The Snowy Range Scenic Byway (WYO 130) Now Open for 2023 Season
Wyoming Highway 130 through the Snowy Range has officially reopened for the summer season, the Wyoming Department of Transportation announced Thursday.
According to WYDOT spokeswoman Andrea Staley, crews from Laramie and Saratoga, with some help from Arlington and Cheyenne crews, started work on the 12-mile stretch in early May with a target reopening date of Memorial Day weekend.
"Multiple rotary plows, snowcats, and other heavy equipment were used to clear drifts of snow as tall as 15 feet," Staley said in a press release.
Although the mountain pass is now open to traffic, Staley says all drivers, including motorcyclists and bicyclists, should stay alert for late-season snowstorms and watch for potential slick spots from melting snow.
Staley says WYDOT maintenance crews will also be in the area in the coming weeks to make repairs to items like guardrails and signposts damaged by snow, so drivers will want to be prepared to slow down for them as well.
WYO 130, which tops out at 10,800 feet, is one of several high-elevation mountain roads in Wyoming that closes annually in late fall when relatively low traffic and deep snow accumulations render plowing operations impractical.
Last year, the scenic byway opened for the summer season on May 26 and closed for the winter season on Nov. 10.
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