A landslide caused the roadway at Teton Pass in Wyoming to collapse and crumble, in what the state’s department of transportation described as a catastrophic failure Saturday.
A large crack had appeared across both lanes Thursday, the Wyoming Department of Transportation said at the time. The crack had dropped vertically roughly 8 inches in some places, causing unsafe driving conditions, the agency said. It was patched and traffic resumed but a mudslide a couples of miles away Friday morning prompted the road to be closed again.
Crews tried to construct a detour around the damage, the transportation department said, “but the landslide continued to move, taking out the whole road.”
No crews were harmed and no equipment was damaged, the transportation department said.
It’s unclear how long it will take to reopen the road. Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon said the transportation department is working on “a long-term solution to rebuild the roadway.”
“I am grateful for the efforts of WYDOT staff to protect public safety during this developing situation, and am thankful no one was injured during this incident,” Gordon said.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, “the Teton Pass Highway offers a critical connection for commuters and recreationists traveling from Victor, Idaho and Jackson, Wyoming,” which is also close to the Grand Teton National Park.
“I recognize the impacts this closure has to Teton County residents, regional commuters and the local economy,” Gordon said.
CORRECTION (June 9, 2024, 8:03 p.m. ET): Due to an editing error, a previous version of this article misstated the name of the transportation authority. It should be the Wyoming Department of Transportation, not the Wisconsin Department of Transportation
