Yellowstone Halts Road Work for Holiday Weekend

Date: July 1, 2009
Contact: Al Nash, 307-344-2015
Contact: Stacy Vallie, 307-344-2015
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior

Yellowstone National Park
P.O. Box 168
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 1, 2009 09-049
Al Nash or Stacy Vallie (307) 344-2015

Work on two road projects in Yellowstone National Park will be temporarily halted so visitors can travel through the park without delays over the July 4th holiday weekend.

There will be no road work, delays, or overnight closures on the road between Norris and Madison through Gibbon Canyon from 8:00 a.m. Friday morning, July 3, until 8:00 a.m. Monday morning, July 6. Motorcyclists are urged to use caution traveling through this area due to loose gravel.

The cold-in-place recycling project underway between the Lewis River Bridge and the park’s South Entrance will also be halted from 6:00 p.m. Friday, July 3, until 6:00 a.m., Monday, July 6.

Outside the park, there will be no delays Friday through Sunday on the section of US-212 between the park’s Northeast Entrance and Cooke City, and no delays on the Beartooth Highway between Clay Butte Lookout to the Montana/Wyoming state line from Friday noon until Monday morning.

Visitors should allow plenty of time to travel inside the park this weekend, as traffic and wildlife jams often cause delays. The maximum speed limit in park is 45 mph, unless otherwise posted. All occupants of the vehicle must wear a safety belt and children must be in proper restraints. Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol is illegal and laws will be strictly enforced.

While fireworks displays are held in many communities surrounding the park, none are offered inside the park. Fireworks are prohibited in Yellowstone National Park and on all national forest land surrounding the park.

The National Weather Service forecast indicates Mother Nature may offer her own fireworks show over the holiday weekend. The latest forecast calls for daytime highs in the 60s and 70s, and overnight lows in the 40s, with a chance of afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Updated road information is available 24 hours a day at (307) 344-2117. Calling (307) 344-2114 will provide the current status of available camping and lodging in the park. Visitors can get to the latest weather forecast at (307) 344-2113, or by listening to the NOAA Weather Radio station broadcasts from transmitters located at Mammoth Hot Springs and Grant Village.