2022-08-18, 06:18 PM
West Side road is one that I believe they have gated in the past, even if it was passable to a good 4WD vehicle, until they got the whole length regraded. Someone correct me if my memory is wrong on that!
I think this is because it is so long and so easy to access that many people with inappropriate vehicles would try it and get stuck. Would take too many resources to keep rescuing folks so they just gate it until is repaired. In the past West Side Road has usually been repaired fairly quickly as it is often only washed out in one or two places and is a high priority road to get fixed.
The decision to open it or not this time might also depend on getting Badwater Road open past Badwater. I can’t recall a time that West Side was open but Badwater Road closed. Again, my memory is imperfect though!
I think this is because it is so long and so easy to access that many people with inappropriate vehicles would try it and get stuck. Would take too many resources to keep rescuing folks so they just gate it until is repaired. In the past West Side Road has usually been repaired fairly quickly as it is often only washed out in one or two places and is a high priority road to get fixed.
The decision to open it or not this time might also depend on getting Badwater Road open past Badwater. I can’t recall a time that West Side was open but Badwater Road closed. Again, my memory is imperfect though!