Sheridan North Main Street Gateway sign welcoming travelers still a work in progress

The Sheridan Gateway Sign project originated with a design by Whitten & Borgese, PC in June, 2019. The design was approved by the City of Sheridan and the Wyoming Department of Transportation. 

Sealed bids were received by the city through April 17, 2020 for the project. The project included setting a pre-constructed archway over North Main Street in the new North Sheridan Interchange area according to Sheridan City Administrator Stu McRae. 

In May, 2020, Sheridan City Council awarded the setting of the archway to Fletcher Construction for a total of $99,100. 

To help fund the sign, The Rotary Club of Sheridan collected donations internally and from other sources. The Rotary raised approximately $80,000 to fund the design and a portion of the cost to erect the archway. The remaining costs were paid by Public Benefit Funds supplied by The City of Sheridan. EMIT Technologies donated the structure and the fabrication of the signs, according to Sheridan Public Works Director Lane Thompson. 

“EMIT really stepped in and helped the project get completed,” Thompson said in an email. 

On Sept. 29, 2020, Main Street was closed to place the archway in its permanent home, welcoming travelers to North Sheridan.

But the sign drew some criticism from some Sheridan residents when a photo was posted on social media, catching the attention of Sheridan Media’s Jackson Electric Open Lines co-host Steve Sisson. Residents commented that the sign was difficult to read.

Sisson took the opportunity to ask county and city administrators about the sign when they appeared on the Jackson Electric Open Lines.

Sheridan City Administrator Stu McRae gave a concise answer. 

According to McRae, the sign is expected to be complete by January, 2021, once the decorative rock has been installed around the base and a background for the sign has been fabricated. The extended timeline is due to the time needed to fabricate the sign’s background.