(The following article by Kelly Milner was published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle on April 29.)
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Changes to the Interstate 180 corridor could make the area more pleasing to the eye and protect the Union Pacific train yard.
Approximately a mile long, the corridor stretches from the Interstate 80 overpass to Lincolnway.
An open house Wednesday showed plans for more pedestrian and bicycle paths, smaller and fewer signs on Lincolnway and a 10-foot fence on the viaduct.
The plans, which would need City Council’s approval, are in the preliminary stages. There is no estimate as to how much the changes could cost or what the funding source will be.
The entire project has been motivated by the need to build a fence on the viaduct bordering the train yard.
Tom Mason, director for the city’s Metropolitan Planning Organization, said there had been plans to put a chain link fence along the viaduct.
“We wanted a fence that would be aesthetically pleasing, so it doesn’t distract from the views of historic downtown Cheyenne,” Mason said. “Putting up a chain link fence would make it look terrible.”
Dick Hartman, special representative to the Union Pacific president, said people have thrown everything from bottles to concrete bricks, from cars and the sidewalk, over the viaduct into the train yard.
Someone committed suicide by jumping off the viaduct onto the train yard, Hartman said.
For the last year, Hartman said there have been discussions between Union Pacific and the city about the need for taller fencing on the viaduct to protect the railroad’s employees and equipment.
“We’re pleased that these issues are going to be addressed,” he said.
None of Union Pacific’s employees have been injured that Hartman is aware of, but there have been several near misses.
There has also been minor damage to Union Pacific locomotives such as broken windows.
“At $2 million a pop, we want to keep them from harm,” Hartman said.
The design for the fence shown at the open house tries to reflect elements from the train yard such as railroad switches.
“This will make it much more beautiful,” Mason said, of the entire corridor plan.
Randy Griesbach, Wyoming Department of Transportation district traffic engineer, came to the open house.
Griesbach said he likes the plans but is worried about increased pedestrian traffic on the corridor.
“There’s a high volume of traffic in the area,” he said.
Doug Wellock is the office manager for Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc., the Cheyenne-based consulting firm that created the designs.
Wellock said people are currently walking close to the four-lane road on a narrow piece of concrete.
Their plans include a 10-foot-wide walkway in the grassy areas along the corridor with more landscaping and possibly seating areas.
“We’ll actually be pulling people away from the traffic,” Wellock said.
Griesbach also questioned decreasing the number and the size of the signs at both Central and Warren Avenues and Lincolnway.
The three signs at the Lincolnway and Central intersection would be reduced to one.
“You might lose a couple of people,” he said. “If you’re from out of town, you could be wandering around.”
But Wellock said the signs at Lincolnway and Central give directions to Pine Bluffs, Laramie and Wheatland.
“There’s a lot to read there,” Wellock said. “It says you haven’t arrived anywhere.”