News – Sheridan Media
US Highway 14A in the Big Horn Mountains is still closed for the season, and one truck driver found out the hard way.
According to WYDOT, sometime during the weekend (April 21st-23rd), a truck driver was driving a vehicle westbound on 14A, somehow got around the road closure gate near Burgess Junction and proceeded to drive on the 22-mile section of closed highway.
The driver made it to the Crystal Creek rest area which is just on the other side of the seasonal closure area, before getting into trouble, tried to turn around and got stuck.
Cody Beers is the public information officer for the Northwest District of WYDOT.
He says it is unknown if the driver was using a GPS device, and if it was used, that section of highway is a not a good area for someone to rely on that technology.
Cody Beers
“Don’t depend on your GPS, because programs inside your vehicles are going to lead you astray if you don’t cross check with good websites like wyoroad.info. Know before you go and I’m sure that truck drove by a sign that said ‘road closed ahead’ and pay attention to those signs.”
WYDOT snowplows crews normally don’t reopen the seasonal closure area of US Highway 14A to motor vehicle traffic until around Memorial Day.
That section of highway is normally closed during the winter, because too much snow in the area, combined with too little traffic, make snowplowing efforts impractical.
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Last modified: April 24, 2023