CASPER, Wyo. — Though the majority of streets in Casper’s city limits are mostly clear of ice and snow, many roads throughout the unincorporated parts of Natrona County remain impassable. However, the Natrona County Road and Bridge Department is making headway into plowing and clearing parts of the county that have remained impenetrable, thanks in part to assistance from Converse County.
Natrona County Road and Bridge recently reached an agreement with Converse County that saw Converse provide two graters, two dozers and operators.
“They started hauling the equipment over here on Wednesday, and then we got to work right away,” Road and Bridge Superintendent Mike Haigler said. “We got to work Thursday and Friday, and they’ve been great to work with.”
Crews were able to open up Poison Spider Road over the weekend, Haigler said. Road crews have also made headway on a number of roads that remained impassable in the southwest quadrant of the county.
“Pathfinder, Buzzard and Dry Creek are all not passable right now,” Haigler said. “It’s really rough out there; there’s no path through them at all. You can get to Dry Creek, but you have to go off into the prairie where the rancher cut some roads.”
Other roads that remain completely impassible include those in the Miracle Mile area, where Haigler said some residents are fully stranded behind at least 5 miles of blocked roadways.
Haigler said Converse County’s assistance has made a big impact, especially with much of his own equipment in poor condition.
This winter has been uncommonly harsh, Haigler said.
“I’ve been doing this for 20 years and living in Casper for 70, and this is the worst winter I can remember in a very long time,” he said. “It hasn’t been since the ’60s or ’80s that I can remember us getting this much.”
Last week, the county allocated $100,000 for the agreement, from which Converse County will be paid hourly rates that differ for each piece of equipment.
Though Haigler is pleased with the progress being made thus far, he said he can’t predict when work will be finished. Any additional snowfall would not only delay work because it could undo work already done, but because heavy snowfall could necessitate Converse County temporarily recalling its equipment to plow its own roads.
