Winter semi-truck parking project begins this week, will provide more options for safe parking
The Wyoming Department of Transportation is working to bring additional winter semitruck parking and other safety improvements to Interstate 80, with a major project scheduled to begin this week.
WYDOT’s I-80 Winter Freight project will bring nearly 100 new semitruck parking spaces to both the Fort Steele Rest Area about 7 miles east of Sinclair (mile marker 228) and at the Quealy Dome truck parking area 20 miles west of Laramie (mm 290) for a total of almost 200 new spaces.
“If weather conditions are poor or I-80 is closed, the new truck parking will provide additional options for truck drivers to park safely while they wait for conditions to improve,” said Tim Morton, District 1 Construction Engineer.
Additionally, semitruck climbing lanes will be installed on 2 miles of I-80 eastbound over Halleck Ridge (about 8 miles west of Elk Mountain, between mm 250.5-252.5) and about 2 miles of I-80 westbound between Cooper Cove and Quealy Dome (mm 279.5-281.5) near the Albany County line.
“Climbing lanes help with traffic flow, especially on inclines with steep grades,” Morton said. “They also help prevent secondary crashes when I-80 reopens after an extended road closure.”
Motorists on I-80 between Laramie and Rawlins will see minimal impacts as Simon Contractors begins the multi-year project today. Activity will start in and around the Fort Steele Rest Area.
The Fort Steele Rest Area closed along with nine other rest areas around the state in June as a cost-saving measure. Both facilities and parking at the rest area will remain closed during I-80 Winter Freight project construction. Please do not park on the on- and off-ramps of the interstate as it will potentially impede work in the area.
Once the project is complete, the Fort Steele Rest Area will reopen to the public.
The $20 million project is funded by a federal Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant and is expected to be complete in October 2022. All WYDOT project scheduling is subject to change, including due to inclement weather and material or equipment availability.
More information about this project will be released as it progresses.
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