WYDOT to close U.S. 14A for season on Wednesday, November 27

Due to strong winds and poor visibility and a projected five to eight inches of snowfall and blizzard like conditions in the forecast, the Wyoming Department of Transportation will be implementing its season closure of US 14A in the Big Horns at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, November 27.

WYDOT seasonally closes this 22-mile stretch of scenic mountain road in the Big Horn Mountains of north-central Wyoming at the end of the fall hunting season.

According to WYDOT highway maintenance supervisor Dustin Hockett of Sheridan, heavy snows and relatively light traffic during the winter months makes snow removal of the mountain portion of US 14A impractical. “With the impending snowstorm coming this weekend, and high winds causing drifting near Observation Point, it has become impractical to maintain the roadway,” said Hockett.

WYDOT crews from both Lovell and Burgess Junction will make one final sweep of the US 14A route to ensure all motorists are off the mountain and then close the gates for the season around 2 p.m. today. Those seasonal road closure gates are located at Burgess Junction (just east of milepost 98.1) and on the Lovell side of the mountain near milepost 76.04.

WYDOT closes US 14A seasonally as a safety precaution rather than as a reaction to storms. This seasonal closure ties in with WYDOT’s mission of providing a safe, high quality, and efficient transportation system for the citizens of Wyoming.

During this seasonal closure, motorists can use US 14 via Granite Pass and Greybull to travel to and from Sheridan or Lovell. Motorists are encouraged to check current road conditions for this route before departing by either calling 5-1-1, downloading the WYO511 app, or going online to www.wyoroad.info.
 
WYDOT will open US 14A on or before Memorial Day weekend in May 2020. 
 
For information about this news release, contact WYDOT District 4 public information specialist Laura Dalles at 307-752-3022.
For the latest road conditions, visit www.wyoroad.info, call 5-1-1, or download the Wyoming 511 app.
Follow District 4 on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WYDOT-Northeast-Wyoming