Before heading out, WYDOT officials are asking motorists to visit the department’s 511 travel information website at wyoroad. info, have an emergency kit, check their tires, plan for extra time to reach their destinations and let someone know where they’re heading. Motorists can also visit WYDOT’s 511 website at https://wyoroad.info/511/WY511Mobile.html and install the 511 app for their smartphones. n
Photo: WYDOT
Continued from front page over the past few years. There were 23 crashes for 2019-2020 winter season, eight crashes for 2018-2019, eight for 2017-2018, three for 2016-2017, seven for 2015-2016 and 13 for 2014-2015. To avoid any collisions, WYDOT officials urge motorists to pay attention, put down the distractions and drive cautiously. Motorists should stay a safe distance behind a plow until it’s safe to pass. WYDOT’s snowplows typically travel slower at speeds of 25 to 45 mph, depending on conditions. Motorists should never drive into an area of the road where they can’t see what’s in front of them. “If a motorist sees a cloud of snow ahead of them when they are driving, there’s a good chance it is a snowplow,” Reiner said. “Do not drive into that cloud. Motorists should stay back and wait to pass. If a motorists sees the plow and they need to pass, they should do so only if they absolutely need to.” However, motorists should never pass a snowplow on the right side of a two-lane road. In that situation, a snowplow could be using its wing plow, a plow that sticks out from the side of a truck, and a motorist may end up colliding with that part of the plow. To stay safe, motorists should stay far behind snowplows so they can drive on roads that WYDOT crews have maintained and also so the plow operator can see them in their rear-facing mirrors. “If you can’t see to safely pass, a plow driver probably can’t see you either,” Reiner said. “We are urging the public to use caution and have patience. The snowplow will pull over to let you pass when they are able to and when it is safe for both the snowplow driver and the motorist.”
WYDOT plows create snow clouds and unsuspecting vehicles strike the plows when making unsafe passing decisions or while driving distracted.
District Briefs Headquarters
Commission awards $15.3 million in contracts in February CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Department of Transportation will make minor repairs to eight bridges in Uinta and Sweetwater counties. The Wyoming Transportation Commission awarded a $4.6 million contract to Coldwater Group Inc., of Pleasant View, Utah, for the work on the bridges. The commission awarded that and eight other projects totaling $15.3 million at its recent meeting. For the bridge work, crews will perform minor work, which includes pavement overlays and concrete repairs. Crews will also have traffic control in
place. The contract completion date is July 31, 2022. Along with the bridge work in Uinta and Sweetwater counties, the other contracts the commission awarded including pavement resurfacing, chip sealing and other bridge work. The commission awarded Croell Inc., of Sundance, a $3.1 million bridge rehabilitation and road repair contract on US 16 beginning at milepost 26.76 between Worland and Buffalo in Washakie County. Crews will perform minor repairs to the bridge, smooth out a section of the road that was damaged due to frost and pave about 7 miles of road. The contract completion date is June 30, 2022. H-K Contractors Inc., of Idaho Falls, Idaho, was the low bidder on a $1.7 million chip seal contract. The work will take place at various locations in Lincoln and Sublette counties and within the
city of Kemmerer, which is paying for its portion. The contract completion date is Aug. 31, 2021. Reiman Corp., of Cheyenne, won a $1.7 million bridge replacement contract for a bridge on county road CN1-106, which is built over the BNSF railroad north of the community of Powder River. The community received federal funds for the new bridge. The bridge needs to be replaced because a WYDOT inspection showed the load rating has decreased due to age and wear and tear. Traffic will continue to drive on the old bridge while the new one is being built. The new bridge will be built next to the old one. The contract completion date is June 30, 2022. The commission awarded Modern Electric Co., of Casper, a $1.1 million contract for a sign replacement and intersection project at various locations in Briefs continued on page 4 March 2021
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