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| U.S. Route 85 (Wyoming) | |
|---|---|
| State | WY |
| Type | US |
| Route | 85 |
| Length mi | 297.03 |
| Established | 1926 |
| Direction a | South |
| Terminus a | Carrizozo |
| Direction b | North |
| Terminus b | Boise City |
| Counties | Laramie County, Goshen County, Niobrara County, Converse County, Johnson County, Crook County, Sheridan County |
U.S. Route 85 (Wyoming)
U.S. Route 85 traverses northern-southern Wyoming as part of the United States Numbered Highway System, connecting interstate corridors and regional communities across the High Plains and the Bighorn Basin. The highway links urban nodes, military installations, and rural counties while intersecting Interstate 25, U.S. Route 20, U.S. Route 26, U.S. Route 87, and other federal and state corridors, serving freight, tourism, and energy sectors. Managed by the Wyoming Department of Transportation and coordinated with federal agencies, the route is integral to regional mobility between Cheyenne, Casper, and Sheridan.
U.S. Route 85 enters Wyoming from Colorado near Cheyenne Regional Airport, passes through Cheyenne, and runs concurrent with Interstate 25 and U.S. Route 87 toward Chugwater and Wheatland, linking to Fort Laramie National Historic Site and crossing the North Platte River near Glenrock. The corridor continues northwest through Casper, where it intersects U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 26 near the North Platte River's canyon and provides access to Edness K. Wilkins State Park and the Alcova Reservoir region. North of Mills, Wyoming, US 85 diverges, following state and federal highways toward Kaycee and the Powder River Basin, with proximity to Bighorn National Forest and Torrington. In northeastern Wyoming the route connects Sheridan and Buffalo, skirts the eastern base of the Bighorn Mountains, and proceeds to the state line with Montana and South Dakota, interacting with State Highway 59 (Wyoming), Wyoming Highway 34, and multiple Union Pacific Railroad corridors. Roadway types include rural two-lane segments, urban multilane sections, and freeway-standard interchanges near major municipalities and F.E. Warren Air Force Base access points.
The alignment through Wyoming has antecedents in 19th-century trails used during westward migration and Oregon Trail-associated traffic, later formalized by auto trails and the original 1926 U.S. Highway system that established US 85. Early improvements tied to New Deal-era programs involved the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration, while wartime logistics emphasized connections to Camp Guernsey and F.E. Warren Air Force Base. Mid-20th-century modernization paralleled the construction of Interstate 25 and influenced realignments around Cheyenne and Casper; the corridor adapted to energy booms linked to the Powder River Basin coalfield and Bakken Formation activity, prompting freight upgrades and highway safety projects. Environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act guided later bypasses and bridge replacements over the North Platte River and tributaries, with state planning referencing Federal Highway Administration standards and partnerships with the Bureau of Land Management for rights-of-way.
US 85 intersects key regional and national routes, enhancing connectivity with freight and passenger networks: - Junction with Interstate 25 / U.S. Route 87 in Cheyenne, near Cheyenne Regional Airport and F.E. Warren Air Force Base. - Interchange with Wyoming Highway 210 (Coal Valley Road) providing access to Terry Bison Ranch and Francis E. Warren Air Force Base facilities. - Crossings with U.S. Route 30 (Lincoln Highway) and interchange links to Fort Laramie National Historic Site and Guernsey State Park via U.S. Route 26. - Concurrency and junctions with U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 26 around Casper and the Alcova Reservoir corridor. - Connection to Wyoming Highway 220 serving I-25 westbound traffic and Boysen Reservoir access. - Northern links to U.S. Route 16 and Wyoming Highway 338 near Sheridan and Buffalo, with routes to Big Horn Mountains recreation areas. - State-line transitions toward Montana and South Dakota, with regional interchanges serving Torrington and Kaycee.
Spur and concurrent designations complement US 85 across Wyoming: concurrencies with Interstate 25 and U.S. Route 87 through Laramie County; overlaps near Casper with U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 26; adjacent connectors such as Wyoming Highway 91 and Wyoming Highway 59 feed regional energy and agricultural centers including Gillette and Newcastle. Historic routings intersect former auto trails like the Lincoln Highway and align with county roads serving Niobrara National Scenic River access and ranching communities tied to Fremont County and Johnson County.
Planned projects emphasize safety, capacity, and freight efficiency under WYDOT programs and federal funding streams from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Priorities include rehabilitating bridges over the North Platte River, adding passing lanes through the Powder River Basin approaches, upgrading interchanges near Casper–Natrona County International Airport and Cheyenne, and deploying intelligent transportation systems coordinated with the Federal Highway Administration and Wyoming Department of Transportation regional offices. Environmental and stakeholder consultations involve the Bureau of Indian Affairs when routes affect tribal lands, and collaboration with energy firms operating in the Powder River Basin aims to mitigate heavy-haul impacts. Long-term corridor studies examine potential reroutes to improve resilience to winter storms and support tourism to destinations such as Devils Tower National Monument, Crazy Woman Canyon, and Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area.
Category:U.S. Highways in Wyoming Category:Transportation in Laramie County, Wyoming Category:Transportation in Goshen County, Wyoming Category:Transportation in Natrona County, Wyoming Category:Transportation in Sheridan County, Wyoming