Casper, Wyoming Development News

North Platte River Pedestrian Bridge Funding Finalized with River Fund Allocation

The council reviewed the North Platte River pedestrian bridge project, which has an estimated total expense of $118.129 million. The initial project estimate was $3.5 million, with subsequent estimates rising to $6.1 million. The project budget, including federal ARPA funds, 1-cent funds, and water/sewer funds, is $6.44 million, leaving a gap of $1.688 million. Staff secured an additional $1.354 million in grant funding from Wyoming Outdoor Recreation (WAR) and the State Water Development Commission (SWDC), reducing the deficit to $334,474. The proposal is to use river funds to cover the remaining gap. The contract with Battle Ridge Builders is pending council approval, with a deadline of July 21st to award the contract to meet grant deadlines. The project involves constructing a bridge capable of carrying water and sewer lines, which is crucial for moving utilities off the current WSDOT Popular Street Bridge. Value engineering has been employed, including reducing the bridge deck width from 20 to 16 feet and changing the coating system to a standard spec, resulting in significant cost savings. The project needs to expend grant funds by the end of the year, with construction planned through the next season.