Three more fuel tax projects among 11 contracts awarded by commission

Contracts totaling $51.5 million for 11 highway projects around the state, including three pavement preservation projects made possible by increased state fuel tax revenue, were awarded by the Wyoming Transportation Commission during its November meeting conducted Nov. 21 in Cheyenne.

McGarvin-Moberly Construction Company of Worland was the successful bidder for all three of projects funded by the fuel tax increase. The projects include sections of WYO 28 south of Lander, US 16-20 north of Worland and WYO 30 near Basin.

Since the fuel tax increase went into effect in July, a total of six pavement preservation projects, covering more than 56 miles of highway at a cost of about $17 million, have been awarded by the Commission. Thirteen more projects accounting for another 65 miles of similar work are slated to go to contract between now and next summer.

"The additional revenue is enabling us to better address the goal of extending the life of rural highways that connect communities not on the interstate," WYDOT Chief Engineer Del McOmie said. "Every penny of WYDOT's portion of the fuel tax increase is being spent to pay the contractors who are performing this vitally important work."

For the WYO 28 project, McGarvin-Moberly bid $3.4 million for work involving 15.3 miles of the route between approximately milepost 34 and 49, beginning near South Pass and extending northward. The work consists primarily of first leveling the road surface with a thin overlay of asphalt pavement and then applying a chip seal atop the asphalt. The contract completion date is June 30, 2015.

Similar work will be performed by McGarvin-Moberly, under terms of a $2.8 million contract, on the eight-mile-long US 16-20 project, located just south of Manderson between mileposts 176 and 184. Crews will first place a pavement overlay, followed by a chip seal. Completion is set for Oct. 31, 2014.

The third McGarvin-Moberly project, on WYO 30, is valued at $1.5 million. The work will be focused on milling existing pavement and then placing pavement overlay for 5.7 miles (mileposts 101-107) between Basin and Otto. The project also carries a completion date of Oct. 31, 2014.

Other contracts awarded by the Transportation Commission included one for a project to improve 11.2 miles (mileposts 28-39) of Interstate 80 between Evanston and Lyman. LeGrand Johnson Construction Co. of Logan, Utah submitted the low bid of $12.5 million to undertake the work, which includes milling the existing pavement and then resurfacing, first with a layer of standard new asphalt, then with another layer of pavement known as "wearing course." The project includes bridge rehabilitation work and guardrail updates. The project is scheduled for completion by Oct. 31, 2015.

Riverside Contracting, Inc., of Missoula, Mont., was successful in its bid of $11.9 million to resurface a deteriorated section of US 14-16 in northwest Campbell County. The project area begins at the Campbell-Sheridan county line (milepost 60) and extends 9.2 miles toward Gillette. The US 14-16 project also carries an Oct. 31, 2015 completion date.

Simon Contractors of Cheyenne was low bidder, at $6.1 million, for a project to mill and resurface 5.1 miles (mileposts 216-221) of I-80 between Rawlins and Sinclair. The project also includes placing wearing course and repairing bridge decks. Completion is set for Oct. 31, 2014.

Simon Contractors was also the successful bidder, at $5.5 million, to perform similar work on another section of I-80. The project encompasses 10.4 miles of the route (westbound lanes only) immediately west of  Laramie between mileposts 299 and 310. Again, completion is set for Oct. 31, 2014.

Reiman Corp. of Cheyenne submitted the low bid of 5.1 million for a city street renovation project in Riverton. The work involves four blocks (0.35 mile) of Federal Boulevard between Washington and Monroe avenues, as well as the Federal/Monroe intersection and adjacent portions of Monroe (0.1 mile). Project details include reconstructing sections of concrete and asphalt pavement, replacing sidewalk and sewer lines and installing lighting. The contract award is conditional, pending concurrence by the City of Riverton; if that is the case, Reiman will have until next Sept. 30 to complete the work.

Other companies receiving contract awards were:

·         Highway Improvement, Inc., of Harrisburg, S.D., $1.5 million for crack sealing work on various sections of highway located in eastern and central Wyoming and altogether totaling 56 miles, by May 31;

·         Intermountain Slurry Seal, Inc.,  of Watsonville, Calif., $920,000 for placing a thin layer of pavement overlay known as "microsurfacing" on 13.5 miles (mileposts 32-47) of WYO 450 west of Newcastle by Sept. 30; and

·         Young Brothers Fence Services of Buffalo, $246,000 for replacing right-of-way fence for 6.7 miles along I-90 near Buffalo by Aug. 31.