WYDOT receives $16.6 million federal grant for final segment of Beartooth Highway

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) recently awarded the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) a $16.6 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant to reconstruct the final 1.6 mile segment of the Beartooth Highway (US 212) in northern Wyoming.

The grant will bring the entire stretch of US 212 up to modern standards and will complete the reconstruction of the full 67-mile length of the highway.

The USDOT selected the Beartooth project based on several criteria including safety, state of good repair, economic competitiveness, quality of life and environmental sustainability.  It also selected the Beartooth project based on the innovation of the project and partnerships involved.

"We're pleased that the federal government awarded this grant for this important stretch of road," said WYDOT Director Bill Panos. "This work and these funds are vital to ensure the integrity of the road in years to come."

WYDOT is part of the Beartooth Steering Committee, which also includes the Montana Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Yellowstone National Park, U.S. Forest Service, Wyoming and Montana Congressional staff, and other federal, state, and local officials, tourism and community development organizations, and several nongovernmental organizations. This group has been working together to address the needs of the Beartooth Highway for nearly 25 years.

"The planning, design, construction and funding for these series of projects required extensive partnership and coordination," said Gregg Fredrick, WYDOT chief engineer. "This project wouldn't have been possible without the collaboration of everyone involved. The road is not included in the state highway system, which means a partnership like this is vital to getting this road reconstructed."

Officials decided to break the reconstruction of the highway into seven segments and used a variety of funds to cover the costs. This is the second time WYDOT received a TIGER grant for the Beartooth Highway. 

This final phase of reconstruction extends from milepost 24.5, just west of the Clay Butte Lookout turnoff, to milepost 26.1. The work will include widening the road, improving road surface and drainage, replacing substandard bridges, constructing retaining walls to minimize environmental impacts, adding guardrails and signage, improving shoulders for bicyclists and adding roadside pullouts.

Crews are currently working on a section of road between milepost 28.4 to 31.5, also part of segment four, which officials anticipate will be completed by fall 2018. That project is $13.8 million and addresses similar issues. 

For additional information about this news release, contact Aimee Inama, senior Public Affairs specialist, at (307) 777-4013.