Road closures necessary at times for public safety

The Wyoming Department of Transportation works hard to ensure roads remain open, but there are times that roads need to be closed to ensure the safety of the traveling public.

Closures typically occur during the winter months when ice, snow and blowing snow can make travel treacherous for motorists. However, closures can occur throughout the year due to car crashes, hazardous spills, landslides or any other unforeseen event that can make traveling dangerous.

The Wyoming Highway Patrol and WYDOT’s maintenance crews determine when to close the roads for safety.

And while closures may be a source of frustration for the traveling public, Wyoming Highway Patrol Lt. David Wagener said it comes down to the simple fact that the road is impassable.

“Conditions where the gate is at might be clear and dry, the weather is nice the roads are favorable, but that doesn’t mean that 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 miles further down that roadway, weather is completely different,” Wagener said. “You can’t see. There are huge drifts. There might be a bunch of crashes blocking the highway.”

An example of a closure that extended beyond the specific area occurred earlier this year that involved 17 vehicles. The crash occurred near Evanston, but the roads had to be closed into Nebraska. WYDOT extends the closures to ensure there are services for travelers when they enter a city. If there are too many travelers stopping in one location before the closure, that city may not have enough services to accommodate everyone.

If the closure gates are in place, motorists should never go around them. Motorists proceeding through a closed gate can get stuck on the road during the winter or can cause a crash.

During the winter when plow drivers are maintaining the roads, they don’t expect any traffic on a closed road and may be plowing into traffic to be efficient. If conditions are bad enough, they might not see a passenger vehicle until it is too late.

Beyond safety concerns, drivers who go around road closure gates can be ticketed $420 or more if they cause a crash.

“They’re closed for a reason,” Wagener said. “We understand that keeping highways open is very important. But at the same time it’s a fine balance of keeping people safe and keeping the roads open.”