Weather Closes Hundreds of Miles of I-80, Other Wyoming Highways
Long segments of Wyoming highways were closed on New Year's Day due to winter weather, while gusting winds forced officials to close other roadways to light, high-profile vehicles.
The most significant closure was Interstate 80, which was shut down in both directions between Rawlins and Laramie due to winter weather conditions. WYDOT expected to reopen the highway between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday.
The eastbound lanes of I-80 between Rawlins and Rock Springs were also under a "rolling closure." This type of closure is implemented to keep traffic from stacking up in small towns and stranding travelers during long-duration closures.
The westbound lanes of I-80 between Rawlins and Rock Springs are open, allowing travelers to head away from the area that is closed due to winter weather. Although it was open, WYDOT reported the road surface was slick in spots with some drifted and blowing snow, as well as black ice near Rock Springs.
A rolling closure was also in place for WY 430 between the Colorado border and Rock Springs, with no estimated reopening time.
Also closed was I-25 between Cheyenne and the Colorado state line. The road closed due to a crash, with no estimated reopening time as of 10:10 a.m.
US 30/287 was closed to all traffic between I-80 at Walcott Junction and Highway 34 near Bosler, with no estimated reopening time. That highway was also closed to light, high-profile vehicles between Highway 34 and Laramie with an extreme blowover risk.
All highways in and out of Muddy Gap in central Wyoming were also closed. WY 220 between WY 487 and Pathfinder Road was expected to reopen sometime between roughly 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., but there was no estimated reopening time for the highway closer to Muddy Gap or for US 287/WY 789 in that area.
WY 487 was also closed in the Shirley Basin between Medicine Bow and the northern junction with WY 77, which itself was closed due to the typical seasonal closure as well as winter conditions.
WY 135 was closed between Sweetwater Station and WY 139 with no estimated reopening time, and the US 287/WY 789 closure closure extended to the junction with WY 28.
I-25 was closed to light, high-profile vehicles between Cheyenne and Wheatland due to strong winds. I-80 had the same restriction in place between Laramie and Cheyenne.
In the Casper area, Outer Drive was also closed to light, high-profile vehicles between Mills and Evansville.
For the latest road conditions, call 511, visit WyoRoad.info or download the Wyoming 511 app.