Delays expected on Greys River Road through August 2
by Bridger–Teton National Forest
July 24, 2012
The Bridger–Teton National Forest will be applying magnesium chloride for dust abatement on the Grey’s River Road during the week of July 30 through August 2, 2012.
"The fewer vehicles we have on the roadway while the material is applied to the road surface, the better the result will be," said Greys River District Ranger Adam Mendonca. "We will reap the benefits of less dust and a better road surface longer if we can minimize splashing the material around by driving over it," he said.
Traffic control flaggers will be present along the roadway and visitors are asked to be mindful of the workers and reducing their speeds. "There likely will be slight delays while the product is being applied to the roadway," said Mendonca. "The temporary inconvenience will hopefully be worthwhile for the benefit to all of us who use the roadway for our recreational pursuits," he said.
The workers will be applying the material to the road surface for approximately the first 15 – miles of the roadway or roughly to the Murphy Campground area.
Driving around on Forest Service roads is a popular recreation activity in the summer time in the Bridger-Teton National Forest. There are some additional things that the Forest would like motorists to keep in mind.
Most of the Forest Service roads in the Bridger-Teton, and in most national forests in the Intermountain Region, are single lane gravel roads, with turnouts. These roads are commonly steeper and windier than public highways, and probably most important, they were designed and constructed to be single lane roads.
Drive at a speed where you can stop in ½ the distance that you can see down the road. That way, when you meet someone who just came out from around a blind corner, you can each stop before hitting the other vehicle. In particular, motorists should reduce their speeds on dirt or gravel roads to prevent making so much dust that it decreases your sight distance. It is best to enjoy your journey through the forest and the scenery along the way instead of rushing to your destination and creating a dust storm for the motorist behind you.
Stay to the right side of the road around blind corners. Usually the sharp blind corners have wide spots for the outside lane to use. Make it your regular practice to swing wide around these corners in case someone is coming the other way. These roads were built for limited traffic volumes. Today there are far more vehicles driving around in remote parts of the forest.
Another thing to know about driving on dirt roads on steep mountainsides is that the outside road shoulders are often soft. Drivers should try to not drive on the outside one or two feet of the road, especially during the spring, winter, any time the road is wet or slippery, or after a recent forest fire. Doing so can increase the chances of rolling the vehicle down the mountainside.
Motorists are also reminded to stay on designated travel routes and roads. Visitors are encouraged to stop by the Ranger Stations to pick up a travel map and inquire about local Forest road conditions.
If you have any questions, contact the Grey’s River District office at 307-886-5300.
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