Wyoming Department of Transportation officials gathered at the Park County Courthouse on Tuesday to present a lengthy list of projects they’re planning over the coming years. But it was a route not included in the Wyoming Statewide Transportation Improvement Program that drew the most discussion: Cody’s Big Horn Avenue.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Cody school board member Stefanie Bell pressed WYDOT for a solution to the increasing congestion and conflicts along the avenue, which is part of U.S. Highway 14-A. As more residences and businesses have been built along eastern Big Horn Avenue and traffic has increased, there have been more pedestrians struggling to cross the highway — including students attempting to get to Cody Middle School.

Park County Commissioner Dossie Overfield, a former school board member, expressed surprise that it’s taken so long for the access to be addressed, considering the growth was identified as an issue years ago.

WYDOT District Engineer Pete Hallsten said his department plans to soon launch a roughly year-long study of Big Horn Avenue to look at potential solutions. It’s possible, he said, that installing a stoplight at the Blackburn Avenue intersection — near Big Horn Cinemas — could help and that it could potentially be funded in the fiscal year that begins in October 2022. However, Hallsten cautioned that installing a light near the middle school, at Freedom and Roberts streets, would likely be far more complicated and might require realigning those routes. Hallsten also warned that, without enough study and public input, a change could create more safety problems and negative consequences than it would solve.

Still, the idea that a solution might be several years away was met with disappointment from Bell, who was accompanied by Cody Superintendent Peg Monteith. While a more permanent solution is being developed, Bell suggested reducing the speed limit to 30 mph at Cooper Lane and establishing a 20 mph school zone when students are in session. Possible long-term fixes suggested at the meeting included pedestrian crossings that have been built in other Wyoming communities.

“I think we all recognize that, as months go by and years go by with no change, there are consequences to that as well,” Bell said.

Many people now living on the north side of Big Horn Avenue are effectively cut off from Mentock Park and other places on the south side, she said, while the street has become more challenging for vehicles, too.

“We’re starting to see a real issue with just drivers trying to negotiate that corridor,” Bell said, adding from personal experience that, “you really have to plan your day to make sure you’re on the right side of the highway.” 

She said that, “people will have to change their driving habits if that area’s going to be safe.”

Pressure has been growing on WYDOT and City of Cody officials to address the issues with Big Horn Avenue, including from a group of residents called That Other Project. They see “an urgent need for change,” and are promoting slower driving, easier access to businesses and safer crossings for pedestrians “to accommodate all travelers.”

WYDOT District Construction Engineer Randy Merritt said the main issue at the intersections of Roberts and Freedom streets is the “conflicting turning movements,” as the two streets do not line up.

“You have so many cars going so many directions,” plus pedestrians, so “something’s got to give,” Merritt said.

Hallsten said it will be important for WYDOT’s upcoming study to gather input from a variety of stakeholders, including parents of middle school students, property and business owners along Big Horn Avenue and commuters from Powell. Statistically speaking, he said adding a traffic light creates additional accidents, so it takes a certain level of foot traffic to justify the installation. Similarly, it’s hard to justify a lower speed limit unless a study shows the need. Otherwise, “it would end up being a speed trap,” Hallsten said, and could make things less safe.

“It does help when there is political will to drive those things,” he added of the various solutions on the table, adding that, “it just depends on how much resistance you get.”

Merritt noted that Big Horn Avenue had been posted at 30 mph when it was reconstructed, but it was raised to 35 mph after “political pressure” prompted a speed study roughly 15 years ago.

Commissioner Overfield noted that the area along the highway has “changed so much” since then.

“It’s absolutely crazy,” she said.

Hallsten indicated that WYDOT’s study could begin in September.