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Natrona County transportation plan details six‑year priorities including 32 bridge rehabs
Summary
A state transportation official outlined the STIP process and county priorities, saying the district will rehab about 32 bridges over the six‑year plan and is seeking public comment on projects including sections of the Casper Marginal, Poppler/Popular Street storm sewer work and Wyoming Boulevard preservation and capacity work.
A state transportation representative told the Natrona County Board of Commissioners on March 4 that the district’s six‑year Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) is a working plan that will be updated quarterly and used as a placeholder for project funding and scheduling. The presentation explained how staff evaluate pavements, bridges and safety systems, solicit public input and prioritize projects across the county.
The presenter said the district is proposing a districtwide bridge rehabilitation program that will cover about 32 bridges across the six‑year STIP cycle, with four bridges scheduled for 2026 and nine for 2028. “We’re getting caught up a little bit on our bridge rehabs,” the agency official said, adding that projects range from deck overlays to full deck replacements.
Commissioners and staff reviewed specific local proposals the presentation highlighted: finishing the Casper Marginal middle section, additional work on the McKinley Street interchange, a Poppler/Popular Street project driven by recent storm‑sewer work and sinkhole repairs, and pavement preservation segments on Wyoming Boulevard including eventual capacity work north of Mountain Road toward 15th Street. The presenter said some larger items, such as widening Wyoming Boulevard into a five‑lane section, do not yet fit in the six‑year budget and could appear later if additional vehicle‑sales tax revenue is sustained.
On Poppler Street, the presenter said bids previously came in well over the budget—one design produced an expensive option—so staff reworked the design to reduce scope and rebid. Commissioners pressed staff on the status and safety of the existing Poppler Street bridge; the presenter said the bridge is safe but currently lacks pedestrian facilities and intermediate left‑turn storage, which creates intersection inefficiencies.
On bridges, Commissioners discussed the option of replacing certain low‑rated bridges with box culverts ("box covers") rather than conventional bridges to reduce long‑term maintenance and inspection needs. The presenter said box culverts can be a lower‑maintenance solution when site conditions allow.
The district urged residents to review the online STIP map, click county project balloons, and provide comments through the public portal or by contacting staff. The county’s STIP materials include project cost estimates, scope summaries and approximate locations for residents to review.
The presentation closed with staff offering to follow up with bridge engineers and to explore additional funding or design‑build options for particularly costly items.
The commission did not take formal action on the STIP at the meeting; staff asked the public to submit comments through the draft STIP portal by the deadlines indicated on the county’s website.
