelly Cope, with Environmental Services, wrapped the kitten in a blanket and kept him warm by cuddling with him the rest of the day. While Cope took the kitten overnight, Deb Ferguson, also with Environmental Services, took the mother cat to her property in Carpenter to live out the rest of her life as a barn cat.

Thursday brought the task of finding a permanent home for the kitten.

Sarah Lei, with Internal Review, ended up adopting the sweet kitten and with the assistance of her son, they named him Finnagen. He was deemed healthy, as well, after a vet check-up.

The Materials Lab building at HQ campus was all abuzz with the rescue operation Aug 7-10.

Photo: Stephanie Lowe/WYDOT

Finnagen after his rescue being held by Kelly Cope.

Photo: Stephanie Lowe/WYDOT

Sarah Lei with her son and sweet little Finnagen.

Photo: Stephanie Lowe/WYDOT

Multiple landslides see movement in 2023, permanent repairs being made on one

By Laura Dalles, District 4 Public Involvement Specialist and James Dahill, WYDOT Geology

This past spring brought much needed moisture to the state, but for some mountain roads this adds to the opportunity for slope failures.

A common occurrence in Sheridan County and other parts of the state, a slope failure happens when the soils – commonly clay – become overly saturated, lose their sticky factor and give way to gravitational pull. Most of these clays are sitting on a shale formation, which offers little to no resistance for the clay to adhere to. The soils become too heavy and follow the path of least resistance and fall away from the slope.

The most recent slide is the Little Tongue River slide located at mile marker 69.8 on US Highway 14 west of Dayton near a wellknown local landmark, Steamboat Point.

WYDOT Geologist James Dahill and his team have been watching the Little Tongue River landslide for several years and have become quite familiar with its activity. Dahill said the challenge with the Little Tongue River landslide is that US 14 crosses the slide at the waistline, or midpoint, of the slide. This means there is just as much slide-prone material above the road as there is below the roadway. Because of the nature of this geological structure, each year’s melting snowpack and yearly erosion results in the weak shale getting saturated over time, and the blocks

start sliding downhill due to gravity and the steepness of the side of the mountain.

This landslide originated well outside of the WYDOT right of way on US Forest Service/State lands as early as 2019. The toe of the slide is at the banks of the Little Tongue River. Geology noted its activity back in May of 2020 when the top of the slide, called a

Photo: Matt Groth/WYDOT

An aerial view showing the top of the slide where it began creeping further into the right-of-way, meeting the guardrail of the highway. Work is being done to install a tieback soldier pile wall consisting of 33 60-foot long soldier piles drilled and concreted into place.

A close-in aerial view of contractor Coggins & Sons drilling one of 33 shafts for soldier piles to be concreted in place in preparation for attaching ground anchors.

Photo: Matt Groth/WYDOT

head scarp, was well outside of the right of way and not of primary concern to the highway.

Within two years, small but distinct cracks were noted within the right of way and right up to the back of the guardrail posts. By May 2022, the landslide had grown significantly wider, and the cracks were now more than 15-foot head scarp at the back of the guardrail posts with cracks creeping up to the pavement edge.

Uncertain as to what the slide might do in the future, District 4 maintenance, with input from Construction and Geology, proactively constructed a shoofly detour to manage the surface water run-off and provide passage for the public should the landslide continue to fall into the lane of travel. A shoofly detour is one that allows traffic to flow uninhibited by the construction work in the area.

Meanwhile, drilling investigations and design work were started to determine the best solution to protect the highway infrastructure from any further damage.

The project was let to contract in June 2023 and awarded to Coggins & Sons out of Colorado. Work began on July 17 to install a tieback soldier pile wall, which consists of 33 60-foot long soldier piles drilled and concreted in place. Once the soldier piles are in place, they will install 66 100-foot long ground anchors –called tendons – back into the mountain and under the roadway to effectively stitch the active sliding soil to the underlying intact bedrock. The tendons are grouted in place and tensioned up to 106,000 pounds per

square inch. The project is set to be complete by November 2023.

District Construction and Survey Support Justin White used drone technology to fly the project several times, gathering data points to determine and document movement. The survey data also aided in determining where to place the structure.

being used to eliminate any further sliding of the hillside.

In addition to the LTR slide in Sheridan, other projects let to contract this year included:

• A rock fall scaling project in the Wind River Canyon (US Highway 20/Wyoming Highway 789);

• The Telephone Creek slide repair in Sunlight Basin (Wyoming Highway 296) was let to contract in April 2023 and is under construction now; and

• The Interstate 90 Median East slide, which was let last year but saw some additional movement this spring that required a change order to further address slide movement at mile markers 29.7 & 30.2.

With more than 200 slides throughout the state and dozens of groundwater piezometers at various landslides to track, WYDOT Geologists are busy. In addition to the slides mentioned above, there are slides located on Teton Pass, Togwotee Pass, and in the Big Horn mountains (US 14/14A and US 16). Each District within WYDOT has a slide of some form to monitor, but the majority of them are in Districts 3, 4 and 5.

The illustration shows the technique

Waler

Timber Lagging ound Anchor (Tieback Anchor

Aerial view of the project area on US 14 west of Dayton that shows how close the slide was to the edge of the pavement.

Photo: Matt Groth/WYDOT

The length and width of runout of the LTR slide.

Photo: Matt Groth/WYDOT

Employee Safety Safety spotlight

By Jerry Fritz, District 5 Safety Representative

Kudos to Lovell

Foreman Timothy Defuentes

for putting together the District 5 trench box and for his plans to use it. There are seven trench boxes in the state, and for deeper trenches, one or more of these units can be connected together. Do trench collapses happen in Wyoming? Yes, read about these three:

1. A Wyoming man lost his life on June 9 of this year after the collapse of a French drain he was trying to install.

2. In October of 2018, a delivery driver noticed an excavator running and no one was around. A trench had collapsed, killing two men in the Jackson area.

3. A 27-year-old man was injured when a trench that he and a teenager were digging collapsed on them in northeast Wyoming. The Gillette News-Record reported that Campbell County Under-sheriff Quentin Reynolds said the man and a 13-year-old boy were hand digging a trench in Wright when the collapse occurred. The two were pinned down by the fallen soil but were able to get out before emergency personnel arrived. The boy was not hurt. However, Reynolds said the older man complained of severe hip pain and had to be flown from the scene for medical treatment.

OSHA requires that trenches 5-feet deep or greater require a protective system, unless the excavation is made entirely in stable rock. If less than 5-feet deep, a competent person may determine that a protective system is not required. A competent person is an individual who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards or working conditions that are hazardous, unsanitary, or

dangerous to workers, soil types and protective systems required, and who is authorized to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate these hazards and conditions. For more information, please check out OSHA Fact Sheet for “Trenching and Excavation Safety.”

NAATSHO conference attended by WYDOTs Employee Safety

WYDOT Employee Safety employees Alexander Barrett and April Patrick and Program Manager Jordan Striff attended the 55th annual North American Association of Transportation Safety & Health Officials conference held in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Texas Department of Transportation hosted this year’s conference. The five-day event was attended by 26 state DOTs to discuss, collaborate and research occupational safety and health solutions. The topics shared during the sessions gave information on how to prevent injuries and incidents from happening in the workplace or job site.

Wyoming hosted the very first NAATSHO conference in 1968 and was honored to host in 2009. WYDOT looks forward to hosting this conference once more in 2025 in Cody.

A special thanks to Mike Calaway and the sign shop staff for making the wall hanger for TxDOT.

At the 55th NAATSHO conference (From left) Jordan Striff,

A trench box to provide employee safety in an excavated area. Lovell Foreman Timothy Defuentes has plans for using this box in the district.

Photo: WYDOT/District

Employee Safety program manager; Sam Salazar, TxDOT Occupational Safety Division director, Jessica Mueller, TxDOT Business Operations manager; and Alexander Barrett, senior safety and health specialist.

Photo: WYDOT

Ready for back-to-school?

By Amy Bale, Training Services

It’s that time of year! New clothes, fresh hair-cuts, greeting old friends or making new ones. Getting settled in new classrooms, checking out your new locker or cubby, wondering if this year’s teacher or teachers will be kind, fun, weird, boring or cool.

As kids around Wyoming prepare for the adventure of a new school year, have YOU considered going back to school? Finishing that degree, or taking a class to enhance your skills in a certain area? Did you know that WYDOT can help with that?

WYDOT offers tuition reimbursement to its employees, which allows you, as an employee, to further your formal education with WYDOT reimbursing you up to 75 percent of your tuition costs per class. Complete details are outlined in the policy: OP 37-2: Tuition Reimbursement – July 1, 2022.

You can read the full policy and find the new application on the Training Services Intranet page, but here are the highlights:

1. You’ll need to have a discussion with your supervisor regarding your educational/career goals.

3. The Tuition Reimbursement application must be submitted by the following deadline dates:

Spring/Summer –

Jan. 1-July 31

Fall Classes –

Aug. 1-Dec. 31

Oct. 1 (previous year)

May 1 (same year)

4. The Tuition Reimbursement Committee will review and approve or deny your application and you will be notified before the class start date.

5. Reimbursement will be made to your paycheck following submission of course completion documents up to $5,250 per calendar year.

Training@aGlance

2. Complete and submit the online application to include an Education Plan (found in the online application).

Check out the upcoming training opportunities from WYDOT-U and the Transportation Learning Network. Don’t forget to check out the calendar on NEOGOV to see upcoming training events!

Be sure to read the policy completely before submitting your application by accessing the information on the Training Services Intranet pages. Please contact Jim Boyd at 777-4791 or james. boyd@wyo.gov if you have any specific questions.

Check out the upcoming training opportunities from WYDOT-U and the Transportation Learning Network. Don’t forget to check out the calendar on NEOGOV to see upcoming training events!

Coming in November and December:

WYDOT’s Employee Safety program invites you to view upcoming training opportunities available to current WYDOT employees. The QR code is a link to FY 2024 Training Schedule Planning Spreadsheet to view all training in real time. Navigate directly to the unique enrollment page for each class in NeoGov.

**Enrollment in NeoGov is required**

SAFETY STARTS WITH YOU

Lead the way. Be safe today.

Highway Safety Speed related crashes

A crash is speed related if any driver/vehicle directly involved in the crash was exceeding the posted speed limit, racing, or driving too fast for the current environmental conditions. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding endangers everyone on the road and can be a form of aggressive driving. The higher the collision speed, the more serious the consequences in terms of injury and property damage. Speeding is more likely to result in serious injury and death. In fact, speeding has been a contributing factor in approximately one-third of all motor vehicle fatalities for more than two decades.

The risk of a crash occurring is greater as speeds get higher. Speed is especially dangerous if it is higher than the current environmental circumstances allow (e.g. due to weather and/ or road conditions or large traffic volume). The consequences of speeding include increased stopping distance after the driver perceives a danger, a greater potential for loss of control, reduced effectiveness of occupant protection equipment, and increased level of crash severity leading to more severe injuries.

In Wyoming, during the most recent five-year period (20182022), 14,085 traffic crashes were speed related crashes, which accounts for around 20 percent of all traffic crashes. These speed related crashes included 793 critical crashes (35 percent of all critical crashes), 2,672 serious crashes (26 percent of all serious crashes), and 10,620 damage crashes (19 percent of all damage crashes) resulting in 267 fatal injuries, 754 suspected serious injuries, 2,184 suspected minor injuries, and 1,653 possible injuries.

When looking specifically at critical crashes over the last five years, 233 (42 percent) of fatal crashes and 560 (33 percent) of suspected serious injury crashes were speed

related crashes.

The majority of speed related crashes occurred during the winter season (December through February; 42.1 percent), followed by fall (September through November; 25.1 percent), spring (March through May; 19.4 percent), then summer (June through August; 13.4 percent).

The basic speed rule generally requires drivers to operate a motor vehicle at a speed that is reasonable and prudent for current roadway conditions. Roadway conditions may be impacted by weather, surface conditions, traffic volume, and special locations (e.g. work zones, school zones, or other environmental conditions). Driving too fast for conditions was reported in 68 percent (9,609) of speed related crashes, including 43 percent (339) of critical crashes, 60 percent (1,601) of serious crashes, and 72 percent (7,669) of damage crashes. Driving too fast for conditions included 84.9 percent of winter crashes, 65 percent of fall crashes, 64.3 percent of spring crashes, and 27.6 percent of summer crashes.

The rural nature of Wyoming highways often requires motorists to navigate long distances between urban areas on rural roadways with sparsely spaced resources. This can make risky driving behaviors such as speeding more appealing. Over half (53.4 percent) of the speed related crashes occurred in rural locations with nearly 68 percent of rural crashes located on a principal arterial roadway (interstate, freeway, or highway).

Drivers engaged in risky speeding behaviors are typically male (69 percent of all speeding drivers involved in a crash) or younger drivers under 35 years of age (56 percent of all speeding drivers involved in a crash). Young male drivers account for just over 38 percent of all speeding drivers involved in a crash. In addition, male speeding drivers were involved in higher levels of crash severity than female speeding drivers. Of the speeding drivers involved in critical crashes, 80 percent were male and 20 percent were female. Of the speeding drivers involved in serious crashes, 69 percent were male and 31 percent were female.

FAST FACTS

Wyoming crash data from 2018-2022 report that:

• Around 20 percent of all traffic crashes were speed related.

• Roughly 35 percent of all critical crashes indicated speed was a likely contributing factor in the crash.

• Speeding was indicated in 42 percent of all fatal crashes, resulting in 267 fatalities.

• Driving too fast for current conditions was reported in 68 percent of all speed related crashes.

• Most speed related crashes occurred in the winter (42.1 percent) with nearly 85 percent reporting a driver driving too fast for the current conditions.

• More than half (53.4 percent) of the speed related crashes occurred in rural locations with nearly 68 percent of rural crashes located on an interstate or highway.

• Male drivers account for 69 percent of all speeding drivers and tend to have higher levels of crash severity.

BY THE NUMBERS

Wyoming crash data

Aug. 1, 2023 vs. (Aug. 1, 2022):

Fatalities: 77 (62)

Serious Injuries: 256 (265)

Alcohol-Involved Fatalities: 16 (17)

Bicycle-Involved Fatalities: 0 (0)

CMV-Involved Fatalities: 24 (14)

Drug-Involved Fatalities: 12 (18)

Motorcycle-Involved Fatalities: 6 (8)

Pedestrian-Involved Fatalities: 8 (4)

Speed-Related Fatalities: 35 (31)

Data current as of 08/10/2023

TechNotes

No need to call the Help Desk

Did you know that ETS now uses a new service, ADSelfServicePlus, which allows you to reset your password and unlock your account without IT assistance?

This service was introduced last year and has been successfully used by thousands of users statewide. Due to this success, ETS has retired the old service, TPS, as of Aug. 21.

Self enroll

If you have not already done so, please visit our ets.wyo.gov to enroll in ADSS or click here for full instructions.

You can manage your passwords anytime from our website by clicking on Password Self-Service in our Service Catalog or by visiting https://password. wyo.gov.

Game & Fish

Grizzly bear relocated to reduce conflict potential

CODY – After consultation with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department captured and relocated an adult male grizzly bear on Aug. 15.

The bear was captured for livestock depredation northwest of Thermopolis on private land. The bear was relocated to the Five Mile Creek drainage approximately 41 miles west of Cody.

Bears are relocated in accordance with state and federal law and regulation, and Game and Fish is required to update the public whenever a bear is relocated. Why relocation?

Grizzly bear relocation is a management tool large carnivore biologists use to minimize conflicts between humans and grizzly bears. It is critical to managing the expanding population of grizzly bears in Wyoming.

Capture is necessary when other deterrents or preventative options are exhausted or unattainable. Once the animal is captured, all circumstances are taken into account when determining if the individual should be relocated. If relocation is warranted, a site is determined by considering the age, sex and type of conflict the bear was involved in as well as potential human activity nearby.

Grizzly bears are only relocated into the recovery zone or adjacent areas. With any relocation, Game and Fish consults

with appropriate agencies to minimize the chance of future conflicts and maximize the relocated grizzly bear’s survival.

Bears that are considered a threat to human safety are not relocated. In some cases, a bear may be removed from the population if it cannot be relocated successfully.

How the public can help

Game and Fish continues to stress the importance of the public’s responsibility in bear management and the importance of keeping all attractants such as food, garbage, horse feed, bird seed unavailable to bears. Reducing attractants available to bears reduces human-bear conflicts, and in some cases, relocations.

Photo: Wyoming Game and Fish

State Parks

Help shape the future of Wyoming’s outdoor recreation landscape: take the 2023 Outdoor Recreation User Survey

By Carly-Ann Carruthers, Wyoming State Parks

The Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources, the Division of State Parks, Historic Sites and Trails, and the WY Outdoor Recreation Office are seeking input on recreation needs and priorities through the 2023 Outdoor Recreation User Survey.

People who complete this 15-minute survey by Oct. 1 will be entered into a raffle for a free YETI Roadie cooler.

The user survey aims to gather input on the wants, needs, and priorities regarding outdoor recreation in Wyoming. The results of the survey will inform the 2023 Wyoming Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan. The 2023 SCORP aims to identify and address the outdoor recreation needs of Wyoming’s residents and visitors and will help secure substantial funding for local recreation projects.

This survey is meant to be taken by anyone who gets outside in Wyoming including residents, frequent visitors and travelers. You could be a dog walker, a mountain biker, a hunter, a softball player, a fitness class participant, a rock climber, a paraglider, or anything in between. It does not matter what type of recreation you do or even if you don’t enjoy outdoor recreation: your perception and experience with outdoor recreation in Wyoming matters.

Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plans are updated every five years by most states around the country. The State of Wyoming has hired a team of consultants from SE Group to support the 2023 Wyoming SCORP update process. The last Wyoming SCORP was completed in 2019. Since then, recreation activity has grown across the state; Wyoming National Parks saw 8.7 million visitors in 2021 and state parks and historic sites saw 5.7 million visits in 2021, a 25 percent increase over the five-year average.

SCORPs are imperative to gain important funding for outdoor recreation projects across the state.

“The State of Wyoming receives approximately $2.3 million annually in Land and Water Conservation Funds to create outdoor recreation opportunities in our great State,” said Louisa Lopez, the Recreation Grants Manager with the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Office and Division of State Parks and Trails. “In order to create user-based goals for this funding, we develop the SCORP, which identifies current resources and needed resources while providing an opportunity for private citizens, user groups, and local governments to set priorities for acquiring, developing, and protecting these recreation opportunities.”

Any and all interested parties are encouraged to visit www.2023wyscorp.com to take the survey, and learn more about the 2023 Wyoming SCORP process.

“The 2023 SCORP is a vital roadmap for local, state, and federal agencies to create and enhance outdoor recreation opportunities. The five-year SCORP aims to identify and address

the outdoor recreation needs of Wyoming’s residents and visitors. The user survey is the best possible way to get involved, so please share it with your friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors because the more survey results we get, the better we can represent the citizens of Wyoming,” stated Patrick Harrington, Manager of the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Office.

Questions about the project? Please contact Patrick Harrington with Wyoming State Parks at patrick.harrington@ wyo.gov.

About SE Group

SE Group has been the industry leader in the planning and design of mountain resorts since 1958. Over the years, our team has grown to include landscape architects, community planners, environmental analysts and economic advisors that are pioneering how communities across the country think about recreation, tourism and outdoor spaces. Whether it’s a multiseason mountain resort or a schoolyard playground, our clients trust us to lead them from first spark of inspiration to final phase of implementation.

About the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Office

Established by recommendation of the 2017 Governor’s Outdoor Recreation Task Force, the Office of Outdoor Recreation aims to diversify Wyoming’s economy by expanding, enhancing, and promoting responsible recreational opportunities through collaboration, outreach, and coordination with stakeholders, landowners, private industry, and public officials. Learn more about the Office and future community collaboratives by visiting www.wyorec.com

About Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites and Trails

Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites, and Trails manages 11 state parks, 21 state historic sites/museums, one state recreation area, two state archaeological sites, and one travel information center encompassing approximately 120,000 acres division-wide. There are programs for planning, construction, concessions, and visitor use, and grant program administration. The division is responsible for providing outdoor recreation and educational opportunities for Wyoming residents and out of state visitors. The division is also charged with the preservation, interpretation, and maintenance of the State’s historic and archaeological sites as well as more than 500 historical monuments and roadside markers. The State Trails Program administers the Snowmobile Program, the Recreational Trails Program grant funds, the Off-Road Recreational Vehicle program, and works with the Wyoming State Trails Advisory Council to facilitate the management and development of recreational trails throughout the state, serving as a coordinator and facilitator for partnerships that provide maintenance, grooming, trail development, and public information for trails, especially those on federal lands.

Wellness

Motivating the mind through learning

By Angela Jenkins, MA, Wellness Consultant, AllOne Health

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”

– Benjamin Franklin

When I was growing up, I always wanted to be a teacher. I loved the organization, continuous learning, and helping others. To me, teachers are the epitome of lifetime learners.

Although I chose a different career path, being a lifelong learner is something that has stayed with me, personally and throughout my career. Learning has always motivated me and has been a top priority for me, and I have received many benefits from choosing to be proactive about enhancing my knowledge.

Google defines learning as “knowledge acquired through experience, study, or being taught.” Learning is essential to human existence. Just as food nourishes the body, taking in new information nourishes the mind.

By taking advantage of learning opportunities when they arise, you can enhance your quality of life, gain confidence, reduce stress, and improve your mental well-being. Learning new things can also improve your memory and focus, and increase your resiliency and self-efficacy.

How to become a better learner

• Discover your learning type. There are seven learning types according to teachable.com: visual, auditory, reading & writing, kinesthetic, verbal, social/interpersonal, or solitary/ intra-personal learning. Try to figure out which learning methods work best for you (and there may be a combination of methods that resonates with you).

• Be intentional and motivated. Even though life itself presents learning opportunities, being intentional and motivated about learning is essential to becoming a successful life-long learner. Think about what motivates you to learn (maybe a new hobby or class) and use that motivation as an advantage.

• Read. This is a timeless way of learning. The more we read, the more we learn. With today’s technology, we now have more learning methods, including videos and audible options that weren’t available in the past.

• Listen to music. Harvard Health states that “listening to and performing music reactivates areas of the brain associated

with memory, reasoning, speech, emotion, and reward.” Make a new music playlist by downloading your favorite songs and challenging your memory on the lyrics.

Increase learning through wellness activities

• Incorporate physical movement. Challenging your brain to learn a new workout routine or adapt to a jogging route enhances the numerous benefits of physical movement. Whether the goal is cardiovascular, toning, stretching, or agility, learning new physical movements can help the brain make more whitespace, which is essential to learning.

• Make meditation a habit. Meditation is a way to help calm the brain and the numerous thoughts that flow through it daily. Quieting the brain provides more opportunities for the brain to expand and learn new things.

• Practice journaling. Journaling is an effective way to release stress, anxiety, and any thoughts that may be nagging and clogging the mind. To get started, try journaling about an experience that was stressful or exciting for you. Journaling poses an immediate way to release those particular thoughts and emotions, allowing movement forward.

For additional reading and inspiration, consider the following:

• We Are Teachers – Free online learning resources and tools.

• Kahn Academy – Content and resources for all ages – free!

• Canva – Free design marketing tool.

• YouTube – Free video clips that enhance learning and provide “how-to” videos.

• Coursera – Choose from a wide variety of online courses. (Some are free, others aren’t.)

If you’re looking for additional help, reach out to your Assistance Program for Member Support. Or, if your organization is considering a Wellness Program, AllOne Health also offers a variety of Wellness Solutions to fit your needs and goals.

Copyright © 2023 AllOne Health Resources, Inc. All rights reserved. Contributed by AllOne Health Resources, Inc./Employee Assistance Program

Wildly Wyoming, a competition-style online series premiered

in August

By Piper Singer, Wyoming Office of Tourism

In partnership with Ford Bronco Wild Fund and Outside TV, Wildly Wyoming released five episodes

On Aug 3, the Wyoming Office of Tourism – in partnership with Ford Bronco Wild Fund and Outside – released the first episode of Wildly Wyoming, a competition-style series. The fivepart series aired each Thursday on Outside TV.

Wildly Wyoming featured three groups of Team Bronco Ambassadors as they embarked on different adventures across the state while competing to win $10,000 to donate to a local non-profit – all in the name of keeping Wyoming wild. Competitions included rock climbing, fly-fishing, mountain biking and more, while showcasing the beauty and diversity of Wyoming’s wide-open spaces.

“Wildly Wyoming captures the state in a completely new perspective; you’ll see scenes that will take your breath away,” said Diane Shober, executive director of WOT. “This partnership has taken the value-based mission of WY Responsibly to a much higher level of educating and facilitating responsible recreation.”

Along each route, teams met with local guides and organizations to learn how to be stewards of Wyoming’s natural spaces, wildlife, communities and culture.

The WY Responsibly campaign was initially launched as a response to COVID-19, providing safe travel tips and resources that resonated with travelers and residents alike, and led to WOT expanding the campaign into 2021 by fostering three main initiatives – adventure, wildlife and community.

For more information on WY Responsibly and WOT, visit travelwyoming.com

The Team Bronco Ambassadors:

Team One

• Aaron Mulkey, an ice climber – Cody, WY.

• Kayla Lockhart, a traveling fly fishing angler – Portland, OR.

Team Two

• Lael Johnson, a fly-fishing guide – Seattle, WA.

• Andrew Muse, an adventure athlete – Park City, Utah.

Team Three

• Micayla Gatto, a freeride mountain biker – Vancouver, BC.

• Tyrhee Moore, a mountaineer and outdoor educator – Washington, DC.

Whether he’s on the mountain highways of northwest Wyoming, or off-road checking locations in his region, Wyoming Game & Fish Warden Colten Galambas Clicks It

Photo:

Wildly Wyoming

District News

Headquarters

Welcome

Timothy Bennett, Contracts and Estimates; Kelly Cope, Environmental Services; Ryan Greenawalt, Professional Standards; Andru Johnson, Highway Development-Project Development; Jason Knight, Compliance and Investigation; Westley Siler, Highway Development-Project Development; and Tanner Smith, Environmental Services.

Promotions and Transfers

Damion Aldana, Motor Vehicle Services-Registration/Title; Janetta Bowey, Driver Services-Policy and Records; and Riley Palsma, Highway Development-Project Development.

Service Awards

Susan Frahm, Planning-Programming – 25 years;

Rodney Freier, Budget – 25 years;

Jeremy Beck, Patrol-Capitol Services Protection – 20 years;

Andy Gallegos, Highway Development-Project DevelopmentUtilities – 20 years;

Diane

Nyffler, Facilities ManagementAdministration – 20 years;

Katherine Bradfield, TrafficAdministration – 15

years;

Christine Lummis, TrafficAdministration – 15 years;

Cory O’Connor, Port of EntryCheyenne – 15 years;

Chandler Bohnen, Highway Development-Project Development – 5 years;

Brittany Lozano, Highway Development-Project DevelopmentUtilities – 5 years;

April Patrick, Employee Safety – 5 years; and

Jordan Striff, Employee Safety – 5 years.

Retirements

Kevin Messman, senior technical operations technician with the truck weight/ weigh in motion division of Planning in Cheyenne, retired in July with 35 years of service to the state.

Jerry Mullen, technical operations technician II with the Planning traffic counter shop in Cheyenne, retired in July with 26 years of service to the state. Mullen was born in England, and before his time at WYDOT, spent time with the US Air Force and graduated from Laramie County Community College. He started his career with WYDOT in the counter shop.

Congratulations

Adam “AJ” Schutzman has been selected as the Aviation Planning program manager effective July 20.

Oops!

In last month’s Interchange, Lois Neckel’s 15-year service anniversary image and Jennifer Naatz’s 10-year service anniversary image were mislabled with the opposite’s name. They have been put to rights here. Our sincerest apologies for the mistake.

District 1

Promotions and Transfers

Jaxon Penfield, Traffic-Signing; and Calvin Pisano, Laramie Mechanics.

Neckel Naatz

Aldana

Palsma

Freier

Gallegos

Bradfield

Frahm Beck

Nyffler

Messman

Bohnen

Lummis Striff

Schutzman

Penfield Pisano News continued on page 20

Service Awards

Donna Olivares-Braisted, District 1-GIS/ITS – 15 years;

Michael Simmons, Patrol-Cheyenne – 15 years;

James Willert, Laramie Construction – 10 years;

Anthony Covolo, Rawlins Construction – 5 years;

Jonas Ostmeyer, Emergency CommunicationsTelephone – 5 years; and Anthony Scott, Rawlins Mechanics – 5 years.

District 2

Welcome

Joshua Hansen, Chugwater Maintenance; Bobby Klataske, Wheatland Maintenance; Nathanial Roberts, Muddy Gap Maintenance; and Brian Solus, Douglas Construction.

Promotions and Transfers

Travis Jorgensen, Chugwater Maintenance; and Clayton LeDoux, Kaycee Maintenance.

Service Awards

Michael Schilling, Casper Construction –25 years; Travis Jorgensen, Chugwater Maintenance – 10 years;

Jeramiah Pittsley, Patrol-Douglas – 5 years; and

Samuel Taylor, Patrol-Douglas – 5 years.

Retirements

Brenda Bosler, field examiner at the Torrington Driver Services office, retired in July with 13 years of service to the state.

District 3

Welcome

Quintus Tibbetts, Port of EntryKemmerer.

Promotions and Transfers

Trevor Gipson, Afton Traffic-Striping; and Edith Reed, Driver Services-CDL.

Service Awards

On Aug. 15, District 2 maintenance staff received training on a new addition to the workforce – a CAT track type skid steer. The new unit replaces a nearly 20-year-old skid steer.

Simmons

Covolo Scott

Willert Jorgensen

Schilling

LeDoux

Pittsley Taylor

Fall Jorgensen

Hansen

Casper crew member Zachary Owen snapped this photo of his crew paving the Casper Mountain Road. The trucks are full of asphalt and are lined up and ready to go.

Photo: Zachary Owen/WYDOT

Olivares-Braisted

Photo: Jeff Goetz/WYDOT

Lewis Fall, Rock Springs Maintenance – 25 years;

Lawrence Duran, Granger Maintenance – 15 years;

Rachelle Miller, Kemmerer Construction – 15 years;

Jay Nelson, Cokeville Maintenance –10 years; and

Serena Jorgensen, Port of EntryAlpine Junction – 5 years.

Retirements

Raymond Avery, supervisor of the District 3 Traffic electrical crew, retired in July with 24 years of service to the state.

Anna Erickson, Alpine Port of Entry manager, retired in July with 33 years of service to the state. Erickson got her start as the Port of Entry clerk, and also spent time on the District 3 Meet Team. In her spare time, Erickson took part in Freedom Arms and other hobbies, including horseback riding, fishing, camping and riding her fourwheeler. She graduated from Star Valley High School.

District 4 Welcome

Robert Birgen, Gillette Maintenance; Joseph Herinckx, Traffic-Electrical; and Michael Rodriguez, Buffalo Maintenance.

Promotions and Transfers

Joseph Bennett, Sheridan TrafficStriping.

Service Awards

Russell Whetham, Newcastle Maintenance – 5 years.

District 4 snapshots

A birds-eye view of the District 4 paving operations on the first block of Downtown Sheridan’s Main Street project. This particular paving operation took place on East 5th Street/ WYO 338 in front of the Sheridan Visitor Center.

Sundance Maintenance Specialist Lance Mahoney was wrapped in patriotism...or, was taken by surprise while fighting the wind during paving operations in Sheridan.

Members of the Campbell County High School volleyball team started the season off with their fall cleanup. This group adopted a 2-mile stretch of WYO 59. One lucky player scored big time. You never know what you’ll find in the right-of-way.

Photo:

WYDOT

Photo: WYDOT

Photo: WYDOT

Avery

Erickson

District News continued on page 22

Whetham

Herinckx Rodriguez

Birgen

Bennett

Gov. Mark Gordon, astride his horse, next to the District 4 parade crew for the Sheridan WYO Rodeo Parade on July 14.

Photo: WYDOT

District 5

Welcome

Wyatt Green, Shoshoni Maintenance; and Mark Oehmke, Ten Sleep Maintenance.

Service Awards

Christa Hauser, Basin Construction –5 years; and Nicholas Warren, Patrol-Lander – 5 years.

Letters

Public Affairs Office commended for state highway map

Last June, I had the good fortune to travel through your state. In short, I wanted to thank you, commend you for an outstanding road map. My 2019 edition is nothing short of a work of art and I love the clarity, amount of information available and especially the topographical representation. It is truly outstanding and hands down, THE best road map in the U.S. The team responsible should be very proud. I wouldn’t know where to begin to try to improve it. On another note – thank you for your efforts to maintain and improve the roadways throughout the state. A Herculean task, I’m sure.

Sincerely,

Jeff Miller, via email

Retirements

Ray Keller, highway maintenance specialist in Worland, retired in July with 5 years of service to the state.

Hauser Warren

Thermopolis mechanics supervisor Brandon Blakesley received his 15year service award this summer from District Equipment Supervisor Daren Wagner.

Photo: WYDOT

Jeremy Kottman received his five-year service award from Basin mechanics supervisor Lawrence Griffin.

Photo: WYDOT

A massive downpour in District 5 closed US 20/WYO 789 for about three hours Aug. 3. Maintenance did a great job plowing a 75-foot mudslide which deposited 18-inches of mud on the roadway.

Photo: Cody Beers/WYDOT

The 2019 version of the Wyoming State Highway map.

Images: Carlie Van Winkle, Rick Carpenter/WYDOT

Employee appreciation barbecues

held to say “thanks!”

This time of year, what says “thanks” better than barbecue? Across the state, District offices held barbecues to show appreciation to those who put in hard

work every day. From Buffalo, to Laramie, to Rawlins, to Sheridan and Sundance, burgers were flipped and camaraderie shared.

District 1 employees in Laramie enjoyed a game of cornhole during their Employee Appreciation Barbecue this summer at the Albany County Fairgrounds.

WTDEA State Board

THE CONTEST & VOTING IS NOW OPEN TO ALL ACTIVE WYDOT EMPLOYEES.

Vote on your favorite “WYDOT Pets” photos

Voting open from August 30September 12, 2023

CALENDARS WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON FOR $20 –A GREAT HOLIDAY GIFT IDEA OR STOCKING STUFFER.

Proceeds from this calendar benefit the WYDOT Relief Fund

Crews from Buffalo enjoy their Employee Appreciation Barbecue this summer.

Photo: Laura Dalles/WYDOT

Rawlins staff enjoys the fixins’ from the 2023 Employee Appreciation Barbecue this summer, hosted by District Staff.

Photo: Andrea Staley/WYDOT

District 1 Engineer Ralph Tarango, right, and District 1 Maintenance Engineer Tim Morton prepare pulled pork for the Employee Appreciation Barbecue in Rawlins this summer.

Photo: Andrea Staley/WYDOT

WYDOT and WHP crews in Sundance enjoy their Employee Appreciation Barbecue this summer.

Photo: Laura Dalles/WYDOT

D4 guardrail crew – Adam Bokhari, Claude Leeman and crew leader Brian Blakeman – enjoy their meals from a Employee Appreciation Barbecue hosted by District 4 Engineer Scott Taylor and District Staff.

Laura

Dalles/WYDOT

Photo: Andrea Staley/WYDOT

District 4 Engineer Scott Taylor, center, was in charge of burgers while (from left) Paul Miller and Heath Oetkin were in charge of fries.

Photo: Laura

Dalles/WYDOT

WTDEA HQ chapter hosts trivia night

By Jordan Achs

Laughter filled the event space at Westby Edge Brewing in Cheyenne as teams competed in a trivia night fundraiser hosted by the Wyoming Transportation Department Employees Association in early August.

Teams of three to four people competed in three rounds of six questions, which ranged in topics from current events, sports, geography, pop culture and more. The final question even tested employees on their agency history, asking what decade the department reorganized from the Highway Department to the WYDOT we know today. (The answer is the 1990s, if you were wondering)

Each team had to have at least one WYDOT employee to qualify, and teams came up with fun names like Bryan’s Asphalt; Five Finger Throat Punch; Trivia Barbie; Here for the Beer and The Quizard of Oz.

Team Me & Da Tree Utes – comprised of WYDOT Art Director Carlie Van Winkle Dakins, her daughter Amelia Van Winkle, WYDOT Deputy Public Affairs Officer Jordan Young and her husband Will Young – won first place with 57 points.

The team that earned the least amount of points, Win or Booze, also received trophies. Had it been a category, that group would’ve won best dressed with their custom-made shirts for the evening.

There were other games available, including raffle drawings and a challenge to guess the number of Mike and Ike candies in a pint glass. Winners took home gift certificates to Westby Edge, pint glasses, a board game and other prizes.

WTDEA hosts employee appreciation BBQ at HQ

By Jordan Young

Employees at WYDOT headquarters in Cheyenne enjoyed a perfect summer day during the annual Wyoming Transportation Department Employee Association’s Employee Appreciation Barbecue in August.

Food was served by members of executive staff, including grill masters Chief Engineer Mark Gillett, Chief Financial Officer Dennis Byrne, Chief Technology Officer Nathan Smolinski, Support Services Administrator Taylor Rossetti, Assistant Chief Engineer Keith Fulton, and Public Affairs Officer Doug McGee.

Assistant Chief Engineer for Operations Tom DeHoff and WTDEA State Board members Chelsey Lindsay, Pam Fredrick, Audrey Hobbs, and others also assisted in serving food and drinks to hungry WYDOT employees.

The lunch was popular, with a steady line and plenty of full tables in the shade of the trees near the WYDOT cafeteria. About 440 burgers were grilled, a statistic that a few WTDEA and executive staff members hailed as one of the more successful barbecues in recent memory.

Winners from left: Will Young, Jordan Young, Carlie Van Winkle Dakins and Amelia Van Winkle pose with their G.O.A.T. trophies after their team, Me and Da Tree Utes, won the WTDEA Trivia Night in August.

Photo: Doug McGee/WYDOT

Losers from left: Debbie McInerney, Sabrina Ernst, Bodie Ernst and Ashley Lawrence pose with their trophies after their team, Win or Booze, lost the WTDEA Trivia Night competition.

Photo: Jordan Young/WYDOT

Director Darin Westby visited with different tables as folks enjoyed lunch.

Photo: WYDOT

WTDEA State Board Vice President Chelsey Lindsay smiles as she hands out chips to attendees at the annual Employee Appreciation Barbecue.

Photo: WYDOT

Members of executive staff grill burgers during the annual HQ WTDEA employee appreciation barbecue. From left to right: Doug McGee, Mark Gillett, Dennis Byrne, Nathan Smolinski, Taylor Rossetti, and Keith Fulton.

Photo: WYDOT

District 2 WTDEA State Fair entries

Passings

Richard E. Mabie

Richard E. “Dick” Mabie, 91, of Cheyenne, died on Aug. 7, 2023, in Cheyenne.

He was born on June 1, 1932, in Cheyenne.

Mabie earned a degree in Electrical Engineering and a Masters degree in Physics from the University of Wyoming. He worked at Hughes Aircraft Company. He was a professor at the University of Wyoming and the University of Colorado. He taught at F.E. Warren Air Force Base and ended his working career at the Wyoming Highway Department in the Highway Safety section.

Services were Aug. 15, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Lincolnway Building with burial following at Cheyenne Memorial Gardens.

Lewis J. Wright

Lewis “Lew” James Wright, 77, of Riverton, Wyoming passed away at his home on Aug. 14, 2023. As where his wishes there will be no services.

Lewis James Wright was born on Dec. 21, 1945, in Morristown, New Jersey to Raymond Gerald and Anne (O’Brien) Wright. He grew

up in the Rockaway/Denville area and graduated from Morris Heights High School. He graduated Utah State University in Logan, Utah with a bachelor’s of art in history. After college he moved back to Rockaway. In 1975 he moved his family to Riverton, Wyoming to work for the Wyoming Highway Patrol after graduating from the Wyoming Highway Patrol Academy.

On January 27, 1968 in Elko, Nevada he married Nancy Lynn Porter, they celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary this last January. Together they had two sons, Brian and Bradley.

Wright was an executive for the Boy Scouts of America in New Jersey, owned his own house painting company, retired from the Wyoming Highway Patrol after 30 years of service, and was a US Marshal Court Security Office in Lander, Wyoming.

He was a member of the Mason’s, Rocky Mountain Car Club, and Wyoming Highway Patrol Association.

Wright loved old cars, he restored three Chevrolet Corvairs and was still working on more. He also restored a 1972 MGB and a 1954 Buick which he turned into a Wyoming Highway Patrol car and gave it to the Wyoming Highway Patrol Association to be used and displayed at events. He was an avid reader and a true friend of the Fremont County Library, the librarians had a hard time finding books he had not read!

Memorials may be made to The Cancernoid Foundation or the Riverton Public Library in care of Davis Funeral Home, 2203 West Main Street, Riverton, WY 82501.

Mabie Wright

WYDOT District 2 WTDEA entered two vehicles into the Wyoming State Fair parade held on Aug. 19. The floats promoted safe driving with messages like “Drunk drivers won’t rain on our parade; Say no to driving drunk,” “Buckle Up,” and “It’s ‘fairly’ obvious... Distracted drivers can ruin your parade!”

Photo: Jeff Goetz/WYDOT

Photo: Jeff Goetz/WYDOT

See if you can find the following 25 words hidden in the grid to the right:

S C A U G U S T P C R P H O L I D A Y S P

E T Q A N O E H R S H A R E F U A I R V E Y H G U R G

S A N U S O H V M O I Y T R E Z N N O A N I E T H I N

T C H O I T N A P A P P L E S O I G D D T N A C Y A W

Q H O L V P L C L O Z S R O T R C S O Y U B L E A N Y

U O I R A E H Y A L G X H K I K I T N D E R G A R T E

E M Z S N B M O B R O V I L V N O C O E S T S R I F N

N E J W Q M O B R V R W N H A D T H I B F I E L D S R

C T A S U K A R E S O I E B L T F I F H E T R U O F D

H E F I O R S Z D R E Y A E S H S I X T H R S E V E N

T R G E R T I N E A T S A G N T N I N H T H G I E H T

W S C H O O L E L V Y E D N E H T E B N E L E V E N Y

G U M W M T W E N T I E M I D S W S O C C E R O R M S

P A N T O N R H A Y R I D E L O N G B O W A R C H E R

F C O C H O N R A P I M R R O P O G L A S A I R A H Y

E A L E V A T I O N T E C O T O U N S R E G U R S G I

S N R I T V D N U S B O F E A G D E L W O K E T Q A T

R B A M H R S R A M H E I N P U M P K I N S A H U P E

A C E O E H S T E A E N A S A W T H C N S U B N A Y D

E T U D P R M T E A L S K N I R D U O E N I H C S U P

G P I A H C P A M Y R A U R B E F Z M V B N L K H J G

S C W O N E S E N U J E S A C S R A E N W O H S L I R

I L Y M S C I R C O B M U D E D G Y R U A J S M R O T

N I K A D T S E B Y L B O R P S E M L A E R A S I E F