Interstate 90 in Wyoming

This article is about the section of Interstate 90 in Wyoming. For the entire route, see Interstate 90.

Interstate 90 (I-90) in the US state of Wyoming traverses the northeastern corner of the state, passing through the cities and communities of Sheridan, Buffalo, and Gillette.^[2]

Interstate 90
I-90 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by WYDOT
Length	208.80 mi[1] (336.03 km)
NHS	Entire route
Major junctions
West end	I-90 / US 87 at Montana state line
Major intersections	US 14 in Ranchester US 14 / US 87 / I-90 BL / US 14 Bus. in Sheridan US 87 near Banner I-25 / US 87 in Buffalo US 16 / I-90 BL in Buffalo US 14 / US 16 / I-90 BL in Gillette US 14 / US 16 in Moorcroft US 14 / I-90 BL in Sundance
East end	I-90 / US 14 at South Dakota state line
Location
Country	United States
State	Wyoming
Counties	Sheridan, Johnson, Campbell, Crook
Highway system
Interstate Highway System Main Auxiliary Suffixed Business Future Wyoming State Highway System Interstate US State
← US 89 → WYO 90

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. 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^[3] (formerly the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad) 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. This road is also signed as a I-90 Business (I-90 Bus.).^[4]

View of south Sheridan from I-90

The freeway turns due south and skirts around the eastern edge of Sheridan. It intersects WYO 336, then crosses over the BNSF Railway again,^[3] 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.^[4]

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. US 87 follows I-25 southbound toward Buffalo, while I-90 bends to the southeast and intersects US 16 at a diamond interchange.^[4]

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 with US 14, US 16, and WYO 51. The first two of those routes become concurrent with I-90 and follow it east.^[4]

I-90 westbound between Rozet and Wyodak

The freeway crosses the BNSF Railway^[3] 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.^[3] 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.^[4]

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.^[4]

Transit

Jefferson Lines provides intercity bus service along the length of I-90 in Wyoming serving Gillette, Buffalo, and Sheridan along the route.^[5]

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 to halt construction and reroute I-90 towards the town, which was 29 miles (47 km) north of the planned alignment, arguing it would be a straighter route between Sheridan and Gillette.^[6] 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.^[7] 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.^[8][9]

Construction of I-90 in northwestern Wyoming began during the appeals process, with 58 miles (93 km) under active contracts for grading and site preparation by December 1960.^[9] The first section to open in Wyoming ran 6.9 miles (11.1 km) north of Sheridan and was completed in 1961.^[10] The bypass of Sheridan, one of the first major sections of the freeway, was opened to traffic on July 28, 1962.^[11] The longest stretch, 65 miles (105 km) between Buffalo and Gillette, was dedicated on October 14, 1962, and cost $18.4 million to construct.^[12] It was initially a two-lane limited-access road that was later widened to four lanes.^[13] The final link in the 20-mile (32 km) section between Sheridan and Buffalo was opened in December 1968.^[14]

The final Wyoming section of I-90 was opened to traffic on October 10, 1985, following four years of construction on 10 miles (16 km) between the Montana state border and Ranchester. It was also the final section of the Interstate Highway System to be completed in the state.^[10] 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.^[15]

Exit list

County	Location	mi[16]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Sheridan	​	0.00	0.00		I-90 west / US 87 north – Hardin	Continuation into Montana
	​	1.79	2.88	1	Parkman
	Ranchester	9.88	15.90	9	US 14 west – Greybull, Lovell, Ranchester, Dayton, Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park	West end of US 14 overlap
	​	14.62	23.53	14	WYO 345 – Acme
	​	16.34	26.30	16	WYO 339 – Decker
	Sheridan	20.92	33.67	20	I-90 BL east (Main Street)
		23.15	37.26	23	WYO 336 (Fifth Street)
		25.40	40.88	25	I-90 BL west / US 14 east (US 87 south) – Sheridan, Big Horn, Ucross	East end of US 14 / US 87 overlap
	​	32.98	53.08	33	Meade Creek Road – Big Horn
	​	37.16	59.80	37	Prairie Dog Creek Road
Johnson	​	44.69	71.92	44	Piney Creek Road (US 87 north)	West end of US 87 overlap
	​	47.71	76.78	47	Shell Creek Road
	​	51.36	82.66	51	Lake De Smet
	​	53.83	86.63	53	Rock Creek Road
	Buffalo	56.36	90.70	56A	I-25 BL south / I-90 BL east – Buffalo	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		56.85	91.49	56B	I-25 south / US 87 south – Casper	East end of US 87 overlap; I-25 to 90 east exit 300; northern terminus of I-25
		58.65	94.39	58	I-90 BL west / US 16 – Buffalo, Ucross
	​	65.98	106.18	65	Red Hills Road, Tipperary Road
	​	69.64	112.07	69	Dry Creek Road
	​	73.01	117.50	73	Crazy Woman Creek Road
	​	77.91	125.38	77	Schoonover Road
	​	82.83	133.30	82	Indian Creek Road
	​	88.67	142.70	88	Powder River Road
	​	91.49	147.24	91	Dead Horse Creek Road
Campbell	​	102.52	164.99	102	Barber Creek Road
	​	106.14	170.82	106	Kingsbury Road
	​	113.97	183.42	113	Wild Horse Creek Road
	​	116.24	187.07	116	Force Road
	Gillette	124.26	199.98	124	I-90 BL east / WYO 50 to US 14 west / US 16 west – Gillette
		126.39	203.40	126	WYO 59 – Douglas
		128.09	206.14	128	I-90 BL west / US 14 west / US 16 west – Gillette	West end of US 14/US 16 overlap
	​	129.10	207.77	129	Garner Lake Road
	Wyodak	132.99	214.03	132	Wyodak Road
	​	141.24	227.30	141	Rozet
Crook	Moorcroft	153.41	246.89	153	US 14 east / US 16 east – Moorcroft, Newcastle	East end of US 14/US 16 overlap
		154.77	249.08	154	To US 14 / US 16 – Moorcroft
	​	160.66	258.56	160	Wind Creek Road
	​	165.68	266.64	165	Pine Ridge Road – Pine Haven
	​	172.09	276.95	172	Inyan Kara Road
	​	178.92	287.94	178	Coal Divide Road
	​	185.73	298.90	185	I-90 BL east / US 14 to WYO 116 – Sundance
	Sundance	187.53	301.80	187	WYO 585 – Sundance, Newcastle
		189.00	304.17	189	I-90 BL west / US 14 west – Sundance	West end of US 14 overlap
	​	191.92	308.87	191	CR 207 (Moskee Road)
	​	199.31	320.76	199	WYO 111 – Aladdin
	Beulah	205.90	331.36	205	Beulah
	​	208.80	336.03		I-90 east / US 14 east – Sturgis	Continuation into South Dakota
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access

Business routes

Business routes are present in Sheridan (also carries US 14 Bus. and US 87 Bus.), Buffalo, Gillette, and Sundance (also part of US 14).

References

1. Starks, Edward (January 27, 2022). "Table 1: Main Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways". FHWA Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
2. "WYDOT Travel Information Service (Cheyenne)". wyoroad.info. Wyoming Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
3. Archived copy (PDF) (PDF). Wyoming Department of Transportation. October 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 13, 2014. Retrieved January 30, 2014.{{cite map}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
4. "Interstate 90" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
5. "Wyoming Route Map" (PDF). Retrieved September 30, 2023.
6. Leeright, Bob (May 4, 1960). "Clearmont Asks Injunction to Block Highway". Casper Tribune-Herald. Associated Press. p. 2. Retrieved November 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
7. Bacon, Jack (January 4, 1957). "Angry Sheridan Group Protests Cheaper Route". Casper Morning Star. United Press International. p. 1. Retrieved November 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Injunction to Halt Highway Work Denied". Casper Tribune-Herald. Associated Press. June 16, 1958. p. 1. Retrieved November 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Supreme Court Denies Block to Interstate 90". Casper Tribune-Herald. Associated Press. December 6, 1960. p. 2. Retrieved November 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Wyoming, Montana officials dedicate 10-mile section of I-90 near Sheridan". Casper Star-Tribune. Associated Press. October 10, 1985. p. B1. Retrieved November 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Sheridan By-Pass Dedication Slated". Casper Tribune-Herald. Associated Press. July 27, 1962. p. 16. Retrieved November 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Del Monte Says No Funds Wasted on Buffalo Road". Casper Tribune-Herald. Associated Press. October 15, 1962. p. 18. Retrieved November 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "Highway Opening Slated At Powder River Bridge". Casper Tribune-Herald. Associated Press. October 12, 1962. p. 3. Retrieved November 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "Open Interstate". Casper Star-Tribune. United Press International. December 3, 1968. p. 8. Retrieved November 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
15. Thackeray, Lorna (October 10, 1985). "Governors plan Interstate 90 christening". The Billings Gazette. p. 2-B. Retrieved November 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
16. "Reference Marker Book" (PDF). Wyoming Department of Transportation. November 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 17, 2011. Retrieved October 31, 2010.

External links

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Interstate 90
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