A state of emergency was declared Saturday after a section of Teton Pass Road in Wyoming collapsed, the Associated Press reported.
A large section of Teton Pass Road collapsed early Saturday morning, creating a large hole in the vital transportation corridor between the eastern Idaho town and the popular tourist destination of Jackson. according to Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon, a Republican, declared a state of emergency, allowing the state to access federal funds for road repairs, according to the Associated Press.
A catastrophic failure has occurred #Teton Pass while #JacksonHole #Wyoming and #Victor #IdahoThe pass is a major road connecting the two states and is used by many people for work and commuting. pic.twitter.com/mAPzQdBfaj
— SLCScanner (@SLCScanner) June 8, 2024
That’s it. Meanwhile, if you just go over Teton Pass, it takes maybe 30-40 minutes. This is really bad for the region, which is a major economic corridor connecting tourists with the thousands of people who live in Idaho and work in Jackson. pic.twitter.com/Di4Hvk4TYl
— Mason Moore (@_MasonMoore) June 9, 2024
“I met with Wyoming Department of Transportation and Wyoming Homeland Security officials to coordinate the response to the devastating mudslide that closed Teton Pass. I want to thank the Wyoming Department of Transportation officials for their work to keep the public safe as this situation unfolded, and I’m grateful that no one was injured in this incident,” Gordon said. Said In a statement.
Teton Pass remains closed #WyoRoad https://t.co/t8rZptOLJh pic.twitter.com/bBExBGcsWT
— Wyoming Department of Transportation (@WYDOTNews) June 7, 2024
“At this time, there is no estimated timeline for when the road will reopen. We recognize the impact this closure will have on Teton County residents, area commuters and the local economy, and we are in direct contact with local officials.” (Related article: Landslide causes road tunnel collapse in India, trapping over 30 workers)
Crews from the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) and contractor Evans Construction initially set up detours to avoid damage, but the landslide continued and the entire road was wiped out, the report said.
“The road at milepost 12.8 at Teton Pass has experienced a catastrophic collapse and is expected to be closed for an extended period of time,” WYDOT said. I have written “No crew members were injured during the operation and no equipment was damaged,” it said in a social media post.
WYDOT Director Darin Westby said: release The highway is a vital route for commuters, deliveries, medical care and tourism, especially given the limited alternatives and the onset of the summer season, he said, noting that WYDOT engineers, surveyors and geologists were quickly mobilized to keep the highway open for as long as possible.
“WYDOT remains on the scene working hard to repair the road and restore connectivity to the Teton Valley. Safety is our number one priority, and we ask recreational users and curious residents to avoid the area until the situation stabilizes,” Westby said.
The condition of the road first came to attention on Thursday, when it was reported that the road had visible cracks and sinkholes, which led to a motorcycle accident. Geologists and engineers were then sent to assess the situation, according to the Associated Press. Temporary repairs allowed traffic to resume on Thursday night, but more problems have arisen. A landslide occurred nearby early Friday and conditions worsened overnight, causing the road to be closed again, the agency reported. By early Saturday, the entire section had completely collapsed, the Associated Press reported.
Teton Pass…Yesterday there was a big crack in the road, and today there was a landslide…I wonder if there is geothermal activity…#Yellowstone Caldera pic.twitter.com/moTQLOmJRc
— JG🏴☠️ (@SoonerJG) June 7, 2024
🚨🇺🇸Catastrophic road collapse occurs in Teton Pass, Wyoming, after 24 hours of mudslides⚠️👎 pic.twitter.com/xqQtnrysdz
— Todd Paron 🇺🇸🇬🇷🎧👽 (@tparon) June 8, 2024
