Construction Will Close East Entrance in Fall 2018
Written by Andrew-Rossi on September 14, 2017
Yellowstone National Park officials have made a decision to allow for closure of the east entrance to the Park in mid-October next year to begin a road improvement project between Fishing Bridge and Indian Pond.
Last week, Intermountain Regional Director Sue Masica approved a Finding of No Significant Impact based on an environmental assessment recommended by Yellowstone National Park superintendent, Dan Wenk.
Out of four alternatives, park officials chose Alternative B, which includes improvements to a 3.6 mile segment of the East Entrance Road. In a press release yesterday, officials say they selected this alternative in order to address safety concerns and improve vehicle access, maintain the historic character of roads, bridges, and other historic resources in the project area; minimize the impact to natural resources; provide access for larger, modern vehicles; and minimize disruption to visitor access during construction.
The Federal Highway Administration will fund and oversee this project. Roadwork is expected to begin in spring 2018, with construction delays limited to 30 minutes. The road may also temporarily close at night or for up to several days at a time, and a complete road closure beginning October 15 is also likely to occur.
