US 14A spring opening scheduled at noon Thursday, May 23

The annual spring opening of US 14A between Burgess Junction and Lovell will occur prior to Memorial Day weekend this year - precisely, at noon Thursday, May 23.

The opening of US 14A is dependent upon favorable weather.

"We have a storm forecast with the worst weather expected Tuesday and Wednesday, so we are waiting until Thursday at noon to take another look," said Wyoming Department of Transportation maintenance foreman Jason Fleming of Lovell. "We will likely have to run a plow truck up the mountain even after we get it opened, at least through the weekend."  

The Burgess Junction side of the mountain will do the same.  "There was considerably less snow this season, so clearing the roadway took less time than expected and will be easier to maintain as the snow melts off,"  said Wyoming Department of Transportation maintenance foreman Tom Anderson of Burgess Junction. 

For current road conditions, call 511 or wyoroad.info.

"When the road opens for the season, drivers are encouraged to drive safely and buckle up," Fleming said.

The annual winter closure of US 14A, west of Burgess Junction, is at milepost 76.04 on the Lovell side of the Bighorn Mountains. The seasonal road closure at Burgess Junction is just east of milepost 98.1. WYDOT annually closes this 22-mile stretch of scenic mountain road in the Bighorn Mountains of north-central Wyoming about Nov. 30 at the conclusion of the fall hunting season. It usually opens for the summer by Memorial Day weekend.