WYDOT continues work on Elk and Dewar

The Wyoming Department of Transportation will be paving again on Dewar Drive and Elk Street next week.

The areas WYDOT is paving will need additional time to harden before vehicles can drive on the pavement. This means areas recently paved will not be accessible for half an hour to an hour.

Crews will work as quickly as possible to maintain business approaches, but some delays will be unavoidable as the paving operations pass by. Operations are tentatively scheduled for Monday, Aug. 7 through Tuesday, Aug. 15 for both Dewar Drive and Elk Street.

Operations will begin on Elk Street first, and upon completion, crews will move paving operations to Dewar Drive. Overall, crews hope to complete paving on both streets by Aug. 15.

During paving operations on Dewar Drive, access to the Belt Loop from Dewar Drive will be limited. As crews pave through the intersection, access will be closed for half an hour to an hour. As multiple lifts of pavement are planned, these half hour/one hour closures will take place up to four times during operations.

WYDOT is asking the public to take alternative routes around the belt loop access to avoid the closure and delays. Closures will be noted with advanced signing.

On Elk Street, the Springs Drive and Bellview Drive intersections will be impacted as well.  Access to the Wool Warehouse and Pacific Steel, as well as other businesses in the area, will see some temporary access closures. Again, as crews pave through the area, access will be closed for half an hour to an hour. As multiple lifts of pavement are planned, these half hour/one hour closures will take place up to four times during operations.

WYDOT asks that heavy truck drivers also take note of the temporary closures, as the closures will last longer for heavy trucks, due to the need for pavements to cool longer and harden more before carrying truck traffic as opposed to small passenger vehicles.

WYDOT strongly recommends that any kind of trailer traffic avoid the area if possible and local drivers and commuters should find alternative routes through work areas and adjust their schedules. WYDOT requests that local traffic drive cautiously, be alert in these areas and plan accordingly.

For more information on road construction, closures and weather conditions, motorists can visit WYDOT's 511 Travel and Information website.

The job was awarded to Kilgore Companies, doing business as Lewis & Lewis Inc., of Rock Springs, for $4.4 million. The work will include grading, milling and full-depth reclamation paving, as well as some bridge work repair and other miscellaneous work on about 2 miles of Elk Street and Dewar Drive. The completion date is set for Oct. 31.