The objective of the Platte County Road and Bridge Department is to construct, maintain, and repair all of the county roads within the county, for the safe and convenient use of the driving public. We operate and maintain a full fleet of machinery and vehicles that are used for that purpose.

Our employees consist of 5 full-time motor grader operators to work the gravel roads as well as plow snow as needed. We have one assigned to the Glendo area, one to the Guernsey area, one to the area of Chugwater, and two in the Wheatland area. We also have 3 equipment operators/truck drivers who work anywhere in the county, on any type of job, from re-graveling a non-surfaced road, to patching asphalt roads, installing cattle guards or culverts, and anything that needs done. We have a full time welder/mechanic who performs a full range of work, involving anything from a chainsaw to a motor grader to a tractor-trailer. And the superintendent does a variety of work, including operating machinery on a project, managing the budget, dealing with the public and the employees, and organizing and overseeing the work done. So that amounts to 10 full-time employees, and on rare occasions, we may have one or two part-time temporary men to fill a specific need.

It is a constant struggle to keep up with increased traffic volume, larger and heavier vehicles, and development that puts more demand on some roads. We also have to deal with the issues all of us face, such as higher equipment costs and constantly fluctuating fuel prices. Added to that is the several years of drought conditions, meaning less moisture on the gravel road surfaces, and a lack of compaction and fewer days with favorable working conditions. All of these things have made it harder to keep up with needed routine maintenance.

Larger projects, such as resurfacing of asphalt roads, chip-sealing, structure replacement, and so on are possible through use of various funding sources available through the State of Wyoming, and administered by the Wyoming Department of Transportation. Such projects can literally take years to complete, from planning to engineering to funding, and letting of contracts to get the actual work done.

The Platte County Road and Bridge Department will continue to do all it can to give attention to the needs of county roads and related structures, while balancing those needs with the limitations of shrinking budgets, less manpower than in the past, and tighter schedules.

For more about the roads and various policies of our department, we would encourage you to look at some of the other features of our website.

Encroachment Licenses

The Platte County Road and Bridge Department would like to remind residents of Platte County that encroachment licenses are required before any construction activities begin within the county road right of ways. These activities would include utility construction, approach construction, mailboxes, permanent fences, temporary fences, and signs.

Center Pivot Wastewater

Many new center pivot irrigation systems are being installed and the Platte County Road & Bridge would also like to remind irrigation users that, even though we recognize the importance of water and agriculture to our community, we also need to recognize the need to maintain the integrity of our public roads to ensure the convenience and safety of those traveling the road. In many cases, wastewater and water from center pivots are causing problems especially within the county road right of ways.

Wyoming law prohibits all wastewater and water coming from center pivot sprinkler systems to flow over or upon a county road. Fines, prosecution, incarceration, and compensation for necessary reparis may be imposed. All wastewater from center pivots have the potential to cause problems especially with the county road right of ways.

Platte County encroachment licenses may be obtained through:

Platte County R&B at 307-322-3113 or email: james.angle@plattecountywyoming.com