The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) faces a tight budget this year and will strictly follow its plan for winter road maintenance.
That means crews will still plow the roads but they may remain snowy. Road shoulders also may not get plowed immediately and crews may have to get to those sections later or the next day. WYDOT will also continue to use road traction materials such as salt and magnesium chloride and has a budgeted amount for those supplies.
“We want to assure the public that we will continue to maintain the roads during winter storms to ensure we provide a safe and effective transportation system,” said WYDOT Director K. Luke Reiner. “Our crews will be out there diligently working to clear the roads.”
WYDOT, like other state agencies, had to make budget reductions in response to decreasing revenues. However, WYDOT has a budgeted amount of money for winter maintenance that it will use to follow the snowplow priority plan.
That plan outlines how often department crews go out and maintain high-, medium- and low-volume roads.
“We will have to strictly adhere to our winter maintenance budget, which means there likely won’t be any wiggle room to go over budget if we have a particularly severe winter,” Reiner said. “However, we will continue to provide winter maintenance services based on our limited budget.”
Additionally, school bus routes and the major highways will continue to be top priority.
“We are asking motorists to make sure they plan ahead, slow down for wintry conditions and be prepared to drive on roads that may be snowy,” Reiner said. “We will do everything within budgetary limits to ensure roads are maintained and safe for motorists.”
To view the snowplow priority plan, motorists can visit WYDOT’s website at http://www.dot.state.wy.us/home/travel/winter.html .