WYDOT reopens US 191 in Hoback Canyon after clearing debris flow

May 16, 2018

MudFlow.jpgHOBACK CANYON - The Wyoming Department of Transportation recently cleared a mud debris flow that stretched over both lanes of travel near milepost 151 on US 191. Crews closed the road at 11:41 a.m. and called in heavy equipment, including a loader, to clear the mud and water from the roadway. WYDOT maintenance workers also dug out a ditch alongside the road to catch the flowing water and direct it to some nearby drainage to prevent it from running across the road. Crews were able to reopen the road at 12:49 p.m., in just over an hour. The initial estimated time of opening was set at 2-4 hours, just in case crews encountered more moving debris.

“Once you get digging and clearing out the debris, there is always a chance that more will come down pretty fast.  We are lucky we didn’t have any of that and we were able to get the work done pretty quickly,” Jackson Maintenance Foreman Bruce Daigle said. 

WYDOT maintenance crews will continue to inspect the canyon for any other potential movements.

WYDOT would like to remind drivers to slow down when driving in construction zones and be alert and cautious of roadside workers. For more information on closures and weather conditions, please visit WYDOT's 511 website.