'Catastrophic collapse' captured on main road near Yellowstone

US News

By Isabelle Keane

A huge section of a main road leading to Jackson, Wyoming – the gateway to Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Park – collapsed in a landslide just as the peak summer tourist season was getting underway .

Dramatic photos captured the gradual collapse of the Teton Pass Road, which went from a few small cracks to the complete loss of much of the roadway in a matter of days.

It started Thursday when Wyoming Highway 22 was briefly closed as crews worked to repair a crack and drop in the road that contributed to a motorcycle crash.

Geologists and engineers sent to examine the road noticed “this crack and blob started moving a lot,” according to Stephanie Harsha, a spokeswoman for the Wyoming Department of Transportation's District 3.

A paving crew temporarily repaired the road and it reopened later that night.

However, the road's problems only worsened Friday morning when it was closed again due to a dramatic mudslide, the Wyoming Department of Transportation wrote on social media.

The teams then noticed that the damage to the roadway had become more pronounced. Photos shared by the Department of Transportation show major cracks, but hours later the road was “catastrophically failing.”

“We were very lucky that no crew was injured. No equipment was damaged,” Harsha said. “So now engineers and geologists are doing geological assessments on the pass. They watched it all day.

It was not immediately clear how long it would take to reopen the highway, which is a vital route for people who live across the border in Idaho and work in Jackson, a popular tourist attraction that serves as a gateway for many visitors to Yellowstone and Grand. Teton National Park.

Wyoming Department of Transportation Director Darin Westby addressed these concerns in a statement and said the catastrophic failure could not have been avoided.

“We understand that this highway is a lifeline for commuters, deliveries, access to medical care and tourism, especially with limited alternatives and the summer season approaching. WYDOT engineers, surveyors and geologists quickly mobilized to try to keep the highway viable for as long as possible, but catastrophic failure could not be avoided,” Westby said.

“WYDOT remains on site, committed to repairing the road and restoring connectivity to the Teton Valley. Safety is our top priority and we ask recreationists and curious residents to avoid the area until it can be stabilized.

An alternate route between Jackson and the Victor, Idaho, area is more than 60 miles away and adds “a little bit to any commute,” Harsha said.

Gov. Mark Gordon signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency, which his office says will help the state access additional resources from the Federal Highway Administration to begin necessary repair work.

With post wires.