WYDOT to make improvements at east Cheyenne intersection

“We just saw an opportunity to try and provide drivers with additional visibility, especially when they’re turning from (northbound) Whitney onto westbound (U.S.) 30,” said Matt Murphy, spokesman for WYDOT.

“Because of the turning lane that exists now (on U.S. 30), it creates a shadowing effect,” Murphy said.

The way the current turn lane is situated, if a car is making a right-hand turn onto southbound Whitney Road, it can essentially block the view of any cars behind it from a car at the Whitney Road stop sign. By putting in an offset turn lane, it creates a clear line of sight from Whitney to any cars that are traveling eastbound on U.S. 30.

“It should provide a lot of extra sight distance for the driver,” Murphy said.

In 2018, there were six crashes at the intersection, including two that resulted in fatalities. In each of those two fatal crashes, drivers were making a left-hand turn from northbound Whitney Road onto westbound U.S. 30 and pulling in front of an eastbound vehicle on U.S. 30.

According to WYDOT, there were 12 crashes at the intersection between 2013 and 2017, with three resulting in injuries.

After the two fatal crashes within two months of one another in late 2018, residents of the area demanded changes to the road. Those included putting in a stoplight and reducing the speed from the current 50 mph.

But a traffic study in late October by WYDOT indicated neither of those options were necessary.

Speeding on U.S. 30, or people running the stop sign at Whitney haven’t been the issue behind these accidents, said Kevin Malatesta, public information officer for the Cheyenne Police Department. Instead, it was drivers on Whitney failing to yield when they get to the stop sign.

“People really need to be aware of that (stop sign) and the fact they’re crossing a four-lane highway from a stop sign,” Malatesta said. “The vehicle crossing in front of them is going 50 mph, and their vehicle is stopped.”

Malatesta said while he hadn’t seen this project’s design, typically offset turn lanes do provide additional visibility for drivers trying to enter a roadway.

“It frees up the visibility. Someone pulling up to an intersection should be able to make a good judgment on whether a car is turning or not, and if it’s safe to turn out,” Malatesta said.

The new turn lane project is the most recent safety addition to the intersection. After the fatal accidents last year, WYDOT added larger stop signs and flashing red lights for drivers on Whitney Road.

Those safety additions were recommended by both a WYDOT study and a study by the Cheyenne Metropolitan Planning Organization. Tom Mason, director of the MPO, said those improvements are short-term fixes for the intersection as plans are developed for major road work in the area set for 2024.

“(This project) will cost a little more money, as opposed to a bigger sign, or flashing light or stripes on the road. It’s a minor construction project, but it will have the biggest positive impact,” Mason said.

Given the increase in development in the area, the issue with traffic is only going to increase. It’s why MPO has worked on expansion studies and is set to present its final plan shortly, Mason said.

“There’s going to be a lot happening on these roads and this intersection in the next five years,” Mason said.

The offset lane project should start shortly and be finished by June, Murphy said. There shouldn’t be any major traffic disruptions due to construction, since the lane is being built on a grassy area on the side of U.S. 30.