This story is part of our Quick Hits series. This series will bring you breaking news and short updates from throughout the state.
Twenty-three cars have crashed into road closure gates since 2020. The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) says this has been increasing in recent winters.
WYDOT said drivers sometimes miss or ignore signage alerting the highway is closed. Often, cars drive at full speed and crash into the gate on the other end because they didn’t realize the road was closed.
“What drivers don’t understand is that they’re racing to be the first one on a closed road, not the last one on an open road,” said WYDOT Assistant Chief Engineer Mark Ayen.
WYDOT said road closure signs, like overhead digital messaging signs, must be followed, even if WYDOT staff haven’t made it to a road closure gate yet.
“The gates have to be hand cranked, which often means someone has to leave their plowing route to travel to the gate and lower it,” said Ayen. “Sometimes that can take as long as 45 minutes, especially for remote locations. We don’t want folks driving on what they think is an open road while we’re making our way to the gates.”
Fixing and replacing gates has cost almost $180,000 in the five last years.
WYDOT asks people to pay attention to signage and check 511 before traveling to make sure a road is open.
