I-80 Exit 242 Highway Crashes (health insurance, maintenance, budget)

[Brian_M]

Originally Posted by OneDawg

Before, when they knew there was a whiteout. Truckers talk to each other. There's the big stop in Rawlins and the other in Laramie. You can't tell me they (WYHP) didn't hear.......

Never lived/driven in Wyoming I see (SIC)... conditions can/do change in an instant. Many times I've been caught in conditions that caused road closures AFTER passing the barrier for that section. That stretch of I80 can go from windy but normal to whiteout in a second, and back to normal (windy but visible) 5 seconds later and stay normal for an hour or more.How do you make the call to shut it down when you may or may not have sustained whiteout conditions ~ and WERE they sustained? I don't know if that section has automatic gates or not (been too long since I've been through so they may have changed and I simply don't remember more than the locations), but if they're manual... it takes someone to go out and shut them. Limited personnel, perhaps occupied with something Else when the call comes in, will also give delay if the cal is/was made.


And the bottom line is that each individual with a license, in operation of a vehicle is independently responsible. If the weather is that bad, they were the ones in Direct control of the vehicles and could have all slowed down. It's Wyoming fer the love of... you're saying that someone else should be making a decision for you that YOU should be making for yourself. Perhaps you've been in Georgia too long.... I know, I'm just outside of Columbus myself, the stupidity is infectious and dang near all encompassing.


Back to building my Ark for these floods.

[nm9stheham]

Originally Posted by Brian_M

And the bottom line is that each individual with a license, in operation of a vehicle is independently responsible. If the weather is that bad, they were the ones in Direct control of the vehicles and could have all slowed down. It's Wyoming fer the love of... you're saying that someone else should be making a decision for you that YOU should be making for yourself.

Amen.... I get to deal with the outcomes of hurricane evacuation calls in the Outer Banks of NC. No matter which call is made or when, some will question it, and even get angry. Too many conflicting interests and views on how things should go.



Doesn't help anyone to Monday morning quarterback thins like this...IMHO. Learn from it and work to do better next time.

[maciesmom]

We drive this stretch several times a year. I've white-knuckled it a number of times. We've taken to flying from Denver to RS during the winter and spring. Not worth it.

[OneDawg]

Originally Posted by Brian_M

Never lived/driven in Wyoming I see (SIC)...

If you are implying that I've never lived or driven there - YOU ARE WRONG. I lived in Park County for 28 yrs and drove all the roads and interstates. My point being that IF WY DOT knew there was a storm coming and didn't put out bulletins (like they did in the 1980s) on the radio to be aware of changing conditions, then they are certainly at fault.

I realize after driving 5M safe miles across the USA - there's always a chance that a sudden storm could blow in/out in 30 min. I've experienced that in other states. The truckers channels always blow up with that information. As do the Flying J truck stops. The info is always available. Been many a time when I'd be in Butte fueling up to be told at the fuel desk - you might want to stay overnight.

[GoshWyo]

https://www.sweetwaternow.com/dramat...AUpNK2siDd-2YY

[ScottStielow]

Originally Posted by sunsprit

as it not unusual during inclement winter driving conditions here, it doesn't take much to trigger some serious accidents on the interstate West from Cheyenne through to the Rock Springs area.
There are some especially dangerous locales, such as by Elk Mountain/Arlington areas.

The recent I-80 crash scene resulted in over 24 vehicles tied up and 3 fatalities, with about 20 more folk seriously hurt.

What was striking was how so many more vehicles kept piling up into the wreck carnage. A pretty clear case of those pro drivers overdriving for the conditions.

WYDOT posts that the highway won't be opened again until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest.

There's a youtube video posted which shows many additional trucks plowing into the already crashed vehicles in a similar accident scene from years ago. Search youtube: " 4/16/2015 I-80 Wyoming crash as it happened. Video by unknown"

The accident made it out to our local news outlets here on Oahu. Looked pretty bad.

[EH466]

WYDOT is damned if they do, damned if they don't in these situations. I-80 had been closed 50 something times this year prior to this crash. EVERY time it's closed WYDOT catches hell from drivers, industry and armchair experts about how it should've been open. Never mind the strain on the locales that get stuck absorbing all the traffic that encounters a road close gate.


Speaking of WYDOT...they are continually short staffed with double digit vacancies for maintenance personnel and Highway Patrol Troopers. The state legislature refuses to pay competitive salaries or provide pay raises while again and again cutting their retirement and health care benefits. The esteemed Senator from Sheridan said recently these folks "Need to take one for the team." I guess the 20 or so snow plows that got rear ended this year, and several Troopers who nearly lost their lives when they were hit by commercial vehicles just aren't "Taking one for the team." in his eyes.


You had practically every Trooper from Evanston to Laramie involved in some shape or form with this crash. Wreckers called in from the ENTIRE stretch of I-80 in Wyoming.


Meanwhile the legislature debated about abortion and prohibiting gun buy backs. They refused to consider any revenue options for I-80 to add additional truck lanes, emergency pull outs and other improvements which would make the road safer. They also did absolutely nothing about our MASSIVE revenue problem and the fact that we have a 20% yearly turnover rate of state employees who were working insane hours on this wreck.


End rant.

[nowhereman427]

Originally Posted by EH466

WYDOT is damned if they do, damned if they don't in these situations. I-80 had been closed 50 something times this year prior to this crash. EVERY time it's closed WYDOT catches hell from drivers, industry and armchair experts about how it should've been open. Never mind the strain on the locales that get stuck absorbing all the traffic that encounters a road close gate.


Speaking of WYDOT...they are continually short staffed with double digit vacancies for maintenance personnel and Highway Patrol Troopers. The state legislature refuses to pay competitive salaries or provide pay raises while again and again cutting their retirement and health care benefits. The esteemed Senator from Sheridan said recently these folks "Need to take one for the team." I guess the 20 or so snow plows that got rear ended this year, and several Troopers who nearly lost their lives when they were hit by commercial vehicles just aren't "Taking one for the team." in his eyes.


You had practically every Trooper from Evanston to Laramie involved in some shape or form with this crash. Wreckers called in from the ENTIRE stretch of I-80 in Wyoming.


Meanwhile the legislature debated about abortion and prohibiting gun buy backs. They refused to consider any revenue options for I-80 to add additional truck lanes, emergency pull outs and other improvements which would make the road safer. They also did absolutely nothing about our MASSIVE revenue problem and the fact that we have a 20% yearly turnover rate of state employees who were working insane hours on this wreck.


End rant.

What is the starting salary for State Trooper?

[rya700]

Regarding state jobs it isnt just pay/benefits. Alot of the positions/departments have poor reputations for working conditions, nepotism and favoritism, ect also leading to high turnover rates.

[nowhereman427]

Originally Posted by rya700

Regarding state jobs it isnt just pay/benefits. Alot of the positions/departments have poor reputations for working conditions, nepotism and favoritism, ect also leading to high turnover rates.

It's the same here too.
San Francisco PD makes over $120,000+ per year last time I heard so it's more now.
No college degree required.