Cattlmen’s Bridge project underway

The Wyoming Department of Transportation has begun work on the Cattlemen’s Bridge project, which was damaged by flood waters last spring. The bridge is located on Spring Gulch Road north of Jackson.

Reiman Corp. was awarded a $3.8 million contract to do the work in October. It is part of WYDOT’s Bridge Replacement Off System program. Under it, the state partners with local counties to replace deficient bridges off the state highway system.

WYDOT Resident Engineer Bob Hammond said Reiman has set an aggressive schedule and hopes to have the new bridge open ahead of schedule, by October 2018.

The work includes installing a single lane temporary bridge to move traffic while crews remove the old bridge and begin construction of a new one.

The new bridge will feature only two piers in the water, an improvement from the old bridge’s 9 piers. It will also include a separated pathway. “Having only two piers instead of 9 will reduce the debris that builds up underneath the bridge,” said Hammond.

The bridge is closed to all traffic except emergency vehicles. The temporary structure will be one-way and signal controlled, with alternating traffic. Weather permitting, the temporary bridge should be complete by the end of December 2017.