Laramie area winter road maintenance (Centennial, Albany: rental, school district, landlord)

[fish_guy]

Hello all -

My wife and I will be moving to the Laramie area in the immediate future. I have been offered a position with a well-established local employer. We have identified--remotely, at that--an affordable rental option that allows pets and has enough room for our horses. We have lived in the country for the last several years in SW Montana and have dealt with snow and ice on our winter roads but we've always had relatively easy access to US highways (i.e., US 191) from our more remote residence. The US highways in and around SW Montana were always the first plowed during snowstorms allowing us relatively easy access to nearby population centers for shopping, work, etc.

The residence we've identified is outside of Laramie some distance. I presume that WY130 is well maintained because of the Snowy Range ski area; how well is WY11 maintained between Centennial and Albany? Does anyone have an idea? I have an answer from the landlord; I'd like a local opinion.

Thanks -

Fish

[jody_wy]

When I went to College in Laramie I lived out of town on a ranch one of 3 winter had alot of snow. I actually had to drive thru the field had a key for a locked gate and drove in next to the rail road tracks a couple time just for tests, the wind was so bad the county would't plow the road till the storm was over the other 2 years there was never any problem other then when I-80 was closed when I wanted to leave Laramie

[sunsprit]

Originally Posted by fish_guy

Hello all -

My wife and I will be moving to the Laramie area in the immediate future. I have been offered a position with a well-established local employer. We have identified--remotely, at that--an affordable rental option that allows pets and has enough room for our horses. We have lived in the country for the last several years in SW Montana and have dealt with snow and ice on our winter roads but we've always had relatively easy access to US highways (i.e., US 191) from our more remote residence. The US highways in and around SW Montana were always the first plowed during snowstorms allowing us relatively easy access to nearby population centers for shopping, work, etc.

The residence we've identified is outside of Laramie some distance. I presume that WY130 is well maintained because of the Snowy Range ski area; how well is WY11 maintained between Centennial and Albany? Does anyone have an idea? I have an answer from the landlord; I'd like a local opinion.

Thanks -

Fish

Your best indication of how well the road will be maintained is to check with the school district for bus routes. If the roads accessing the place you are looking at are on the school bus routes, these will have the next highest priority to the main roads in the area because the school buses must get through. Keep in mind that the priority is for the Mon-Fri school bus transit, and weekends may not receive the same treatment. Similarly, holiday days may get a lower priority for clearing the roads.

Keep in mind that the school buses are rather capable vehicles, with a lot of weight on a pair of duals in the back and a long wheelbase to help with tracking. They are fairly capable vehicles in a lot of conditions where it isn't so prudent to drive many cars.

[GirlWithAHorse]

Hwy 130 is completely exposed to the wind, and blowing snow can overcome any/all road maintenance efforts. There is one spot a couple of miles west of Highway 11 (towards the ski area and the town of Centennial) that can be a whiteout when other parts of the highway aren't too bad. My guess is that Highway 11 is not a high-priority road for clearing. It's mostly ranches out that way, with a snowmobile resort at the end of the road.

Albany County is one of the poorest counties in Wyoming, so our snow removal isn't the best. Winter driving here is a challenge when it's snowing. When it stops snowing, there isn't much of a problem. If it were me (grammar?) I would seek an affordable option in West Laramie for my animals and my family. On the other hand, the southern Centennial valley is lovely, and if you don't mind being 30 miles from "town" (other than Centennial, which is a wonderful, tiny mountain enclave), you could really love it there. Good luck!

[sunsprit]

Originally Posted by GirlWithAHorse

Hwy 130 is completely exposed to the wind, and blowing snow can overcome any/all road maintenance efforts. There is one spot a couple of miles west of Highway 11 (towards the ski area and the town of Centennial) that can be a whiteout when other parts of the highway aren't too bad.

The same can be said for virtually all of the roads in SE Wyoming.

The strong winds and gusts not only can obliterate the road (and visibility) during the time of the snowfall, but for many days afterwards will blow the snow around from surrounding terrain and repeatedly obliterate the roads. Snow plows need to keep clearing the roads until the snow is either piled up in hard drifts that aren't so mobile, or the snow by the road finally melts or sublimates and is no longer there to get blown onto the roadway again. In some winters, the roads will build up a hard snowpack, but at least that's driveable and defined where it's at, and some places are consistently worse than others each year.

[ElkHunter]

Remember, snow does not melt in Wyoming. The wind just blows it around until it wears it out.