WY: I-25 Exit 186, Casper

[Highway63]

Based on GMSV photos from January, there is a construction project going on in Casper that I think slightly affects multiple routes in the area of Exit 186.

Beverly Street now has three ramps at its bridge over I-25. Eastbound US 20 et al exit at the singular eastbound Exit 186 ramp to Beverly, then go south on Beverly, then go east-northeast on Yellowstone Highway and overpass over I-25, run just north of I-25, and pick up the old route by Walsh Drive.

Here's a spot where old and new signs are near each other.
Here's a photo at Beverly and Yellowstone. If you pan around you can see the business routes signed heading west and mainline routes signed turning.

I would move the Exit 186 point to the Beverly Street bridge, then add a new point at Beverly and Yellowstone that would serve as a turn for US 20 et al and the east end of the US business routes. The I-25 business loop could remain signed up Beverly to I-25. At least, that's how I see it. I realize there's at least one weakness, the ramp to SB I-25 that's southeast of Beverly.

[the_spui_ninja]

Hmm, this does look like an interesting conundrum. It looks like they're rerouting I-25 just east of Exit 186 as well, with some new ramps added. I'm going to try and dig for project documents on this, and if all else fails I should be in Casper in a couple weeks to check it out.

[the_spui_ninja]

Okay, so I found this article: https://oilcity.news/community/2021/05/26/two-year-29-7m-project-to-replace-i-25-bridge-over-in-casper-starting-june-1/

I think most of the reroute and ramps are just temporary detours until they finish the bridge over Walsh Dr. As regards to the configuration of Exit 186, I think it's always been like that, and the location of the 186 point is just a good approximation to the interchange setup. It would help if WYDOT and BNSF expanded the railroad bridge over the interstate so the offramp could be at Beverly St (although there is a stub, maybe after all the I-25 reconstruction they have planned for Casper they'll use it? I haven't found any plans yet.).

[Highway63]

I admit that one ramp way apart from the interchange is an argument/prevention for a clean centering on the road. I defer to what you think works the best.

[the_spui_ninja]

I mean, if you look at the WYDOT maintenance log (pg 119), they don't even maintain that stretch of Beverly St, and 20/26/87 are treated as "jumping" onto I-25 at Yellowstone; but then again WYDOT's maintenance logs don't exactly match the signage they use.

If someone can offer a better solution to this than what's currently in the HB, I'm willing to listen, since I fully admit this isn't ideal but just might be the best we can do in this case.

[the_spui_ninja]

Just got back from a trip to Casper; signage is terrible just all-around in the city (there's a BGS for WY 158, I-25 is depicted going down McKinley Street, and 220 is signed on I-25 not where it exists, for starters). I am open to adjusting this (as I said before). The only thing making it kinda sticky is how to route the south end of 25 BL; I could do something like routing the US routes on Beverly and Yellowstone and ending the USB's at the Beverly/Yellowstone intersection, but then 25 BL would have to have a forked ending. If the signage was clearer it would be easier...