Interstate 90 (I-90) in the
US state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sov ...
of
Wyoming traverses the northeastern corner of the state, passing through the cities and communities of
Sheridan,
Buffalo, and
Gillette.
Route description
I-90 enters Wyoming from Montana and heads south concurrent with
US Highway 87 (US 87) through hilly grasslands. It curves to the southeast and meets an interchange that serves the small community of
Parkman. Continuing southeast, the highway intersects
US 14 at a
diamond interchange
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road.
Design
The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. Approaching the ...
. US 14 joins I-90 and US 87, and the three routes curve east. After the freeway bends back to the southeast, it intersects the eastern end of
Wyoming Highway 345 (WYO 345), then crosses the
BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway is one of the largest freight railroads in North America. One of seven North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 35,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and nearly 8,000 locomotives. It has three Transcontinental railroad, tr ...
(formerly the
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington Route, the Burlington, or as the Q, it operated extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illin ...
) and the
Tongue River. The highway serves as the western terminus of
WYO 339 and then passes over
WYO 338 without an intersection just before it crosses Goose Creek. Just south of Goose Creek, US 14 and US 87 split off to the south of I-90 via a
trumpet interchange
In the field of road transport, an interchange (American English) or a grade-separated junction (British English) is a road junction that uses grade separations to allow for the movement of traffic between two or more roadways or highways, usin ...
. This road is also signed as a
I-90 Business (I-90 Bus.).
The freeway turns due south and skirts around the eastern edge of
Sheridan. It intersects
WYO 336, then crosses over the BNSF Railway again,
before intersecting US 14 farther south. South of Sheridan, I-90 continues to travel south roughly parallel to US 87. The highway intersects
WYO 342 and Prairie Dog Creek Road at diamond interchanges before US 87 merges back into and becomes concurrent with I-90. The highway runs southwest of Lake Desmet. Here, it meets Lake Ridge Road, which leads to the lake.
Southeast of Lake Desmet, I-90/US 87 comes to a diamond interchange with Rock Creek Road. It then intersects
US 87 Bus. and
I-25 Bus. at an incomplete diamond interchange; only traffic heading southbound can exit, and traffic from the business loops can only access I-90 northbound. Just southeast of this interchange, I-90 meets the northern terminus of
I-25
Interstate 25 (I-25) is a major Interstate Highway in the western United States. It is primarily a north–south highway, serving as the main route through New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. I-25 stretches from I-10 at Las Cruces, New Mexic ...
. US 87 follows I-25 southbound toward
Buffalo, while I-90 bends to the southeast and intersects
US 16 at a diamond interchange.
Southeast of Buffalo, I-90 continues in a general southeasterly direction through hilly grasslands. The highway intersects several minor farm roads, then curves to the northeast toward
Gillette. Just west of the city, the freeway turns due east. Within Gillette, I-90 comes to a diamond interchange with
WYO 50 and its own business loop, then dips to the southeast and meets another diamond interchange, this one with
WYO 59. I-90 then has one last exit in Gillette: a
partial cloverleaf interchange
A partial cloverleaf interchange or parclo is a modification of a cloverleaf interchange.
The design has been well received, and has since become one of the most popular freeway-to- arterial interchange designs in North America. It has also be ...
with US 14, US 16, and
WYO 51. The first two of those routes become concurrent with I-90 and follow it east.
The freeway crosses the BNSF Railway
and then turns to the east. It meets a diamond interchange with Garner Lake Road, then leaves Gillette and intersects American Road before crossing the BNSF Railway again.
The highway travels east, parallel to WYO 51 and then meets Adon Road, then curves to the southeast toward
Moorcroft. I-90 has two exits in Moorcroft; at the first exit, US 14 and US 16 leave I-90, and I-90's business loop begins. The highway passes over US 14 with no access and then meets its second exit in the city: the eastern terminus of its business loop. East of this exit, I-90 leaves the city.
East of Moorcroft, I-90 intersects several more minor rural roads while it bends to the northeast toward
Sundance. As it nears Sundance, it shares a diamond interchange with US 14 and
I-90 Bus. The route then curves to the east and enters the city, intersecting
WYO 585 at a diamond interchange. I-90 then meets US 14 and the eastern terminus of I-90 Bus.; the former becomes concurrent with I-90, and the two routes head northeast, leaving Sundance. Northeast of Sundance, I-90/US 14 parallels the former alignment of the latter. The highway intersects Sundance-Moskee Road, then bends north and meets
WYO 111. I-90/US 14 then has one last exit, with Sand Creek Road, before crossing into
South Dakota
South Dakota (; Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux Native American tribes, who comprise a large portio ...
.
History
During early planning of I-90, the town of
Clearmont (on US 14) filed suit against the
Wyoming Highway Commission for an alleged violation of a 1955 state law that required approval from voters for the construction of a
bypass. The town sought an
injunction
An injunction is a legal and equitable remedy in the form of a special court order that compels a party to do or refrain from specific acts. ("The court of appeals ... has exclusive jurisdiction to enjoin, set aside, suspend (in whole or in ...
to halt construction and reroute I-90 towards the town, which was north of the planned alignment, arguing it would be a straighter route between Sheridan and Gillette. Clearmont had previously been selected for a rerouting of US 14 and US 16 in 1957, which was seen as a precursor to a later Interstate Highway; the straighter route was also supported by business groups in Sheridan. The injunction was denied by a state district judge in 1959 and was appealed to the
Wyoming Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of the state highway commission in December 1960.
Construction of I-90 in northwestern Wyoming began during the appeals process, with under active contracts for grading and site preparation by December 1960.
The first section to open in Wyoming ran north of Sheridan and was completed in 1961.
The bypass of Sheridan, one of the first major sections of the freeway, was opened to traffic on July 28, 1962. The longest stretch, between Buffalo and Gillette, was dedicated on October 14, 1962, and cost $18.4 million to construct. It was initially a two-lane limited-access road that was later upgraded to four lanes. The final link in the section between Sheridan and Buffalo was opened in December 1968.
The final Wyoming section of I-90 was opened to traffic on October 10, 1985, following four years of construction on between the Montana state border and Ranchester. It was also the final section of the Interstate Highway System to be completed in the state.
The Ranchester section, which had been completed for three months but delayed to coincide with work across the border in Montana, was dedicated by the governors of Montana and Wyoming in a joint ceremony.
Exit list
Business routes
Business route
A business route (or business loop, business spur, or city route) in the United States is a short special route connected to a ''parent'' numbered highway at its beginning, then routed through the central business district of a nearby city o ...
s are present in
Sheridan (also carries
US 14 Bus. and US 87 Bus.),
Buffalo,
Gillette, and
Sundance (also part of
US 14).
References
External links
{{state detail page browse, type=I, route=90, state=Wyoming, stateafter=South Dakota, statebefore=Montana
90
Wyoming
Transportation in Sheridan County, Wyoming
Transportation in Johnson County, Wyoming
Transportation in Campbell County, Wyoming
Transportation in Crook County, Wyoming