A large chunk of Wyoming’s Teton Pass road collapses

This photo, provided by Wyoming Highway Patrol, shows a damaged portion of Teton Pass near Jackson (Wyoming Highway Patrol, via AP), on June 8, which officials described as “catastrophically failing.”

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JACKSON, Wyo. Authorities said that a large chunk of a twisting mountain road collapsed on June 8, leaving an enormous chasm and cutting off a popular commuter route between small towns of eastern Idaho and tourist destination Jackson.

Drone footage and aerial photos of the collapse reveal that the Teton Pass Road is riven by deep cracks and that a large section of pavement has disappeared. A section of the guardrail was dangling in the void and orange traffic drums marked the danger zone. The road was closed when the collapse occurred.

The section that failed attracted attention first on June 6, when a crack in the road and a drop in the road caused a motorcycle to crash.

The geologists and engineers sent to the area on that day noticed that “that crack and drop started to move quite a bit,” said Stephanie Harsha. She is a spokesperson for the District 3 of Wyoming Department of Transportation. A paving crew temporarily repaired the road and traffic started moving again that evening.

The road was closed again in the early morning hours of June 7 due to maintenance crews being sent to a mudslide that had occurred a few miles away.

Crews noticed that the damage had become more pronounced. Workers who were trying to find a way around this section of the road left for the evening. “By 5 a.m. this morning, WYDOT discovered that the entire road had failed,” Harsha stated June 8.

“We were extremely lucky that none of our crews were injured.” She said that no equipment was damaged. Now, engineers and geologists will be doing geological assessments of the pass. They’ve been watching it all day.”

The Transportation Department said via social media the road “catastrophically” failed at milepost 12.8,

It is not clear how long the road will be reopened. This road is a vital artery to people who live in Idaho and work near the Grand Teton National Park.

Harsha said that an alternate route between Jackson, Idaho and the area around Victor, Idaho, is more than 60 miles away and adds a “fair amount” to any commute.

Gov. Mark Gordon signed a executive order declaring a state of emergency. His office stated that this would allow the state to access additional resources from Federal Highway Administration in order to begin repair works.

In a press release, the Governor said that the Transportation Department is working on a “long-term solution” to rebuild this crucial road.

Gordon said, “I understand the significant impact this closure has on Teton County Residents, regional commuters, and the local economy.”

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