WYDOT awarded competitive federal grant for Green River tunnel safety improvements

GREEN RIVER, Wyo. - The Wyoming Department of Transportation was recently awarded a $9.7 million competitive federal grant for safety improvements in the Green River tunnels on Interstate 80.

The US Department of Transportation recognized WYDOT with a competitive Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highways Projects grant (often called INFRA for short) in October.

Project scope includes work in both tunnels, including isolated concrete repairs, construction joint replacements, lighting system upgrades and synchronization, fire suppression installation, and new Intelligent Transportation System devices like variable speed limit signs, dynamic messaging signs and other roadside technology.

"With this grant, we can further improve safety in the tunnel system by utilizing modern technology and highway safety best practices," said WYDOT Chief Engineer Keith Fulton. "We have met extensively after the tragic February 2025 crash to identify solutions like this project in an effort to prevent future severe crashes in the area."

In addition to the competitive INFRA grant dollars, funding for this project will also be sourced from other federal sources along with a 10 percent state match. All funds must be obligated before Sept. 30, 2027.

Design was already underway before the grant was secured, so WYDOT is in a great position to make speedy use of these dollars. Eighty-seven percent of the total funding will go towards construction costs.

With this award, WYDOT has secured more than $179 million in competitive grants over the last five years.