Dedication of new North Main Interchange

A ribbon cutting was held to dedicate the new North Main Interchange in North Sheridan on Oct. 14.

According to WYDOT Resident Engineer for the Sheridan Construction Office Michael Brinkerhoff, the old North Main Interchange was not only in an unsafe condition but the configuration was poor in that the westbound  exit ramp was on a downhill grade and looped around back to North Main. 

“I believe there was a history of trucking accidents at the location” Brinkerhoff said in an email.  “The eastbound onramp was uphill with a very short acceleration lane. This made it hard to get up to speed and merge onto I-90 safely.”

Brinkerhoff and others involved in the project, felt that the new North Main Interchange would also bring a breath of fresh air to the North Main area as a beautification project.

Sheridan Mayor Roger Miller said the North Main Interchange and the Main Street reconstruction is the beginning of a new age for North Sheridan. 

The original total project cost was $46,408,403. According to Brinkerhoff at the time it was let, it was the largest single contract cost for a WYDOT project.

The project was three individual contracts that overlapped and sequenced together; two I-90 Railroad bridges and pavement reconstruction, the Interchange relocation, and the reconstruction and enhancement of North Main.

WYDOT paid for $37,885,637 of the project and the City of Sheridan spent $8,522,766. The Federal Highway Administration paid for 90% of the project with federal funds. 

Work began in June 2016, the final punch list work just completed September 2020.

The project had a joint venture for the Prime Contractor – Reiman and High Country – along with 35 subcontractors worked to complete the project.

Brinkerhoff shared some analogies from 2017, figured by Morrison-Maierle, a consultant used by the City of Sheridan. 

The project used 16,714 cubic yards of concrete, this equates to a football field filled with concrete 8′ tall. The Project utilized 1,370,000 pounds of structural steel, equating to the construction of 2,734 field goal posts.