Aside from wooden snow fences, why doesn’t WY build snow barriers right next to I-80?

Two things you can't change in the world. Mother Nature and drivers stupidity. Drive slower foresee snow or ice. What the problem?

 

That's because an elk over there on the hill farts and it's a 60 mph breeze that blows you off the road when it hits the interstate.

 

I believe the Nation will benefit from some sort of protected road across wyoming capable of taking anything up to 24 feet either snow sheds or tunnel. In the Alps there is a new one that loads semi onto electric rail that runs through several hundred at a time, semis. Particularly hazmat. Inside the tunnel they have a variety of systems and islands for various purposes including wrecks with designated lifehavens in regular locations as well.

Myself I never really felt I needed that running Wyoming regularly in winter unless sitting in one spot or other waiting until the storm finishes blowing through where the truck and load (And driver) is fine. And usually the following day sun comes up to reveal dozens who tried to take on the storm but failed for all to see and need recovery at some point.

 

I wish I had pictures to post but I think I can explain it pretty good...


There is a cattle rancher that lives near me. He has a very tall, maybe 15 or 20 feet high, concrete wall along one side of his corrals. This wall is used as one side of a silage pit when he has silage for feed. On the other side of the wall, as I mentioned above, are his corrals.

When we have a winter with snow and wind like a normal WY winter, the snow blows over the top of that wall and COMPLETELY buries the corrals closest to the wall. Just picture a very large corral that is 10 or more feet deep with snow.

If you think that I-80 gets bad now... It would be completely impassable for several months of the year if there was a wall right beside the road.

Ive lived and worked in the rockies my entire life. I battle a drifted drive way, and drifted roads most years. And I can tell you, after many years of trying other methods, that the best way to combat drifting is to create a place for the snow to drift upwind of whereever I dont want the drifts. That is exactly what WY has done by building the snow fences.

You will notice that in many areas along I-80 it is more than 1 snow fence, but a series of them. This increases the effectiveness they have exponentially... And yes it is the best that can be done. Perhaps they could be a little taller, but then they run the risk of loose boards becoming projectiles headed toward the road in that famous wind.

 

They used to leave I-80 open more and in much worse conditions... But because of the increase in number and severity of accidents they have started closing it down much sooner. I blame this on the stupidity of the average steering wheel holder... I mean in the last couple weeks there have been 2 pretty nasty multi truck wrecks on I-80 in WY. I cant really say I blame the state for closing the road, given the quality of the drivers out there these days.

 

From 2001 to 2015 I drove I-80 UT -WY - UT almost every night with double tanker. In early 2000 it was chain law in WY but drivers have thousand excuses why not to put chains. Delay was mostly to remove unchained stuck rigs from the road. Many car drivers were stranded in the middle of nowhere. Everyone calling 911 to get help immediately. In 2009 or 2010 WY DOT adopted new regulation to close road in bad weather. They explained it as a safety measure for motorists and chains destroy road pavement but idea to have toll road is behind. They push this toll idea for many ears but there is no alternative rout along I-80 to comply with federal requirements for toll. In 2008 or 2009 in Evanston POE girl from UW did poll between drivers about idea to load trucks on rail cars to cross WY. She was about two weeks every day.

 

I-95, and I-395 and (i think) I-84, (i think) I-91

i'll have to do a search on the proposed tolling roads.

so gimme some time, and i will post what i find.....

 

he (the Governor of CT) has been undecided whether or not to toll everyone and everything, or just trucks.

so this proposal will most likely change to either add more highways or toll everyone or only trucks..

so everyone waits for the out come.

for me, it will no affect me as much (if he tolls everyone) , if i go to the Indian casino Foxwoods, i can get around tolls in my car very easily, taking all the back roads. but frankly, i ain't been to that casino in years.

but like i have said about the RI truck only tolls, those are very arbitrary to toll just ONE segment of road users.

meaning, "it is not fair".

Gov. Lamont Proposes 14 Tolls: Here's Where He Wants To Put Them