A $6.97 million highway improvement and fence replacement project has started on U.S. Highway 20/Wyo. Highway 789 north of Thermopolis.

The Thermopolis North project is between mileposts 133.4 (the old National Guard Armory) and 139.5 (Black Mountain Road).

“At this time, the contractor is cleaning under the bridge by the Fountain of Youth Campground (milepost 135.04),” said Wyoming Department of Transportation resident engineer Kaia Tharp of Thermopolis.

The bridge cleanup is helping the contractor prepare for a May start of nearly two months of rehabilitation of the bridge by the campground. Traffic control during the bridge repairs will include one-way traffic movements across the bridge through use of a portable traffic signal.

Other project work is tentatively scheduled to begin in May.

“The contractor is scheduled to begin replacing cattle guards throughout the project in May,” Tharp said. “Guardrail replacement over Hospital Hill and dirt work are scheduled to occur prior to paving.”  

Prime contractor is Mountain Construction Co., of Lovell. Contract completion date is June 30, 2025. The Wyoming Transportation Commission awarded the project to Mountain Construction Co., this past November.

Project work on the pavement preservation project includes pavement leveling, a pavement overlay, chip sealing, widening of maintenance pullouts through the project, fence removal and replacement, placement of rock rip rap, guardrail removal and replacement, placement of asphalt curbing, and bridge deck rehabilitation and a bridge overlay near the campground.