Commissioners approve $220,000 to complete Bighorn transportation study

Sheridan County commissioners voted to appropriate $220,000 to complete a transportation-alternatives study focused on the Bighorn intersection and related pedestrian and ADA improvements.

Commissioner S8 moved the appropriation after county staff said the study would let the county apply for grants to make a bridge and crossing safer. Finance staff (Cameron, S12) told the board the $70,000 placeholder for a GPA update could be combined with the study estimate, pushing the total closer to $220,000. "I believe that we appropriate $220,000 towards the study of the bridge and walking way at Bird Farm Road at the intersection of the highway," S8 said during the motion.

Why it matters: county staff and commissioners said the study is a prerequisite for competitive grants through the state DOT and would include vehicle, pedestrian, bicycle and ADA elements. Public Works estimated the planning study itself could cost between $120,000 and $150,000; putting the study into the commissioners' contract-labor line was proposed as the most administratively straightforward option. The board voted by voice and the motion carried; commissioners asked staff to refine the budget language and show how the funding fits with existing carryover and grant opportunities.

What comes next: staff will finalize the PR/budget pages and show where the study and GPA placeholder appear in the fiscal ledger. The appropriation does not commit construction funds; it pays for the planning work needed to apply for future grants.