Republished with permission from Wyoming News Now, a TV news outlet covering the Cheyenne and Casper areas.
A lack of funding is making it difficult to address Wyoming's transportation needs to maintain and improve roads and bridges.
This is according to a new report released by TRIP on the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT). The Washington D.C. based national transportation research nonprofit asked WYDOT to look into the future and prioritize which projects are most critical to supporting quality of life in Wyoming.
The report examines road and bridge conditions, traffic safety, and funding needs.
It identifies the 25 most needed transportation projects in the state, of which only three have construction funding.
TRIP reports that inflation in highway construction costs has increased by 52% since the beginning of 2022.
"That has certainly had a very significant challenge for the state moving forward with any critical projects," said Rocky Moretti with TRIP. "All of these have significant impacts in terms of improving the reliability of the system, allowing the state to accommodate economic growth, and finally, most critically, improving safety."
The report found that insufficient funding will make it difficult to maintain and improve the existing transportation system.
"We can't keep putting lipstick on that pig and thinking that it's going to last forever. At some point, we need to make good sound engineering decisions," said WYDOT Director Darin Westby.
Thirty-three percent of Wyoming's state-maintained roads were in poor condition in 2025.
Based on current funding, WYDOT estimates that by 2028, state-maintained roads in poor condition will increase to 37%, with an additional 250 miles of roadway falling into poor condition.
Westby said that as Wyoming grows and tourism traffic increases, the department is seeking funding solutions to meet the demand.
"It's another tool to help sell to the public, to help sell to the appropriators, and get support from the Governor's office to really put together a good funding strategy going forward," said Westby.
