A presentation outlining the Federal Highway Administration's plan to reconstruct a portion of the Beartooth Highway that lies entirely within the state of Wyoming was given to county commissioners Oct. 5 by Mark Taylor, project manager, and other FHWA officials. The project also was the subject of open houses in Red Lodge and Cody, Wyo., earlier in the week. The 69-mile scenic highway links Red Lodge to Cooke City and Yellowstone National Park, and was built with federal money in the 1930s.
Work is to commence next year, with completion estimated in five or six years.
Taylor told commissioners about 90 percent of the roadway will retain existing alignment, with realignment proposed at Beartooth Ravine, Top of the World Store, Frozen Lake, Bar Drift and Albright Curv e. Deficiencies to be addressed in the Wyoming project include insufficient road width, inadequate subsurface drainage, substandard signing and guardrail, inadequate roadside ditches and culverts, poorly defined roadside turnouts, insufficient snow storage areas, narrow bridges in need of repair and unsafe conditions for bicycle use. Daytime closures will come only when rock blasting is done, he said. Taylor also said a temporary work camp with likely will be established on site to house an estimated 80 workers, unless that option is vetoed. A detailed copy of the reconstruction proposal may be viewed at the Red Lodge Carnegie Library.