A major mudslide in Teton Pass, Wyoming wiped out a section of highway connecting Jackson, Wyoming to Idaho over the weekend.
On Saturday, a “catastrophic failure” occurred along milepost 12.8 of the highway after crews had spent the prior days trying to contain cracking and sinking of the roadway from mudslides.
The entire road collapsed, blocking the critical link between the two states.
While no crews or equipment were harmed, the mudslide damage could not be mitigated.
“The roadway at milepost 12.8 on Teton Pass, has catastrophically failed, and a long-term closure is expected,” the Wyoming Department of Transportation stated.
Crews “were working in the area to construct a detour around the damage, but the landslide continued to move, taking out the whole road. No crews were hurt in the process, and no equipment was damaged,” the agency added.
Officials from Wyoming DOT and the governor stated there is currently no estimated timeline for reopening the closed route, which is an important lifeline for the region.
Emergency response and plans to repair the road are ongoing.
”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,” Wyoming DOT 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,” he said.
“WYDOT remains on site decisively engaged on fixing the road and restoring connectivity to the Teton Valley. Safety is our utmost priority, and we ask that recreationists and curious residents avoid the area until it can be stabilized,” he said.
“This morning I met with state officials from the Wyoming Department of Transportation and Wyoming Office of Homeland Security to coordinate a response to the catastrophic landslide that has closed Teton Pass,” Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon wrote.
“I am grateful for the efforts of WYDOT staff to protect public safety during this developing situation, and am thankful no one was injured during this incident,” he wrote.
“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, regional commuters and the local economy, and we are in direct communication with local officials. We will continue to provide updates on the road status as additional information becomes available,” he said.
