June 10, 2024 |
Photo – Area of collapse on Highway 22 over Teton Pass – Courtesy Teton County
Aerial photos and a drone video provided by WYDOT show the devastation along a section of Wyoming Highway 22 over Teton pass. A large chunk of both lanes of the mountain road collapsed on Saturday, leaving a gaping chasm down the hillside below the spot where milepost 12.8 once stood.
Governor Mark Gordon issued an Executive Order declaring an emergency in response to the catastrophic failure of the important route.
Multiple mudslides led to the catastrophic structural failure of the roadway. The governor’s declaration will help the state access additional resources from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to begin the substantial repairs required.
In a release on Saturday, Governor Gordon said, “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.”
The emergency declaration also notes that the catastrophic slide endangers the health, safety, economy, and resources of the residents of Wyoming.”
The section that failed first drew attention Thursday last week when a crack and drop in the road contributed to the crash of a motorcycle.
Cracks in Highway 22 showed up last Thursday - Courtesy Teton County
Geologists and engineers who were sent to the area that day noticed “that crack and that drop started to move a lot,” said Stephanie Harsha, a spokesperson for District 3 of the Wyoming Department of Transportation. A paving crew temporarily patched the road, and traffic began moving again that night.
The fix was short-lived. Maintenance crews were sent to respond to a mudslide a couple of miles away in the pre-dawn hours of Friday, prompting the road to be closed once again.
No estimate on a possible completion date for repair of the roadway has been issued. WYDOT will issue ongoing updates about the catastrophic failure. Video footage of the current condition of the roadway may be viewed here.
The Governor’s Executive Order may be found here.
