WYDOT to begin work on landslide mitigation on US14 west of Dayton – expect delays

Sheridan, Wyo – The Wyoming Department of Transportation and its contractor, Coggins and Sons will begin working on repairing a three-hundred foot section of right-of-way and shoulder near mile marker 69.8 on US 14 south of Steamboat Point.

This portion of US14 is constructed on a steep slope and has been sliding for several years. WYDOT geologists have been monitoring it for some time and have determined that it is time to mitigate the slide in order to prevent the entire road from failing.

Contractors began setting up traffic control on Thursday, July 13 in preparation for work to begin next week.

Motorists will encounter a traffic signal at either end of the project.  Motorists should have no longer than a 5 minute wait at the signal. The speed limit will be reduced to 35 MPH on either end of the project and 20 MPH through the construction zone. There will be a 14’ width restriction on US 14 while the project is being completed.

A common occurrence in Sheridan County, a slope failure happens when the soils, commonly clay, become overly saturated and lose their ‘sticky’ factor and give way to gravitational pull. Most of these clays are sitting on a shale base which offers little to no resistance for the clay to adhere to. The soils become too heavy and follow the path of least resistance and fall away from the slope.

This project has a completion date of November 30, 2023.