UPDATE: The Wyoming Department of Transportation has opened an interim detour through Teton Pass just three weeks after the Big Fill landslide severed the Teton Valley.
WYDOT has also set a goal to fully rebuild the pass before the worst of winter.
“Together with our stakeholders, partners, contractors, and community advocates, we were able to accomplish this major feat in a matter of weeks – despite expectations that it would take months, or even years - all while keeping safety paramount,” said John Eddins, WYDOT District 3 Engineer. “Of course, we have so many to thank for this achievement.”
The interim detour relieves workers of a 4-hour commute through the pass following the collapse.
UPDATE: The Wyoming Department of Transportation has announced that an interim detour around the Big Fill landslide at milepost 12.8 will open on Friday, June 28 after weeks of construction.
“We saw the viral video of the collapse, and it is a testament to the expertise and dedication of our Wyoming Department of Transportation that they were able to mobilize to construct this temporary road WYDOT is now working diligently on the next steps for the full rebuild, keeping motorist safety paramount,” Governor Mark Gordon said. “Our residents, commuting workforce and visitors – this road is open to you. I applaud everyone who has come together to solve this problem and help – that’s the Wyoming way.”
WYDOT is encouraging drivers to be cautious and aware of the reduced speed in the area, due to the sharper curvature of the interim detour, and to obey all posted traffic signs. You can learn more about driving Teton Pass after the collapse here.
UPDATE: Crews on Tuesday began paving the interim detour at Teton Pass. Officials hope to have the detour opened to traffic by the end of the week.
UPDATE: As of Monday, June 24, WYDOT crews are about halfway done with installing box culverts in the area of the landslides at Teton Pass, which will improve drainage.
Update: The Wyoming Department of Transportation released an update on June 23 that the design of the detour at Teton Pass will improve overall drainage in the area.
Stormwater drainage evaluations are a standard part of construction and WYDOT says that the appropriate measures will be in place to ensure proper drainage for both the temporary detour and future reconstruction.
The design of the detour addressed drainage improvements by contouring the fill to ensure no ponding of water and allowing water flows to be directed away from the detour.
UPDATE: The USDOT's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced the immediate availability of $6 million in “quick release” Emergency Relief funds for WYDOT to offset the costs of repairs in the Teton Range caused by a landslide earlier this month.
“The Federal Highway Administration is working closely with the Wyoming Department of Transportation to repair the damage caused by the landslide at Teton Pass. The Emergency Relief funding we are providing will help get repairs done as soon as possible and restore temporary access to the area during the busy summer tourist season.”
This emergency federal funding helps WYDOT fix Teton Pass without needing to rebudget funds for current and future construction projects around the state.
UPDATE: Contractors will be hauling crushed base and asphalt to the detour site at milepost 12.8, beginning tomorrow, June 21. Crews are asking all bicycle traffic to utilize the pathway or the Old Pass Road on the east side to access the area for recreation and refrain from cycling on the road throughout the weekend. The safety of cyclists and recreational users is paramount during this time, as there will be more construction traffic on Teton Pass during this time.
Officials hope to have the detour paved and the detour opened to traffic by the end of next week. More updates on what day that will take place will be available next week.
UPDATE: Teton Pass remains closed as crews continue work on the interim detour for the landslide at milepost 12.8. WYDOT and contractors have also begun work on drainage improvements for the mudslide at milepost 15.
Crews are nearing completion of the dirt work to construct a temporary detour around the impacted slide area. Crews will then begin preparing the area for paving operations.
Officials hope to have the detour paved by the middle of next week, and open to traffic soon after. In the meantime, commuters are still being asked to detour around, using U.S. 26 through Swan Valley and then into the Snake River Canyon.
The new detour will feature a paved roadway with two 12-foot lanes, one in each direction, and will also have concrete barriers protecting motorists from any hazards, according to WYDOT. The detour will create a slightly sharper curve and steeper grade. WYDOT plans to reduce the speed through the area to accommodate the grade and increased curvature.
WYDOT engineers are working internally with their geologists, environmental services and planning and design departments to develop long term reconstruction options.
UPDATE: U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg met with WYDOT Director Darin Westby on Monday for updates on the emergency repairs underway on Teton Pass. Buttigieg said that the U.S. Department of Transportation will be doing what they can to support WYDOT’s work to construct a detour and get the pass reopened.
UPDATE: Crews with Evans Construction and WYDOT Teton County are working around the clock on a temporary detour along the Teton Pass.
WYDOT says the detour is being built along the inside curve of the highway. In the meantime, geologists have continued drilling and studying the slide area.
WYDOT reminds that Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and the Teton Valley are still open to tourists. The department urges you plan ahead if your route is impacted by the closure.
UPDATE: WYDOT Teton County crews continue to work on a detour to open Teton Pass up to traffic.
The crews are hopeful that the interim detour will be in place within two weeks, weather permitting.
Teton Pass is a vital highway for commuters as the busiest two-lane highway in Wyoming.
WYDOT is continuing to work closely with the US Forest Service and other agencies to secure the area and determine a long term solution to the collapsed roadway.
WYDOT geologists and engineers have confirmed that they are confident in their ability to build a safe temporary detour around the landslide, which they expect to open in a few weeks.
According to WYDOT, law enforcement and maintenance crews began investigating the roadway after a motorcycle accident on June 6, the driver was not seriously injured.
The road was temporarily repaired with a dura patch and was reopened, but on June 7, maintenance crews responding to a nearby mudslide realized that the ground had continued to move at milepost 12.8.
Later that night, the roadway collapsed.
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon released an emergency declaration following the collapse at milepost 12.8.
“We are closely monitoring this ongoing situation, and Wyoming Department of Transportation personnel are working diligently to develop a long-term solution to rebuild this critical roadway,” Governor Gordon said. “I recognize the significant impacts this closure has to Teton County residents, regional commuters and the local economy.”
Teton Pass is a vital highway for commuters as the busiest two-lane highway in Wyoming.
Jackson Hole has announced that they will continue to welcome visitors through alternative paths during the closure. To get to the area, they suggest taking HWY 26 and HWY 89 via the Snake River Canyon.
Travelers are encouraged to stay up to date with the latest road information and obey all roadside signs and traffic control devices in the area.
The roadway through Teton Pass is still closed following a catastrophic landslide that only escalated over the weekend. Now, WYDOT staff are working to develop a long-term solution to rebuild the roadway.
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon shared a video of the road as it continues to collapse via Facebook. He recently met with WYDOT and the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security to develop a response.
If you're planning to drive through Teton Pass anytime soon, make sure to check the road conditions and watch for closures and detours.
The roadway at milepost 12.8 was damaged due to a landslide on June 6 and on June 8, the road catastrophically failed. No crews were hurt in the process and no equipment was damaged, but a long-term closure is expected, according to the Wyoming Department of Transportation.
”We understand this highway is a lifeline for commuters, deliveries, medical care access and tourism, especially with limited alternatives and the summer season upon us," WYDOT Director Darin Westby said. "WYDOT engineers, surveyors and geologists mobilized quickly to try to maintain highway viability as long as possible, but catastrophic failure could not be avoided. WYDOT remains on site decisively engaged on fixing the road and restoring connectivity to the Teton Valley."
WYDOT, with help from the Idaho Transportation Department, is working to repair the pass, but drivers and tourists currently must detour 30 to 75 minutes to access Jackson Hole through US-89 toward Hoback Junction.
UPDATE: Oftedal Construction has provided another large piece of equipment to the site at milepost 12.8 on WYO 22. The piece of equipment is called a "sheepsfoot" and is one of the most common types of compaction equipment. This is to help compact roads and foundations for the site. The crew has currently been using a smaller version of this sheepsfoot, but now having this larger one will help cover more ground.
