Wyoming 257 - Casper West Belt Loop and other Wyoming News

[andy3175]

In 2012, construction is underway to build Wyoming 257, an initial two-lane highway that will connect the western end of Bypass U.S. 20-26 near Casper International Airport with Wyoming 220. This will create a bypass that avoids most of urban Casper and will provide a portion of the eventual four-lane link between Wyoming 220 and Interstate 25. Here's the article that discusses a judge's recent decision to allow construction to move forward on Wyoming 257:

http://trib.com/news/local/casper/judge-s-decision-allows-casper-west-belt-loop-construction-to/article_60b33a0f-c15d-5fdc-87ac-412a753262b1.html

The Wyoming 257 designation is noted in the 2012 Wyoming Reference Log Book...

http://www.dot.state.wy.us/files/content/sites/wydot/files/shared/Maintenance/Maintenance%20Section%20Reference%20Book.pdf

This document from WyoDOT also indicates a realignment and extension of Wyoming 370 in Rock Springs between Interstate 80 and Wyoming 430 and the under-construction realignment and extension of Wyoming 213 between Interstate 80 and U.S. 85 near Burns. The current sections of Wyoming 370 into the airport proper as well as Wyoming 213 into the center of Burns are scheduled for decommissioning, along with the planned elimination of Wyoming 14 (and turning the entrance to the Laramie/Brees Field Airport over to the city of Laramie).

Updates will be forthcoming on the AARoads Wyoming Highways page.

Regards,
Andy

[corco]

That would be awesome- driving through Casper on 220 is a pain- right now the preferred route for locals is to take 20/26 to  Robertson Rd to 220.

The 213 extension has been more or less done for a while now
http://www.davidjcorcoran.com/highways/wy/wyroutes/?p=198
http://www.davidjcorcoran.com/highways/wy/wyroutes/?p=886

[andy3175]

Hi Corco,

Regarding Wyoming 213, you are correct, the section north of Burns is already complete. I believe the current construction is to realign the state highway out of Burns and to construct a new alignment that will travel east of town and due north from Interstate 80 without using the frontage road as it does now. Once the new road and Union Pacific RR crossing are built, the current Wyoming 213 will be decommissioned. You'll see a map depicting this realignment in the 2012 Wyoming Reference Marker book I linked.

Andy

[Milepost61]

Was it extended just to provide another connection from Torrington to I-80 or is there something else going on?

[corco]

I think that's probably the bulk of the intent- there's been a bunch of mileage swapping with Laramie County (dumping WYO 217, 218, 221, possibly dropping 216 east of the 215 junction), and that highway is a much better route for Torrington/Lusk traffic getting to I-80 than having to go through Scottsbluff or Cheyenne.

If the Niobrara Shale ends up being harvested (it almost certainly will eventually), that's probably going to happen right in that area, so that could also have something to do with it.

[andy3175]

A completion date for Wyoming 257 (Casper West Belt Route) has been tentatively identified in an Oct 2014 article:

http://county10.com/2014/10/22/bid-awarded-expand-south-wyoming-789-riverton-five-lanes-accommodate-casino-traffic/

The new Casper West Belt Loop Road connecting WYO 220 to US 20-26 west of Casper will be paved under a $16.6 million contract awarded to low bidder Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction of Draper, Utah. Grading and construction of a bridge over the North Platte River for the 7.6-mile road were completed last year. The new road will extend from the area where WYO 220 transitions from two lanes to four southwest of Casper to US 20-26 at its intersection with the Shoshoni Bypass from Interstate 25. The contract completion date is Oct. 31, 2016.

[SD Mapman]

Resurrecting this thread because this highway is now open... 10 months ahead of schedule!
http://trib.com/news/local/casper/much-anticipated-west-belt-loop-bypass-opens-thursday-in-casper/article_d74ba80c-5b19-5b37-8121-bbdfea58e13b.html

[andy3175]

Resurrecting this thread because this highway is now open... 10 months ahead of schedule!
http://trib.com/news/local/casper/much-anticipated-west-belt-loop-bypass-opens-thursday-in-casper/article_d74ba80c-5b19-5b37-8121-bbdfea58e13b.html

Thanks! The opening date was 12-31-2015. I checked Google Maps, and it does not show as being open (nor do the aerials show much of the construction except at the southwestern end). I will be interested to see how the traffic flow changes from WYO 220 to WYO 257 to US 20-26 Bypass on the connection to I-25.

[andy3175]

Found a video of the entire route in real time ... http://mycountry955.com/driving-tour-of-the-newly-opened-west-belt-loop-road-video/

[froggie]

I checked Google Maps, and it does not show as being open (nor do the aerials show much of the construction except at the southwestern end).

If you have Google Earth, turn off "3D Buildings" and you'll see the entire route.  If one has figured out a way to turn off 3D Buildings from within Google Maps, that'll work too.

[sipes23]

It's a nice ride and will probably be my preferred route to Laramie.

That said, I hope they protect the right of way to become more and more limited access as traffic grows. Outer Drive (WYO 258) is how not to develop a bypass.

[SD Mapman]

It's a nice ride and will probably be my preferred route to Laramie.

That said, I hope they protect the right of way to become more and more limited access as traffic grows. Outer Drive (WYO 258) is how not to develop a bypass.

Well, they have enough ROW to expand it to a divided highway when necessary, and it seems like the highway was specifically made to be limited access always and forever.