WYDOT Discusses Construction Projects for Laramie County

Wyoming Department of Transportation officials on Monday briefed local lawmakers on the proposed State transportation improvement program or (STIP) projects for District 1 for the next six years. District one primarily includes Laramie, Albany and Carbon counties. The six-year STIP plan is updated yearly based on revenue projections to decide what projects the department can afford.

WYDOT District 1 Engineer Pat Persson says statewide construction funding for fiscal year 2012 is $360,500,000. But he says unless something changes, funding is expected to decrease going forward, which is why WYDOT is shifting its focus from a transportation improvement program to a pavement preservation program. Persson says pavement preservation work seeks to maintain the condition of the state's most valuable roads, but roads that are not in too good shape will continue to deteriorate.

In current fiscal year,  WYDOT  is spending $26.1 million on for projects in Laramie county. In FY 2013, WYDOT is planning $18.3 million dollars in projects, $2 million in FY2014, $22.6 million in FY2015, nothing in FY2016 and $21.8 million in FY2017.