Massive chunk of Wyoming’s Teton Pass crumbles; unclear how quickly the road can be rebuilt
JACKSON, Wyo.– Much of the winding Teton Pass has collapsed, creating a yawning sand crevasse along the mountain pass that provides a crucial link between small towns in eastern Idaho and the tourist destination of Jackson, Wyoming.
The road was closed at the time the section of road fell away, authorities said Saturday, after a mudslide a few miles away and amid ongoing concerns about a crack in the road that first drew attention Thursday after a motorcycle accident. It’s unclear how long it will take to rebuild the road, a common commute route for people who work in expensive Jackson but live across the border in Idaho. Jackson is also close to the popular Grand Teton National Park.
Part of the reason for the motorcycle crash was cracks and dips in the road, said Stephanie Harsha, a spokesperson for the Wyoming Department of Transportation’s District 3. Geologists and engineers sent to the area Thursday “noticed that that crack and that drop started moving a lot,” she said. A paving crew temporarily repaired the area and traffic began moving along the highway again that night, she said.
The opening was short-lived. About 3:30 a.m. Friday, maintenance crews were sent to a mudslide over a portion of the pass a few miles away, closing the road again, she said. While that was being cleaned up, the road remained closed Friday because the crack and dip had become more apparent, she said. Crews trying to figure out a detour around the site left for the night “and by 5 a.m. this morning, WYDOT had discovered the road was completely out of service,” Harsha said.
“We were very lucky that no crew members were injured. No equipment was damaged,” she said. “So now engineers and geologists are doing geological assessments on the pass. They looked at it all day.”
The department’s social media post said the road had “catastrophically failed” at mile marker 12.8. Gov. Mark Gordon signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency. The state would have access to additional funds from the Federal Highway Administration to begin repair work, according to his office.
“We are closely monitoring this ongoing situation and the Wyoming Department of Transportation staff is working diligently to develop a long-term solution to rebuild this critical roadway,” Gordon said in a statement. “I recognize the significant impact this closure has on Teton County residents, regional commuters and the local economy.”
Harsha said there is an alternate route to Jackson that adds about 60 miles, which is “quite a lot for any commute,” she said.