Yellowstone’s East Entrance to remain open

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. – After scrapping plans to close the East Entrance for roadwork throughout May, park officials now say they won’t close the road throughout October.

The final schedule will be ready this week, spokeswoman Stacy Vallie said Monday.

Road construction planned for Sylvan Pass includes the replacement of two culverts destroyed by a mudslide last summer. The original contract called for closing the road throughout both May and October and finishing the project in the fall of 2006.

Vallie said the project is likely to extend into 2007 and may involve nighttime closures this October.

Gene Bryan, executive director of the Cody Country Chamber of Commerce, said construction in 2007 is preferable to closures this year. Bryan joined other groups in opposing total road closures.