Togwotee project competing for national awards

September 9, 2014

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WYDOT’s reconstruction of US 26-287 between Dubois and Moran Junction is one of 10 projects selected to compete for two awards given for the nation’s best transportation projects. One of the awards is being decided by online voting, and the Wyoming project currently sits in eighth place in the voting that will continue until Oct. 24.

The 10 finalists received the highest overall scores during four regional competitions. The Togwotee project was honored for the best use of innovation in a medium-sized project at the America’s Transportation Awards western regional competition in July.

It is now competing for the Grand Prize to be selected by a panel of experts, and the People's Choice Award being decided by online voting. The awards are sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, AAA, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

“While all 73 projects nominated deserve recognition for their contributions to improving transportation in America, these 10 remaining projects are the best of the best," said Bud Wright, AASHTO executive director. "This competition recognizes excellence in project delivery.”

The Togwotee project finished seventh in the voting.

The 38-mile Togwotee reconstruction began in May 2006 and was completed in July 2013 at a total cost of $146.2 million. The project required stabilization of 17 landslides in order to rebuild the highway with new shoulders and eight new passing lanes. Substandard horizontal and vertical curves were improved, deteriorating bridges were replaced, pullouts and recreational parking were enhanced, and under-crossings built for wildlife and snowmobiles.

Earlier this year, Oftedal Construction of Casper won the Associated General Contractors of America’s Alliant Build America Award for best renovation of a highway for its work as contractor on four of the five phases of the Togwotee project.

The project also has been honored by the U.S. Forest Service with an award for outstanding partnership to preserve, conserve and enhance the highway corridor’s natural, scenic, visual and wildlife resource values.