[[{“value”:”A large section of the Teton Pass road, a effectively- traveled mountain pass highway connecting Jackson, Wyoming, and eastern Idaho collapsed in a landslide.
Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks are accessible from Jackson.
According to the Associated Press,” a large portion of the pavement disappeared entirely and deep cracks were visible on the Teton Pass road after it collapsed,” according to aerial photos and drone footage.
The road slowly deteriorated, with much of the pavement splitting off as a result.
It was closed at the time of the collapse.
At milepost 12.8,” Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon shared video footage from a person who practically perished as the ground gave way,” wrote Collin Rugg.
A timeline for reopening the road is not known, according to Gordon.
” At this point, we do not have an estimated timeline for the road to reopen. I recognize the impacts this closure has to Teton County residents, local commuters and the local economy, and we are in direct communication with native officials”, Gordon said.
WATCH:
NEW: Landslide destroys the Teton Pass highway connecting southeast Idaho to Jackson, Wyoming.
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon shared video footage from a person who almost perished as the ground shifted toward milepost 12.8.
Sadly, no one was injured but a 30- minute… pic. twitter.com/NIjbDxRw6m
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg ) June 9, 2024
From the Associated Press:
The section that failed on Thursday, when a crack and drop in the road caused a motorcycle to crash, attracted attention.
According to Stephanie Harsha, a representative for District 3 of the Wyoming Department of Transportation,” that crack and that drop started to move a lot” when geologists and engineers were dispatched to the area that day. A paving crew partially patched the road, and traffic started moving once more that night.
However, that was only temporary because maintenance crews were dispatched to deal with a mudslide a few miles apart on Friday, which caused the road to be reopened.
The damage to the pavement had finally grown more severe, according to the crews. Workers trying to figure out a detour around that section left for the night,” and by 5 a. m., this morning, WYDOT had discovered that the road had fully failed”, Harsha said Saturday.
” We were very, very happy that no crews were harmed. No equipment was damaged”, she said. Engineers and geologists are currently conducting geographical assessments on the pass. They’ve been looking at it all day”.
The transportation department claimed on social media that the road” dramatically failed” at milepost 12.8.
Teton Pass ‘ catastrophic failure between Victor Idaho and Jackson Hole. It serves as a major gateway to commerce and commuters. Going to be a difficult summer for both employers and businesses! pic. twitter.com/EhjgyCmvnl
— Mark Lyon (@TurfSimba ) June 8, 2024
The New York Post reports:
It was not immediately known how long it would take to reopen the highway, which is a crucial road for people who reside in Jackson, a well-known tourist attraction that connects Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park, to those who live across the border in Idaho and work there.
Director of the Wyoming Department of Transportation, Darin Westby, addressed these concerns in a statement and claimed the fatal failure had to be prevented.
” 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 engineers, surveyors and geologists mobilized quickly to try to maintain highway viability as long as possible, but catastrophic failure could hardly be avoided”, Westby said.
” WYDOT is still firmly committed to repairing the road and restoring connectivity to the Teton Valley. Safety is our top priority, and we ask that residents and recreationists stay away from the area until it can be stabilized.
An alternative route between Jackson and the area of Victor, Idaho, goes more than 60 miles out of the way and adds “quite a bit to any commute”, Harsha said.”}]] [[{“value”:”
A landslide has destroyed a large section of the Teton Pass Road, a popular mountain pass connecting Jackson, Wyoming and eastern Idaho.
Jackson is the gateway for Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park.
The Associated Press reported that “Aerial photographs and drone videos of the collapse showed the Teton Pass Road riven with cracks and a large section of pavement disappeared completely.”
The road slowly collapsed. It went from a few cracks to a large piece of pavement breaking apart.
It was closed when the collapse occurred.
Collin Rugg wrote: “Wyoming governor Mark Gordon shared video footage from milepost 12.8 of someone who almost got swept away when the ground gave way.”
Gordon said that a timeframe for reopening of the road was unclear.
“At this time, we don’t have an estimated date for the road to be reopened.” Gordon said, “I am aware of the impact this closure will have on Teton County residents and commuters in the region, as well as the local economy. We are in direct contact with local officials.”
WATCH:
NEW: Landslide destroys Teton Pass Highway connecting eastern Idaho to Jackson Wyoming.
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon shared a video at milepost 12.8 of a person who almost got swept away when the ground gave way.
Thankfully, no one was injured however a 30-minute… pic.twitter.com/NIjbDxRw6m
Collin Rugg June 9, 2024
The Associated Press:
A motorcycle crash on Thursday was attributed to a road crack and a drop.
The geologists and engineers sent to the area on that day noticed that “that crack and drop started to move quite a bit,” said Stephanie Harsha. She is a spokesperson for the District 3 of Wyoming Department of Transportation. A paving crew temporarily repaired the road and traffic started moving again that evening.
The road was closed again in the early morning hours of Friday due to maintenance crews being sent to a mudslide that had occurred a few miles away.
Crews noticed that the damage had gotten worse. Workers trying to figure out how to detour around this section left for the evening. “By 5 a.m. today, WYDOT discovered that the road was completely failing,” Harsha stated Saturday.
“We were extremely lucky that none of our crews were injured.” She said that no equipment was damaged. Now, engineers and geologists will be doing geological assessments of the pass. They’ve been watching it all day.”
The Transportation Department said via social media the road “catastrophically” failed at milepost 12.8,
Teton Pass collapse between Jackson Hole, Idaho and Victor, Idaho. It is a major artery for commuters, and commerce. It’s going to be a tough summer for businesses and employees! pic.twitter.com/EhjgyCmvnl
— Mark Lyon (@TurfSimba) June 8, 2024
The New York Post reports on:
It was not immediately known how long it would be before the highway reopened. This is a vital route for people who live in Idaho and work at Jackson, a popular tourist destination that serves as the gateway to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.
Darin Westby, Director of the Wyoming Department of Transportation, addressed these concerns and said that this catastrophic failure could not be avoided.
“We know that this highway is vital for commuters, deliveries and medical care, as well as tourism, especially now that summer is here and there are few alternatives. WYDOT engineers and geologists mobilized to try to maintain the highway’s viability for as long as possible. However, a catastrophic failure was not avoided, said Westby.
“WYDOT is on site and working to fix the road, restoring connectivity in the Teton Valley. Safety is our top priority. We ask that curious residents and recreationists avoid the area until the road can be stabilized.
Harsha said that an alternative route between Jackson, Idaho and the area around Victor, Idaho, is more than 60 miles away and adds a “fair amount” to any commute.
“}]]
