Transportation commission awards $25.6 million in highway contracts

November 21, 2012

Contracts totaling $25.6 million for 12 highway projects around the state, including construction of Wyoming’s first diverging diamond interchange, were awarded by the Wyoming Transportation Commission during its November meeting in Cheyenne.

Gillette’s S&S Builders submitted the low bid of $3.1 million to build the diverging diamond at the College Drive Interchange on Interstate 25 in south Cheyenne. The diverging diamond configuration eliminates the need to make left turns across oncoming traffic and will improve traffic flow and safety at the interchange, which experiences heavy traffic accessing and exiting three truck stops and a McDonald’s restaurant. The contract completion date is Oct. 31.

Malcolm Drilling Co. of San Francisco was the low bidder at $6.9 million for a project to stabilize a landslide along Wyoming Highway 220 about five miles southwest of Casper and repair a 500-foot section of the road. The work will include driving about 200 reinforced steel piles into the ground between the highway and the North Platte River before repairing the highway. The work is expected to be done by Nov. 30, 2013.

Nearly four miles of US 89 between Afton and the WYO 236 junction will be widened from two lanes to five lanes under a $3.9 million contract awarded to HK Contractors of Idaho Falls. The work also will include a bike path along the route and it is scheduled for completion by Oct. 31.

Riverside Contracting of Missoula, Mont., submitted the low bid of $3.3 million for chip sealing to preserve the pavement on 111 miles of highways in Big Horn, Fremont, Hot Springs and Park counties.

Lovell’s Mountain Construction Co. was the low bidder at $2.6 million for patching to extend the life of the pavement on highways in Big Horn, Fremont, Park and Washakie counties.

Six miles of US 26 east of Guernsey will get safety improvements under a $1.2 million contract won by Oftedal Construction of Miles City, Mont. The work will include grading to flatten slopes and create a safety shoulder beside the highway and removal of guardrail sections.

Simon Contractors of Cheyenne submitted the low bid of $1.1 million to mill off deteriorating pavement and replace it with new pavement on Central and Warren avenues between Pershing Boulevard and Eighth Avenue in Cheyenne. The work also will bring sidewalks along the streets into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The contract requires all lanes and sidewalks to be open during Cheyenne Frontier Days and the contract completion date is Oct. 31.

Intermountain Slurry Seal of Watsonville, Calif., won a $1.1 million contract for chip sealing on US 30-287 in Albany County.

Also awarded by the commission were contracts for:  

·      $814,000 to Hinkley James Inc. of Cowley for erosion repair work at four locations along US 14-16-20 between Cody and Yellowstone National Park;

·      $698,000 to Multiple Concrete Enterprises of Ogden, Utah, for replacing aging and deteriorating concrete slabs on seven miles of I-90 immediately east of Sundance;

·      $488,000 to King Enterprises of Mills for installation of new right-of-way fence along US 14 in the Big Horn National Forest between Shell and Burgess Junction; and  

·      $403,000 to Casper Electric for installation of electronic message signs for traffic going in both directions on US 20-26 immediately west of Casper, and a road weather information system near the town of Natrona.