Mohsin Syed Chief of Staff at U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) | Official Website
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has announced the immediate availability of $6 million in “quick release” Emergency Relief (ER) funds for the Wyoming Department of Transportation. These funds aim to offset repair costs for damage caused by a recent landslide in the Teton Range and to construct a temporary detour near the Wyoming-Idaho border, restoring critical access to tourist destinations such as Jackson Hole, Yellowstone National Park, and Grand Teton National Park.
“The Teton Pass is a key route for workers and visitors traveling between Idaho and Wyoming, and the emergency funding we’re sending will help reopen and restore access to this important roadway as quickly as possible,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “In discussing the situation with the Wyoming Department of Transportation, it has been clear how urgent the need is to support their efforts to reconnect one of the region’s heavily traveled mountain thoroughfares - and to make our infrastructure more resilient to future weather events.”
Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt added, “The Federal Highway Administration is working closely with the Wyoming Department of Transportation to repair the damage caused by the landslide at Teton Pass. The Emergency Relief funding we are providing will help get repairs done as soon as possible and restore temporary access to the area during the busy summer tourist season.”
On June 8, 2024, Wyoming State Highway 22, also known as Teton Pass, experienced a catastrophic landslide resulting in a complete loss of roadway at Mile Post 12.8. Another landslide occurred a day earlier at Mile Post 15, covering the highway in mud and debris. No vehicles were on the highway at either time, and no injuries were reported.
Crews have been working continuously on cleanup efforts at Mile Post 15 and constructing a detour around Mile Post 12.8's failure point.
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon issued an executive order on June 8 declaring an emergency due to both landslides. Wyoming DOT crews are currently evaluating area stability and assessing potential safety hazards. State geologists and engineers are confident they can build a safe temporary two-lane detour within weeks using local fill material but anticipate weight and width restrictions.
Planned drainage improvements include adding a box culvert at Mile Post 15 while work on the temporary roadway proceeds. The objective is to restore essential traffic flow between Wyoming and Idaho for residents, commuters, and tourists who rely on this critical route; without it, commutes that normally take 30 minutes can extend up to an hour-and-a-half.
During his visit to Cheyenne on June 17, Secretary Pete Buttigieg received operational updates on emergency response efforts from Governor Mark Gordon, WYDOT Director Darin Westby, and other WYDOT staff.
State officials along with US Forest Service personnel are working together to provide access to recreation areas outside affected zones while placing signage for campsites unaffected by closures.
FHWA’s Emergency Relief program provides funding for highways and bridges damaged by natural disasters or catastrophic events across States, territories, Tribes, and Federal Land Management Agencies. These "quick release" funds represent an initial installment toward restoring this vital transportation link; additional necessary repairs will be supported through nationwide funding allocations under FHWA's Emergency Relief program.
The program complements Bipartisan Infrastructure Law initiatives by encouraging agencies to incorporate resilience measures into infrastructure design aimed at better withstanding future climate change impacts or weather events.
Further information about FHWA’s Emergency Relief program can be found online at https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/erelief.cfm
