Wyoming

[andy3175]

Update on WYO 22... according to WyDOT, construction to build a detour of the collapsed section of WYO Hwy 22 over Teton Pass could be ready for driving by the middle of next week.

https://cowboystatedaily.com/2024/06/18/teton-pass-temporary-fix-could-be-paved-and-re-open-by-middle-of-next-week

An end may be in sight for Jackson, Wyoming, workers who live in Idaho and have had to add hours of extra travel a day to get around a "catastrophic" failure of Highway 22 that has kept Teton Pass closed for a week and a half.

On June 8, a large chuck of the mountain slid away from under Highway 22 at milepost 12.8, sending it into the ravine below. This event and the full-blast, 24/7 road reconstruction effort is now being referred to as the "Big Fill Slide."

On Monday night, the Wyoming Department of Transportation announced that officials hope to have a temporary rerouting of the road paved by the middle of next week and the road opened to traffic "soon after."

Opened about an hour ago. Will post a non-FB link if I stumble across one.

https://www.facebook.com/100064686821344/posts/pfbid0KPpTdTSGiSdRHA9EZDzKbFmDf6ppSmo5Fkc15LpFMAXNSAKsF4ixQtYf1VXKJtBVl/?

On May 1, 2025, The Wyoming Department of Transportation reported to the Joint Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Committee (see https://www.wyoleg.gov/Committees/2025/J08) that the slope failure/landslide that caused Wyoming Highway 22 to collapse and slide off Teton Pass on June 8, 2024, was not avoidable and was caused by extreme, fast-changing weather conditions. The Big Fill Slide project was a rapid reconstruction effort to build the temporary roadway shown in the following photo from WyDOT. However, additional work is needed for the permanent solution.



https://cowboystatedaily.com/2025/05/03/failure-that-caused-teton-pass-to-slide-off-mountain-was-unavoidable-wydot-says/

The actual mudslide that caused the collapse was triggered several thousand feet up the mountain from where the road was eventually wiped out, leaving several feet of mud over the top of the highway. ...

Shortly after the slide, Gov. Mark Gordon issued an emergency declaration, allowing WYDOT to be able to apply with the federal government for emergency repair money. ... Under this program, for the first 180 days after an event, the feds will reimburse 100% of all costs. After that, the costs move to a 50/50 split with the state.

A box culvert was installed on Teton Pass by WYDOT to better channel mud during future runoff and high moisture events. This came at a cost of $1.4 million. ...

Two days after the Highway 22 collapse, WYDOT started developing plans for a temporary detour route to get the road back open, and on June 28, 2024, they accomplished that — just 20 days after the slide wiped out the road. ...

About one week after the slide, WYDOT also issued a request for proposals for a permanent reconstruction of the road. The agency decided to build the road back as it had been prior to the slide.

Fulton said some members of the public questioned why they didn't move the road to avoid future slides. Doing so would've increased Highway 22's 10% grade to 22%, or required the construction of another horseshoe switchback in the road, he said. ...

The actual work on this part of the project started in September, with work continuing through Dec. 16. Fulton said the work stopped at this point because the quantity of snow became too much to overcome. ...

Stabilizing the slopes above the incident cost about $11 million and installing drainage pipes and various foam glass aggregates for the base of the road cost another $30 million.

[bing101]

Road Guy Rob takes a tour of the tunnel in Wyoming.

[rte66man]

https://www.dot.state.wy.us/news/final-paving-work-on-the-big-fill-slide-will-close-teton-pass-for-the

Final paving work on the Big Fill Slide will close Teton Pass for the weekend of June 21
June 6, 2025
Jackson, Wyo.  The Wyoming Department of Transportation and contract crews from Ames Construction will be entering the final phases of work this month on the Big Fill Slide on Wyoming State Highway 22, Teton Pass. As crews pave the final stretch of new roadway, WYDOT will need to close the road to traffic for the weekend of June 21. The closure is planned to begin the evening of June 20, at 6 p.m. and will run through Saturday and Sunday, opening back up on Monday, June 23 at 6 a.m. Crews will work 24 hours a day, with an hour by hour schedule to expedite the work. During the closure, drivers will have to detour around Teton Pass using US 26 through Swan Valley and then into the Snake River Canyon.

During the closure, WYDOT and crews will be milling, grading, placing crushed base, paving, installing guardrail and signs. WYDOT came to the decision after weighing alternative schedules with the contractor, discussing how they could accommodate the work with the least amount of impact on drivers and commuters.

"We really only had two options. We could do the work under a lane closure, which would only give drivers one, alternating lane of travel for ten days or more. If we did that, it would cause extensive delays and wait times for drivers for weeks, backing up traffic on the mountain every day. Those delays would likely be longer than the detour around during commuter times. After discussing with the contractor and local stakeholders, we thought it was best for the community if we just close the road and get the work done quickly in one weekend," WYDOT resident engineer Bob Hammond said.

During the weekend closure, WYO 22 will be closed to vehicles at the Coal Creek Campground on the west side of the pass and closed to vehicles at the mile marker 7 road closure gate on the east side of the pass. During that time, bicyclists and recreationalists will still have access to Coal Creek Campground on the west side, as well as access to the top of Teton Pass from the east side. However, WYDOT asks that those walking or biking be cautious and aware of heavy trucks traveling to and from the work site and not to descend west toward the construction site.

WYDOT and the contractor are confident the work can be completed in a single weekend, but unpredictable weather and other unforeseen variables could necessitate last-minute changes to the plans. WYDOT remains committed to updating the public with timely information and recommends that drivers who travel the area sign up for 511 Notify Text alerts to receive up-to-date information about the work. Drivers can sign up for 511 Notify at 511Notify.

With the calendar hitting the one year anniversary of the Big Fill Slide event, WYDOT remains aware of the impacts the road failure and subsequent construction has had on the people and economies in both Wyoming and Idaho.

"We know how this has impacted the commuters in the area. We are asking for your support and patience one more time. We're almost there, and soon the public will be driving on the new, paved alignment after the closure," Hammond said.

For more information about the Big Fill Slide, visit our media kit at: Big Fill Slide.
[\quote]

[CtrlAltDel]

https://www.dot.state.wy.us/news/final-paving-work-on-the-big-fill-slide-will-close-teton-pass-for-the

Final paving work on the Big Fill Slide will close Teton Pass for the weekend of June 21

It looks like the closure was postponed to this weekend for weather reasons.

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://sheridanmedia.com/news/205237/fuel-tax-increase-i-80-toll-road-charges-proposals-to-alleviate-rising-roadway-costs/

Could we see I-80 in Wyoming becoming a toll road?

[Rothman]

https://sheridanmedia.com/news/205237/fuel-tax-increase-i-80-toll-road-charges-proposals-to-alleviate-rising-roadway-costs/

Could we see I-80 in Wyoming becoming a toll road?

Makes me wonder what'll happen to revenues in the winter.

[JayhawkCO]

https://sheridanmedia.com/news/205237/fuel-tax-increase-i-80-toll-road-charges-proposals-to-alleviate-rising-roadway-costs/

Could we see I-80 in Wyoming becoming a toll road?

Makes me wonder what'll happen to revenues in the winter.

Likely will get blown away.

[The Ghostbuster]

Given how sparsely populated the state of Wyoming is, I highly doubt adding tolls to Interstate 80 (or Interstates 25 or 90) will be feasible. There likely isn't enough traffic to warrant tolls either. They will have to come up with another funding plan to pay for road upkeep.

[vdeane]

Given how sparsely populated the state of Wyoming is, I highly doubt adding tolls to Interstate 80 (or Interstates 25 or 90) will be feasible. There likely isn't enough traffic to warrant tolls either. They will have to come up with another funding plan to pay for road upkeep.

I imagine the interstates have a disproportionate amount of out of state traffic, which might make tolling attractive.  States tend to like raising revenue in ways that primarily hit outsiders.

[andy3175]

https://sheridanmedia.com/news/205237/fuel-tax-increase-i-80-toll-road-charges-proposals-to-alleviate-rising-roadway-costs/

Could we see I-80 in Wyoming becoming a toll road?

Makes me wonder what'll happen to revenues in the winter.

Likely will get blown away.

The fuel tax proposal was not approved. Nothing mentioned on tolls. From https://cowboystatedaily.com/2025/10/20/legislature-shoots-down-controversial-fuel-tax-hike-amid-400m-wydot-deficit/:

State legislators on Monday shot down a controversial increase to Wyoming's fuel tax and recreational vehicle registration fees, despite concerns the Wyoming Department of Transportation could be facing a budget shortfall of more than $400 million.

WYDOT Chief Financial Officer Dennis Byrne in August shared predictions showing his department faces a projected $411 million shortfall over the next decade. That projection, he said at the time, had likely worsened since the department's analysis.

To solve the problem, some legislators said they must consider raising taxes, while admitting that's an unpopular option in Wyoming.

While the measure was up for approval at an August meeting of the legislative Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Committee, lawmakers decided to table the measure until October. During the August meeting they also approved an amendment to the bill so that the proposed 10-cent hike would take effect in two parts and not take full effect until the summer of 2028.

The bill would have increased Wyoming's tax on gasoline and diesel fuel from 24 cents to 29 cents beginning in July 2026 before moving it to 34 cents by June of 2028. The price to register snowmobiles, motorboats and off-road vehicles would have also been increased. ...

The committee then shot down the tax bill in a 5-7 vote.

The decision comes as average gas prices across Wyoming continue to fall, according to AARP. The average cost of regular fuel is down about three cents per gallon since this time last year.

Natrona County leads the state with the lowest average of $2.57.

[andy3175]

A recent bridge strike by an oversized vehicle on Interstate 90 at Beulah (Exit 205 near Wyoming-South Dakota state line) brought the question of responsibility for road and bridge damage caused by oversized vehicles including trucks.

https://cowboystatedaily.com/2025/10/20/i-90-bridge-strike-raises-trucker-scrutiny-on-wydot-signage/

On the evening of Oct. 15, a low-boy truck and trailer carrying the mast of a forklift exceeded the posted clearance height of 15 feet 11 inches of the overpass at Beulah along I-90, damaging several girders and braces.

A preliminary inspection revealed that the damage compromised the integrity of the bridge, which will remain closed to traffic until WYDOT engineers complete a more detailed examination.

The name of the truck driver responsible for the bridge strike and the company they work for was not released.

The driver had obtained necessary permits to transport the oversized load beneath the bridge, according to WYDOT. The bridge strike is under investigation by the Wyoming Highway Patrol. ...

The mishap marks at least the second time that the Beulah bridge has been struck. In June, WYDOT completed a $1.9 million repair to the bridge from a 2023 strike.

There are an estimated 13,000 to 18,000 bridge strikes a year nationwide by tractor-trailers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Statistics for Wyoming were not immediately available.

But there are problem spots, like the McKinley Street Bridge in Casper, which has a very low clearance of 11 feet, 0 inches and has been hit by trucks multiple times. ...

The Wyoming bridge that has been struck the most is on North Fork Road passing over I-25 near the town of Kaycee, which has been hit seven times since 1981, said McGee.

Many of the strikes were caused by trucks traveling in-state, which did not have to pass through one of Wyoming's ports of entry and therefore were not measured, possibly making drivers unaware of height restrictions, he said.

Another notorious spot is the South Parsley Boulevard bridge over Interstate 80 in Cheyenne, which was struck in 2021 and 2022. ...

Ultimately, drivers are responsible for ensuring their loads meet height requirements and can be safely transported beneath bridges, said Doug McGee, a spokesman for WYDOT.

"It is a driver's responsibility to make sure there is clearance for their truck and load," he said, adding that many strikes happen because drivers are inattentive to signage listing height restrictions. "When a bridge strike happens, it can affect traffic flow for people and cost transportation companies a great deal of money (for repairs)."

[andy3175]

A recent Cowboy State Daily article updates the economic and social impact of Wyoming Hwy 22 connecting Teton County in Wyoming with Teton County in Idaho: https://cowboystatedaily.com/2025/09/10/new-and-improved-teton-pass-commute-connects-two-teton-counties-in-two-states/

Since the rapid response to a landslide closing it last year, the Teton Pass corridor has continued to accelerate its role as a key commuting route connecting Driggs, Idaho, and Jackson. ... The pass was reopened three weeks after the catastrophic failure.

Wyoming Highway 22 unites Teton County in Wyoming with Teton County in Idaho. Increasingly in this "Wydaho" region, the Driggs-to- Jackson-and-back routine involves so many locals that the two towns in two states feel bound together, with Idaho offering bedroom communities for a large part of the Jackson workforce.

On Tuesday, county commissioners from both Teton Counties were updated on work associated with the BUILD Grant Project transportation improvements, including bus service anchored by new transit centers on either side of Teton Pass.