ROCK SPRINGS — Work begins Monday on the first phase of concrete slab repairs being done on the South Belt Loop in Rock Springs.

The first phase of work will see the closure of the intersection between Blair Avenue and Walnut Street, which the Wyoming Department of Transportation believes will last about a month. During the course of the project, work crews with DeBernardi Construction will sequentially close segments of the South Belt Loop, with the first half of the project being divided into four phases. Following that portion, the second half of the project will begin in mid-summer and be split into five phases.

According to WYDOT, crews will be able to identify the exact dates for the start of the second half of work and the project progresses. Drivers are encouraged to avoid the area and find alternative routes to their destinations as traffic will be allowed through the work zone. Work is scheduled to be complete by Oct. 31.

The project phases and closures are as follow:

• Phase 1 – Blair Avenue to Walnut Street, estimated closure time is 28 days
• Phase 2 – Walnut Street to Stable Lane, estimated closure time is 20 days
• Phase 3 – Stable Lane to Donalynn Drive, estimated closure time is 10 days
• Phase 4 – Donalynn Drive to Marchant Street, estimated closure time is eight days
• Phase 5 – Marchant Street to Prairie Avenue, estimated closure time is 18 days
• Phase 6 – Prairie Avenue to James Drive, estimated closure time is 20 days
• Phase 7 – James Drive to Ninth Street, estimated closure time is 12 days
• Phase 8 – Dewar Drive to West Center Street, estimated closure time is 12 days
• Phase 9 – West Center Street to Blair Avenue, estimated closure time is 12 days