Wyoming to Add 365 Truck Parking Spaces on I-80
[Stay on top of transportation news: Get TTNews in your inbox.]
The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded a $26.6 million grant to Wyoming to build 365 truck parking spaces along Interstate 80 in Evanston.
Gov. Mark Gordon reacted Dec. 12 to news about the allocation by noting the federal funds “will alleviate the impacts to the community caused by hundreds of tractor-trailers seeking somewhere safe to park.”
The funds were granted to the Wyoming Department of Transportation from the 2023-24 federal Rural Surface Transportation Grant program.
“This is a crucial project for Wyoming. It’s an investment in our road infrastructure that will help address pedestrian and vehicle safety hazards that occur when winter weather forces the closure of I-80,” Gordon said.
Gordon
According to WYDOT, the planned truck parking in Evanston is located in southwest Wyoming, which “can be inundated” with commercial vehicles and other traffic during a long-duration closure of I-80, which can strain local resources, street parking and other infrastructure.
Winter storms can force road shutdowns for several days. Beyond serving as a safe place to wait out the state’s infamous winter weather, Wyoming Trucking Association CEO Sheila Foertsch said having adequate parking is essential to the industry since it provides a place for drivers to meet their required hours-of-service breaks.
Foertsch
“Truck parking continues to be one of the highest priorities for both truck drivers and motor carriers,” Foertsch added. “Safe, well-lit, accessible parking makes the nation’s highway system safer.”
Parking area construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2026 depending on design timing, project-letting schedule and other potential scheduling considerations. Completion is estimated by 2028.
The total price tag for the project is $33.3 million. This is the third competitive federal grant in 2023 that WYDOT has been awarded, which Director Darin Westby said should bring the state a great sense of pride.
Westby
“This is just another example of how hard the people of WYDOT work to make use of any available resources for the betterment of Wyoming’s transportation systems and the residents, tourists and commercial drivers who use them every day,” Westby said. “We appreciate the support from the governor’s office and the Uinta County Senior Citizens Board, both of which were integral to us receiving these federal funds.”
The Uinta County Senior Citizens also has committed to providing limited on-demand transit service to truck parking areas once constructed to help manage truck congestion and help truck drivers reach critical services.
With this grant, WYDOT has applied for and received some $64.2 million in competitive federal grants this year.
In September, WYDOT opened a new parking area for 200 trucks along I-80 near Rawlins using funds from a $27.7 million federal grant.
There is about a 200-mile distance from the Rawlins truck parking area and the new one planned near Evanston, which is closer to the Utah border.
Want more news? Listen to today's daily briefing below or go here for more info:
