The City of Casper has issued an announcment regarding the construction of a new ANB Bank, located at the intersection of East 2nd Street and South Kimball Ave. The former location of Wyoming Optical Eyeglass Factory was torn down earlier this year.
The location of construction for the lot was the matter of discussion at a recent Casper City Council meeting. Keith Rolland, identified in council meeting minutes as a Casper resident, addressed the Council and requested safety improvements at the intersection during construction.
“In this case we really need to do something, we need to move the fence, possibly, into the construction property,” Rolland said during the public comment portion of the City Council meeting on June 20th. Â “Remember kids are walking around here, when parents assume there’s a sidewalk down there when they send their kids to the library.”
The City of Casper released the following statement on Friday June 23rd:
Construction of a new ANB Bank at 485 E 2nd Street will include the construction of new sidewalks, ADA infrastructure, curb, and gutter along with the removal of the existing right-turn lane and island. The removal of the right-turn lane and island was designed with the intent to reduce traffic speeds at this corner and increase pedestrian safety.
Casper-adopted building codes require that any building more than 8 feet in height and between one-fourth and one-half the height of construction from the lot line to be fenced off. In addition, Casper building codes require the protection of pedestrians by either providing a walkway into the street with barricades or providing signage to redirect pedestrian traffic.
The City of Casper Building Department has enforced the above codes for the protection of pedestrian traffic along this site. Because construction requires the removal and reinstallation of the existing curb, gutter, and sidewalk along 2nd and Kimball Streets for the length of the construction site, it was determined that the barrier was required. Rather than closing a lane of traffic to create a temporary pedestrian walkway along E 2nd Street and S Kimball Street, it was determined to close the sidewalks and allow all traffic lanes to remain open.
Currently, the ANB Bank contractor is in the process of providing signage to redirect pedestrians to the north side of E 2nd Street and to the west side of S Kimball Street. This signage will be in place beginning the week of June 26, 2017, and will remain until completion of the project.
The City of Casper would like to thank the public for their patience during this time of construction.
