WYDOT District 4 Snowplow Priority Plan and Winter Maintenance Strategy

By Laura Dalles, WYDOT District 4 Sr. Public Relations Specialist

This season’s winter forecast may seem bleak. Still, Wyoming Department of Transportation
District 4 maintainers have reviewed their winter snow and ice response plan and are ready,
eagerly awaiting the snow. WYDOT’s winter response plan is structured around clear customer expectations: delivering continuous, accessible highway routes from origin to destination, enabling unimpeded mobility whenever possible, and maintaining safe travel conditions across state routes.

These expectations reaffirm their commitment to connecting people to places, products to markets, and supporting local communities throughout the winter weather season.
To fulfill these commitments, WYDOT focuses on the following four primary objectives during
winter storm events. Sustaining customer mobility by maintaining open highway routes for as
long as feasible through proactive plowing and clearing; enhancing roadway safety by
conducting continuous snow and ice control operations across high-priority corridors down to
the final snowflake; working to promptly reopen roads by working efficiently to clear snow drifts and reopen closed routes rapidly following major winter weather events; and prioritizing
maintainers’ safety by protecting winter road crews and equipment as they operate under harsh conditions.

WYDOT prioritizes the plan and snow removal operations based on key metrics, including
average annual daily traffic (AADT) counts, peak usage hours, essential economic corridors
(such as mining and production industries and interstates), school bus routes, emergency
medical service routes, and crucial highway junctions and intersections. This criterion sets
WYDOT’s levels of service for all routes within the State.

Level I includes high-volume roads such as Interstate 90, Interstate 25, major interchanges, and some urban or heavily traveled primary and secondary routes such as WYO 59 and WYO 450. They are manned for 20 hours daily between 4 a.m. and midnight. Shifts and crews are
staggered to meet manpower and equipment needs

Level II roads are primary and secondary medium-volume rural highways that act as collectors, such as U.S. 14, U.S. 16, and U.S. 87. They receive approximately 16 hours of snowplow
coverage; normal hours for these types of roads are from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Level III roads are low-volume primary and secondary roads that typically carry local traffic such as WYO 345, WYO 196, and WYO 51. These roads receive 12 hours of service each day,
usually from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Every school bus route at this level always receives special
attention.

Level IV roads are seasonal closure roads that are typically closed no later than the end of
November and often open in time for Memorial Day weekend. Those dates are weather- and
snowpack-dependent. In District 4, that route is U.S. Highway 14A west of Burgess Junction.
Primary corridors are maintained on a two-hour cycle during heavy storms to keep roadway
accumulation below 2 inches, based on a snowfall rate of 1 inch per hour. Higher snowfall rates, especially combined with wind, make maintaining this standard more challenging.
During state athletic events, all routes are manned accordingly, with direct lines of
communication with all district transportation directors, principals, and drivers.

Road surface treatment options

Multiple factors determine the treatment a road surface receives, including storm type, precipitation amount, moisture content, road surface temperature, ambient temperature, sun vs. clouds, and wind. Plowing snow when the wind is blowing adds a challenge to snow removal. Many times, operators find themselves chasing their tails when managing drifting snow. Depending on wind speeds and direction, operators must adjust the angle of their plow blades and determine whether to apply sand. Sand not only adds traction to the road surface for motorists, but it can also add traction for blowing snow, offering something for the snow to stick to, which then creates drifts.

When appropriate, highway crews utilize a salt-and-sand mixture, typically combining liquid
deicers with sand applications to melt snow and ice and boost traction. The blend — 5% salt
and 95% sand — enhances traction across all temperatures. The liquid solution, made of 70%
salt brine and 30% beet juice, is applied to pre-treat roads and clear packed snow; the beet
juice lowers corrosiveness while broadening the brine’s effective temperature range.

Morning road and travel

Between October and April, crew members are assigned a week of road and travel duty
beginning at 3 a.m. Typically, one maintainer from each WYDOT shop location makes rounds
throughout the area to determine road conditions, decide if and where resources need to be
deployed, and relay that information to their foreman, who then assigns crew members. Road
conditions are sent to WYDOT’s Traffic Management Center (TMC) to be shared with the public via the Wyoming511 app and at http://Wyoroad.info.

Why we close the roads

While WYDOT operators remain dedicated to keeping highways accessible and helping
travelers reach their destinations safely, severe conditions can still force route closures. Key
factors that prompt road closures include zero visibility, black ice, heavy snowfall exceeding 1
inch per hour, and multi-vehicle crashes requiring extended cleanup. Reminder: It is against the law to drive on a closed road, carrying a maximum fine of $750 and 30 days in jail. (W.S. 24-1-109). Occasionally, WYDOT will utilize rolling closures to manage traffic flow by holding vehicles in nearby towns until local resources and services can handle the volume. This can be frustrating for motorists when local weather conditions indicate no need for closures. For those who reside along primary routes, the Wyoming Travel Authorization Program (W-TAP) provides an access code to pass through certain closures for essential work, home, or livestock needs. Individuals interested in this program can sign up at https://w-tap.wyoroad.info/w-tap/.

Traveler information and safety resources

In addition to the W-TAP program, WYDOT offers other resources to inform and engage
motorists about road conditions throughout the state. WYDOT reminds drivers that safe travel
relies on staying informed before heading out. Real-time road conditions, traffic cameras, and
weather updates are accessible via the official WYDOT 511 traveler information mobile app,
511 highway information system real-time road condition maps, ITC roadside devices, WYDOT
District 4 social media pages, and regional radio for local news updates. Public cooperation stands as a vital asset for WYDOT throughout winter operations. Drivers are strongly urged to avoid unnecessary travel when adverse conditions arise.

A single stranded motorist can trigger extended route closures or impede plow operators and law enforcement from reopening roadways efficiently. Motorists are urged to adjust travel plans during major winter storms, exercise caution when approaching snowplows, and ensure vehicles are equipped with appropriate winter emergency supplies.