Slide repair project beginning this month on WYO 296 (Chief Joseph Scenic Highway); public information meeting scheduled June 25 at Chief Joseph RV Park

A $5.8 million slide repair project near the 8,070-foot summit of Dead Indian Pass is slated to begin this month on Wyoming 296 (Chief Joseph Scenic Highway) northwest of Cody.

Condon Johnson and Associates, Inc., of Kent, Wash., is the prime contractor.

"All work except the chip seal and reclamation must be completed by Oct. 31, 2020," said Wyoming Department of Transportation resident engineer Todd Frost of Cody.

A public meeting hosted by WYDOT will take place at 1 p.m. Friday, June 25, to provide information about the slide repair project in the parking lot of the Chief Joseph RV Park near the Clarks Fork River. Residents of the area are invited, along with anyone else who would like to attend.

The slide repair project on 0.2 miles of WY296 at milepost 32.50 (about 15 miles west of WY120) involves installation of 119 39-inch-diameter drilled shafts to stabilize the slide area. "Drilling will go 50 to 70 feet deep into bedrock, and the drilled shafts will be connected by a concrete cap," Frost said. "The slide area/highway will be reconstructed and paved after installation of the drilled shafts."

Frost said a 12-foot-wide, single-lane detour will be in place during construction. "The detour will be controlled by a traffic signal during non-working hours, and possibly with flaggers during working days," he added.

"Anticipated working hours are 6 days a week, 12 hours a day," Frost said. "Work is anticipated to start the week of June 22, and motorists should expect delays of up to 20 minutes."

A 12-foot width restriction will be in effect through the project. 

For information about WYDOT's work, contact WYDOT public relations specialist Cody Beers at (307) 431-1803.