Wyo. Code R. 045-0003-23
General Agency, Board or Commission Rules
Chapter 23: Road Closures for Special Events
Effective Date: 09/07/1994 to Current
Rule Type: Current Rules & Regulations
Reference Number: 045.0003.23.09071994
Section 1. Authority. These rules of practice and procedure are promulgated by authority of W.S. 24-2-105.
Section 2. Purpose of Rules. These rules are intended to provide uniform and understandable interpretation of W.S. 24-1-106, and to establish uniform statewide criteria for permitting state highway closures, including partial closures, for a special event or athletic event.
Section 3. Definitions.
(a) Department means the Wyoming Department of Transportation.
(b) State highway system means all highways under the jurisdiction of the Wyoming Department of Transportation.
(c) Daylight means one hour after sunrise to one hour before sunset.
(d) Permit means an application approved by the Department to conduct a special event or athletic event on a state highway outside the corporate limits of any city or town.
(e) 'Special event or athletic event' means any event which is held outside the corporate limits of any city or town on a state highway but cannot comply with all applicable traffic statutes or ordinances.
(f) 'Partial or complete closure of a state highway' means the closing to traffic of any roadway, lane or other portion of a state highway or any other restriction to the normal use of a highway.
Section 4. General Guidelines.
(a) The Department may issue permits for the closure of state highways for special events upon terms and conditions relating to the safe and orderly movement of traffic that the Department finds necessary. All applications for special event road closures are contingent upon the concurrence of county governmental authorities if the closure would restrict the use of any county road in the unincorporated area of the county.
(b) If an event calls for closure of a state highway within an incorporated city or town, for which there is no readily accessible alternate route, the city or town shall request Department approval for the closure.
(c) The Department, in issuing permits for the use of state highways, shall not be responsible for the conduct or operation of the permitted activity.
(d) The permit applicant shall agree to indemnify and hold harmless the State against any and all claims, for acts or omissions committed by other than state employees, arising out of any activity for which the permit is issued. (e) Special event permits will not be issued for the Interstate highway system. (f) Events on state highways outside corporate limits of a city or town requiring a permit will be allowed only during daylight hours. (g) The permitting process is not limited to single event applications; provided, that applications specifically address multiple events scheduled throughout the year. (h) No permit is required for any special event where participants comply with all applicable traffic statutes and highway traffic is not stopped, delayed or detoured.
(a) Authorization to conduct a special event on the state highway system requires a permit from the appropriate District Engineer at least 60 days prior to the event. The district engineer shall respond not later than 30 days after receiving an application. (See attached Department District map) (b) The District Engineer may waive the 60-day requirement provided the permit process can be completed, without compromise, within a shorter time period. (c) No state highway closure outside the incorporated limits of a city or town shall be authorized without an approved special event permit.
(a) Approval of special event permits shall be granted only under conditions which: (i) Provide reasonable safety for all event participants, spectators, and other highway users; (ii) Prevent unreasonable interference with traffic flow which would seriously inconvenience other highway users. (b) Requests for approval of special events must include: (i) An event description stating all information pertinent to an understanding of the event. (ii) A map showing the highways on which the event will be held. (iii) Completion of a Department special event permit application.
(c) If the special event's course only crosses a state highway, the District Engineer may limit permit requirements to crossing control measures.
(d) The permittee if not an incorporated city or town, or a county insured by or consistent with the state self-insurance program, shall provide insurance coverage in an amount and to the extent required in the permit.
(e) The permittee shall agree to pay actual costs of the Department in providing any personnel costs beyond that normally available for the conduct of the closure. Such costs shall include any regular or overtime salaries, and will be predetermined upon issuing the permit.
(f) All litter that results from the event will be removed from state highway and rights-of-way immediately after the event by the permittee.
(g) Failure by the permittee to comply with all permit conditions shall be cause to disqualify the permittee from future event applications.
(a) The permit applicant shall provide a traffic control plan which adequately describes all traffic control measures deemed necessary. The traffic control plan must comply with the national Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
(b) A detour route for an event requiring a permit must be provided if closure of a state highway exceeds 30 minutes or if the Department determines the driving public is unduly inconvenienced regardless of the duration of the closure.
Section 8. Variance. The District Engineer may, on the advice and with the consent of the appropriate Highway Patrol supervisor, permit any special event which in his professional opinion will not compromise the safety of the traveling public.
(a) The appropriate Wyoming Highway Patrol Supervisor may immediately cancel any special event for reasons of public safety or if the highway closure is not implemented in a manner consistent with the special event permit terms and conditions.