Natrona County sends heavy‑traffic policy to 45‑day public comment after Coats Road safety briefing

The Natrona County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to send a draft resolution that would create a procedure for regulating heavy commercial traffic on designated residential access roads out for 45 days of public comment.

The action came after a staff briefing on safety problems at Coats Road (County Road 503), a roughly 2.6‑mile residential road where county staff said traffic counts are low but conditions include drifting snow, short stacking distances at the stop on CY Avenue and steep approaches that can produce high speeds on connecting roads. Commissioners and city staff also discussed the limits of state authority at the CY Avenue intersection and the need to coordinate with WYDOT.

Why it matters: the resolution is intended to give the county a consistent path to identify roads where heavy truck use poses risks to safety, driveway access and neighborhood character and to set permitting or restriction options. County leaders said the resolution will be an umbrella policy; specific roads would be listed and could be added or removed through an addendum.

Mike Hagler, a county road and bridge staff member, told the board Coats Road is posted at 35 mph, has a typical traffic count of about 455 vehicles per day and was the subject of roughly five recorded accidents in the most recent counting period. "The traffic count on that road is about 455 cars per day," Hagler said, describing residential traffic, winter drifting and white‑out conditions that increase plowing and sanding needs.

Tom Brower, chief operating officer for the City of Casper, said the city portion of Coats Road was paved in 2021 as part of a local assessment district and that the city classifies that section as a residential road, not a collector or arterial. "It is classified in the city as a residential roader, not as a collector or an arterial," Brower said, noting the lack of curb and gutter on the paved portion.

Commissioners and staff repeatedly noted that WYDOT controls the safety devices and access on CY Avenue, and that the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and WYDOT traffic‑warrant processes govern whether additional turn lanes or signals will be permitted. Commissioner discussion focused on the county's statutory duty to keep county roads safe and on whether the county should adopt a policy that clarifies how staff recommendations will be converted into county decisions.

The board approved the motion to publish the resolution for public comment by voice vote with no recorded opposition. County staff said the 45‑day clock will begin after the required legal publication appears in the Casper Star‑Tribune and on the county website. The board also said it will collect written comments during the period and consider amendments before taking a final vote after the comment window closes.

Public comment at the meeting also included remarks about a separate, upcoming State Lands Board hearing on gravel leases that could affect nearby slopes; a commenter urged commissioners to monitor potential gravel extraction proposals that could generate heavy truck traffic on local roads.

Next steps: county staff will finalize the public notice for publication, compile written comments during the 45‑day period and return a revised draft for the board to consider at a future meeting.