WILSON, Wyo. — Construction is underway to replace the dated Wilson Bridge over the Snake River and reconstruct the intersection of WY22 and WY390, but some community members have questioned why the work isn’t being done at night.
The bridge was constructed in 1960 and was deemed structurally deficient in 2014. WYDOT estimates that the new bridge will have a life span of about 75 years. The project includes the construction of a four-lane bridge, a new “Florida T” intersection—which will allow traffic on WY22 headed towards Jackson to bypass the traffic signal—four new wildlife crossings and two pedestrian underpasses. Ames Construction Inc. is the contractor for the project.
Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) District 3 Public Relations Specialist Stephanie Harsha spoke with Buckrail about the reasons why WYDOT opted to not run the construction at night.
Safety
Harsha said that safety is one of the top concerns. “It is more dangerous for crews working at night even in well-lit areas,” Harsha said.
Cost
Cost also plays a role in the decision,especially on a project of this magnitude. According to reporting by Jackson Hole News & Guide, the bridge replacement and intersection reconstruction will cost close to $60 million.
“Contractors typically charge more to work at night because of the added time and expense,” Harsha said.
Noise
Noise levels are limited to 65 decibels at night at the project site. According to the CDC, 60 decibels is the level of a normal conversation. While it is unknown the exact noise level coming from the WY22/WY390 project, an average construction site is between 80-90 decibels.
“Since residences are nearby, noise levels are limited to 65 decibels as measured at any home,” Harsh said. “We have to do our best to respect our adjacent neighbors and not disrupt neighbors with construction noise.”
Traffic Impacts
Harsha explained that although some folks might find themselves in traffic in the vicinity of the project, currently there are minimal impacts on moving traffic due to the work.
“That’s not to say there are not, or will not be delays,” Harsha said. “A large contributing factor to the delays is the oversaturation of traffic in the area, poor level of service and lack of redundant routes.”
“Basically, traffic causes delays in the area even if there isn’t a construction project going on,” Harsha said.
Harsha explained that for this project the contractor was able to build a separated workspace from traffic, to reduce impacts.
“We have a workspace for the contractor to work in, away from traffic,” WYDOT Resident Engineer Bob Hammond said during a May 16 Board of County Commissioners meeting. “We’ve had some minor delays with flaggers out there just stopping for a minute or so to let truck traffic in and out, to get these spaces built.”
“Those minor delays will disappear once we get into the meat of the traffic season so we will have two lanes open that are uninterrupted, pretty much all the time,” Hammond said.
Last week pothole patching operations, unrelated to the project, caused delays near the work site.
On Wednesday, May 24, WYDOT will host a public open house about what to expect during the construction of the bridge and the WY22/WY390 intersection this summer and next. The open house will be held at the Teton County Library from 2:45-4:15 p.m. WYDOT officials will be on hand to answer questions.
More details about the project timeline and scope are available here.
