Chief Joseph highway improvements begin in May

A $9.8 million highway improvement project beginning in May will improve highway pavements on Wyoming 296 (Chief Joseph Scenic Highway), and includes rehabilitation of the Crandall Creek and Dead Indian Creek bridges, and removal and replacement of a 60-inch pipe near Crandall Creek.

The project begins at milepost 0.0 (the intersection of U.S. 212 and Wyoming 296) and extends 8.5 miles southeast toward Cody (0.86 miles southeast of Crandall Creek).

Prime contractor on the Chief Joseph project is Mountain Construction Co., of Lovell. 

Traffic delays of up to 20 minutes are expected during the road and bridge improvements, with a 12-foot width restriction in place.

Traffic control is scheduled to be set next week. "Work will start on the construction of a highway detour and the 60-inch pipe removal and replacement at milepost 8.11 southeast of Crandall Creek," said Wyoming Department of Transportation resident engineer Todd Frost of Cody.

Motorists should expect a paved driving surface during all work, except for the gravel detour while the 60-inch pipe is being removed and replaced. "Motorists should expect a one-lane detour gravel road controlled by temporary traffic signals during the pipe removal and replacement at milepost 8.11.

Rehabilitation of the Crandall Creek bridge is scheduled to begin in June.

Asphalt pavement milling and roadway shoulder flattening is tentatively scheduled to begin in July. "Paving is tentatively scheduled to start in early August," Frost said. "Chip sealing will occur in 2026."

Wyoming 296 pavement work includes one inch of pavement milling, placement of a two-inch asphalt pavement overlay, chip sealing, and minor slope flattening.

"During highway milling, paving, shoulder flattening and chip sealing, motorists should expect traffic to be controlled with a pilot vehicle and flaggers," Frost said.

Crandall Creek bridge work includes bridge deck repair, removal and replacement of expansion joints and concrete approach slabs, and an epoxy deck overlay. Dead Indian Creek bridge work includes bridge deck repair, an epoxy deck overlay, and rock riprap repair under the bridge.

Motorists should expect a single-lane road controlled by temporary traffic signals at the Crandall Creek and Dead Indian Creek bridges while work is underway.

All work, except reclamation and chip sealing, is required to be complete by Oct. 31, 2025. Concrete completion date is June 30, 2026.

Project questions may be directed to WYDOT Resident Engineer Todd Frost, P.E., at (307) 587-2220, or by email at todd.frost@wyo.gov.

More information about this news release is available from WYDOT public relations specialist Cody Beers at (307) 431-1803.