Painter Stone – Staff Writer
Road work in Laramie has caused delays and closed main streets, but a Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) official said it is nearly complete.
WYDOT District Construction Engineer Tim Morton said, “We’re pretty much complete with the job, so right now we’re just doing utility adjustments so manholes [and] water valves that are embedded in the plant mix are getting adjusted so that they are flush with the surface.”
Grand Avenue has been under construction since May 28, the start date of the current construction project by WYDOT (Wyoming Department of Transportation). Grand Avenue is considered by the United States to be a highway through Laramie, so all road repairs and construction are taken care of by the state through WYDOT. WYDOT has posted a newsletter on road construction known as “Wyoming Road Work Guide” on their website, detailing some of the project. The construction involves: stoplight replacement, curb and gutter repairs, as well as paving. This follows Grand avenue from 15th street to 3rd street and was scheduled for an August completion.
Campus construction will continue near E Willett Drive,19th Street, Harney Street, and Armory Drive. The repairs consist of: Concrete and Sidewalk replacement, Asphalt Milling, and Re-Surfacing. They expect to keep access to the area closed for three to four weeks. There will also be grading at parking lots around campus, UW operations asks to use caution around any gravel piles or construction equipment on campus. The university recommends finding alternative routes to people who use the roads to get around campus, please consider the following routes.
- Armory Road: If you use Armory Road to get to either the Indoor Tennis Complex or the Laramie soccer fields, if you’re walking, consider cutting across the field from N Television Road. If you use Armory Road to get to the Wyoming National Guard building, consider using 30th street and approach from the East side of the building. There will also be detour signs posted in the area that will lead through traffic to the other side.
- 19th Street: 19th street will only be under construction from E Willett to E Harney, so travel on this street to university buildings is minimal. If you use 19th street to access Greenhill Cemetery, then consider entering from the south entrance on WIllett drive or the west exit on N 15th street.
- Willett Drive: The closed off section of the street runs parallel to Sorority Row and Fraternity Row, so for on foot traffic this section of the street under construction can be mostly bypassed.
- Harney Street: Traveling on Harney should remain mostly normal until 19th street, If you are in need of an alternate way to get to the Wyoming Business Technology Center during the construction, enter through 22nd street. (NOTE: Access to 19th street will be through 22nd street as well, off of the dirt road north of the Visual Arts Center.
