Teton Pass set to reopen Friday afternoon with interim detour in place
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The following is a news release and photos from the Wyoming Department of Transportation.
JACKSON, Wyoming — Teton Pass is set to reopen Friday afternoon with an interim detour around the Big Fill landslide at milepost 12.8.
WYDOT Teton County officials began work on a detour around the site immediately after its collapse on June 8. Crews from Evans Construction and WYDOT personnel have been working around the clock for the last three weeks to construct a paved, two-lane detour to connect the severed communities in the Teton Valley.
“We saw the viral video of the collapse, and it is a testament to the expertise and dedication of our Wyoming Department of Transportation that they were able to mobilize to construct this temporary road WYDOT is now working diligently on the next steps for the full rebuild, keeping motorist safety paramount,” Governor Mark Gordon said. “Our residents, commuting workforce and visitors – this road is open to you. I applaud everyone who has come together to solve this problem and help – that’s the Wyoming way.”
The current 60,000 lbs gross vehicle weight restriction will remain in place as the road opens. There will be no additional restrictions.
Trailer traffic will be allowed, but WYDOT encourages drivers to be cautious and aware of the reduced speed and obey all traffic signs.
WYDOT’s professional geologists have evaluated the stability of the detour roadway. Geotechnical analysis confirms that the temporary detour meets or exceeds minimum requirements as outlined in guidance from the Federal Highway Administration. The calculated factor of safety for stability of the detour exceeds 1.2, with 1.1 being the minimum acceptable to WYDOT’s professional licensed engineers.
WYDOT remains committed to monitoring the area with geologic infrastructure, including real time information on subsurface movement and ground based radar detection, along with personnel inspections.
The new detour is roughly 600 feet long, with a grade of 11.2 percent and a sharper curvature. The speed limit will be reduced to 20 mph through the area.
More information about driving Teton Pass is available here.