In the fall of 1955 the Bureau of!
Public Roads, in anticipation of the
expanded program of interstate
highways, conducted reconnais-
sances of four distinct routes en-
deavoring to shorten the distance
on U.S. 14 from Gillette to Sheri-
dan, Wyo. The party included
officials of the Wyoming Highway
Department, the district highway
commissioner and personnel from
the Bureau of Public Roads.
Upon completion of this trip,
the report, which was submitted to
the Wyoming Highway Department,
stated that, while all of the routes
traversed were more or less feas-
ible, none had all of the character-
istics sought, and an investigation
of other routes was recommended.
Knowing of this desire to find
other routes, the Buffalo Chamber
of Commerce called the attention
of the Bureau of Public Roads to
the fact that a survey did exist
of a cut-off direct from Gillette
to Buffalo which could be readily
incorporated into a Gillette to
Sheridan route. This route had
the following features:
a. A short route resulting in a
• aving over the present "loop"
road of approximately six miles
from Gillette to Sheridan, and 30
milles from Gillette to Buffalo.
Using 10 cents per mile as the ave-
rage auto-truck operating cost, this
would result in a direct saving of
sixty cents per vehicle traveling
from Gillette to Sheridan and a
saving of $3.00 per vehicle travel-
ing from Gillette to Buffalo. Ex-
tending these figures further by
multiplication with the average 24-
hour traffic flow count supplied by
the Wyoming Highway Depart-
ment, the yearly savings to the
users of this route would amount
to more than $560,000.00 It would
be L'npossible to compute the great
value of the time saved by the
thousands traveling this shorter
route.
b. Cheap and easily acquired
~right-of-way over grazing lands,
much of which is Taylor Grazing
land. This right-of-way would also
present a minimum of side access
roads and cross roads as it runs
through grazing country rather
than irrigated valleys. This is in
sharp contrast to construction in a
heavily populated irrigated valley
v/here much valuable farm land
would be consumed and many over-
head culverts would have to be
constructed.
e. Only two bridges to be con-
structed, one over Powder RiverI
and one on Crazy Woman creek.
d. A type of terrain, consisting
of rolling country made up of de-
composed shales and fine sand-
stones, cut up by prominent drain-
age patterns, which would lend it-
self to contruction of a road where
grades probably could be held to
five percent or less, and align-
ment held consistent with 60-mile-
per-hour design.
e. A route which would save ap-
proximately four million dollars by
virtue of the fact that only 681
miles need be constructed to tie
I
Interstate U.S. 14 into Interstate
U.S. 87 at the by-pass east of Buf-
falo. The improvement of the
present "loop" route would entail
construction of approximately 108
miles to Sheridan alone, without
any consideration of improvement
to U.S. 16. This difference of 40
miles of construction would repre-
sent a minimum of four million dol-
lars in unnecessary road construc-
tion, plus the necessity of several
more major bridges.
f. A junction point on U.S. 87
ideally located to minimize traffic
hazards and utilize new bridges and
construction now completed on the
interstate route to Sheridan.
The commission's attention was
called to the severe threat that
U.S. 212 through Montana posed
to Northern Wyoming tourist tra-
vel. Figures from the National
Park Service were given indicating
that from 1953 to date all park
entrances were showing increases
except for the East or Cody en-
trance, which has. shown a steady
decline.
The commission expressed its
alarm at this loss in gasoline tax
revenue as well as economic loss
to northern Wyomin~ and the state
as a whole.
The qt|estion was raised as to
whether interstate funds might be
available for the present "loop"
route of U.S. 14-16. In Wyoming,
under the interstate highway pro-
gram, the federal government will
provide 93% of the funds while
the state share is 7%. The Bureau
of Public Roads advised that it
is doubtful that these funds for
such an indirect route would be
forthcoming. However, 65-35 par-
ticipation would continue.
The economic effects of this pro-
posed route upon the towns of
Sheridan and Buffalo were also
pointed out to the commission. The
Buffalo delegation showed that
from the junction of the proposed
route with the marginal by-pass
a free estimate on installation costs.
Sundance Electric
Sandanee, Wye.
t
route east of Buffalo, U.S. 14
through Sheridan would still be
the shortest route to Yellowstone
Park by at least two miles, thus
not depriving that community of
a continued proportionate share of
traffic.
Sheridan would show an ap-
preciable traffic gain, by virtue of
the fact that the new Interstate
routes, when completed, are to car-
ry approximately 30 percent of the
nation's traffic which would double
the present traffic on U.S. 14.
Joining U.S. 14 to U.S.87 east
of Buffalo would also afford a
year around east-west link with
the growing Big Horn basin coun-
try, an advantage which will be of
great economic value to the entire
state.
A ten point summary of the prin-
cipal advantages of this shorter
interstate route:
1. General ease and feasibility
of construction for this route.
2. Grades and curves well within
interstate limits.
3. Cheap right-of-way without
numerous side access requirements.
4. Conservation of valuable ir-
rigated farm land.
5. Major saving in miles of new
construction.
6. A point of intersection with
U.S. 87 ideally suited to minimize
traffic hazards and congestion.
7. A chance to regain Northern
Wyoming's fair share of the tourist
trade.
8. A year-around link with the
Big Horn Basin.
9. A saving of millions of dol-
lars to the taxpayers.
10. A better road to serve a
greater number of people.
--Reprinted in part from an Edi-
torial in the Buffalo, Wyo., Bul-
letin.
(May 24)
Last Saturday Robert Emmett
and Shane Brislawn went to Day-
ton, Wyo. to visit Dipper and Col-
leen Brislawn and Cecil Erwin.
Monday evening Abe French was
an overnight guest at the Brislawn
home. Oliver Queen was a caller
at the Brislawn home this week.
Harold Burch and children were
business callers in Gillette Satur-
day. Frank Brislawn was a busi-
ness caller in Gillette Wednesday.
Thursday Raymond Shepherd went
to Gillette for repairs.
Freida and Nancy Donaldson and
Anita Riesland were supper guests
of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Shep-
herd.
Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Noonan
were Sunday visitors at Ezra Ter-
ry's. Mrs. Noenan is the former
Marie Terry.
Raymond Shepherd s h e a r e d
sheep for Ezra Terry Saturday.
Monday Ezra helped Raymond dock
lambs.
'EIIE SUNDANCE
Sundanee, Wyo. May 31,
Bob Tope went to New
for a load of posts SaturdaY.
The Little Powder river
held a meeting at Brown's
day.
Mrs. Bill Svoboda and sons
callers at the Shepherd
week. Mrs. Svoboda and
Berger carried the New
mail Monday.
Several people from the
community attended
ereises in Moorcroft
ning. Max Evans
high school and Shane
and Emma Gall Butch were
grade graduates.
The Oshoto school had
nic Thursday. The Hahn,
Creek and Butch Brislawn
had their picnic Friday.
picnics were well attended.
There are more than 7
items used in the
the complex modern
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