Wyoming’s notorious winters are marked by some of the most severe durations of snowfall, freezing rain and blowing snow. Western Wyoming’s winter conditions are severe and unlike any other region, with winds exceeding sustained speeds of 30-40 miles per hours with gusts to 50 or 60 miles per hour. The wind, coupled with snowfall and snow drifting, can create blizzard conditions, wind chills and ice pockets that challenge any road maintenance team.
For those who must travel, WYDOT is offering these winter driving tips:
• First and foremost, wear your seatbelt. It will save your life.
• Make sure your vehicles are in top operating condition.
• Bring along safety supplies and be prepared. Carry a sleeping bag, blankets, flashlights, non-perishable food, water, matches and fire starter, cell phone, a good shovel, flares, and even sand or cat litter for traction.
• Let someone know when you leave and when you’ll arrive at your destination.
• Keep your gas tank full of fuel.
• Drivers of some vehicles may want to carry tire chains.
• If you’re stranded during the winter on the open road, stay with your vehicle. Your vehicle is your protection against winter weather, and staying with it offers your best refuge and protection of surviving a blizzard. If running your vehicle’s engine while stranded, make sure exhaust pipe doesn’t become plugged with snow.
• And, know before you go. For Wyoming road conditions this winter, call 511, or log on to http://www.wyoroad.info or download the WYDOT app.
WYDOT is also asking the public to be aware of their snow plows out working on the highways. When crews are working the roads, the trucks will display amber, red and blue flashing lights that are mounted on top of the cab and on the back of the sanders.
Snow plows are huge machines, capable of moving tons of snow every minute. Operators of these snow plows are highly trained professionals. These snow plow professionals need cooperation from drivers so they can do their jobs and keep the road safe for drivers. WYDOT recommends giving them room to operate. With limited visibility, snow plow drivers can’t see vehicles behind them if the vehicles are too close to the plows.
To aid maintenance teams and add to safety, variable speed limit signs are posted across Interstate 80, to slow traffic when conditions deteriorate, in order to provide a more safe traffic flow.
“WYDOT and Highway Patrol would also like to remind travelers that those changing limits are not suggested speeds, and those speeds will be enforced and drivers can and will be ticketed for exceeding them,” Stephanie Harsha, Public Involvement Specialist with WYDOT, said.
If conditions become exceedingly detrimental to travel, WYDOT will not hesitate to close roads to traffic until they can be reasonably safe to travel. Every effort is made to keep high priority roads, such as Interstate 80, open to travel, in order to continue the flow of economic goods and services, to avoid hindering public travel as much as possible.
“Winter maintenance is and always will be a great challenge, but the crews at the Wyoming Department of Transportation have and will continue to pursue the best possible ways to combat the brutal Wyoming winters and provide a safe, efficient transportation system for its users,” Harsha said.
For information about road conditions and closures, visit http://www.wyoroad.info.
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