Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
The Worland City County received updates on two projects along Washakie Avenue during its meeting last Tuesday, April 2.
The council approved having the mayor sign the agreement with Ardurra Engineers for the design phase of the Washakie Avenue reconstruction from Eighth to 15th.
Per the agreement the scope of work as north of Sage Creek ditch, which serves as a wasteway for the Lower Hanover Canal. “This section of Washakie Avenue will require removing trees and brushes from the ditch, reshaping the cross section and possibly shifting some minor sections of the ditch in order to accommodate the new street section, so a tree inventory will be conducted … The sidewalk on the north side of Washakie Avenue will be removed and replaced with a minimum five-foot wide sidewalk.”
The project will also include new pedestrian ramps for ADA compliant crossings.
No culverts, drainage structures or bridges will be replaced.
Ardurra will be tasked only with design.
Funding from the project is coming from a 50-50 partnership between the City of Worland and Washakie County.
While a bridge is not part of the above design, the Wyoming Department of Transportation will be replacing a bridge on Washakie Avenue as part of another project. The bridge is just east of Eighth Street on Washakie Avenue.
Engineering representative Mike Donnell said he and Public Works Superintendent Nick Kruger attended a virtual reconnaissance meeting with WYDOT regarding the Washakie Avenue bridge.
The bridge replacement is part of a statewide project funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The federal funding will pay for the entire cost of the bridge, which has a rating from WYDOT of 63.
According to a letter from WYDOT to the City of Worland, the BIL dedicated $45 million per year for five years to the State of Wyoming to “replace or rehabilitate bridges in poor condition. A minimum of 15 percent of the funds are to be used on local government-owned bridges and is federally funded at 100 percent” with no match required by the city.
According to the letter, within the State of Wyoming there are 86 bridges in poor condition that are not already scheduled for repair or improvement owned by 29 local agencies. The WYDOT plan is to replace 44 of the 86 bridges with the BIL funding.
Donnell said WYDOT is now starting the process to replace the bridge with an estimated cost of $1.6 million.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at Tuesday’s meeting, the council:
•Discussed chain of command. (See related story.)
•Heard a report from golf pro Donnie Bjorhus. He reported the course opened for the season on March 18 and the greens are in the best condition since he and his wife Valerie took over operation of the course.
He said 11 teams were slated to compete last Friday for a high school meet.
The Green Hills Foundation is beginning steps to build a new restroom station on the front 9, near the location where a restroom facility was years ago. Portable restrooms are currently in use.
The new restroom would be similar to the one built on the back nine four years ago.
•Heard from Crosspoint Baptist Church Pastor Fred Smith that they would be having church in June, July and August at three different parks in the city. The parks have been reserved.
•Kruger reported that the beavers have plugging three-quarters of the culvert at Washakie and Airport Road and they would be clearing the beaver dam last Wednesday in preparation for the rain storm forecast for the weekend.
•Donnell reported that bids are being advertised for the 11th street water main upgrade; preconstruction meeting for three repairs on the artesian line was on April 8; and bids are being advertised for the streets project on 10th Street from Big Horn to Obie Sue and Robertson from Eighth to 10th.
•Heard from Airport Manager Lynn Murdoch that the self-serve station at the airport is being well used. City Attorney Kent Richins said he finalized the fixed-base operation agreement with Josh Heyller earlier. The city receives 5 cents for every gallon of fuel sold at the airport.
•Clerk/Treasurer Tracy Glanz said she is going to replace the back porch and the handicap ramp at city hall using American Rescue Plan Act funds.