CNN
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A critical highway connecting Idaho and Wyoming was closed indefinitely after part of the road cracked and then collapsed in a “catastrophic landslide” Saturday, officials said .
The governor of Wyoming. Mark Gordon said in a Facebook post that there is no estimated timeline for reopening Teton Pass, which connects Victor, Idaho, and Jackson, Wyoming.
The initial crack appeared Thursday morning on both lanes of traffic, the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) said in a Facebook post at the time.
The crack across the tracks fell vertically about 8 inches in some places, creating dangerous driving conditions. A patch was put in place and traffic resumed until a mudslide at another location Friday closed the road.
On Saturday morning, the road where the initial crack occurred collapsed, WYDOT said, adding that the road had “catastrophic failure and a long-term closure is expected.”
“WYDOT crews, along with Evans Construction contract crews, were working in the area to construct a detour around the damage, but the landslide continued to move, washing out the entire road,” WYDOT added. “No crew was injured in the process and no equipment was damaged.”
Wyoming Department of Transportation
Cracks in the Teton Pass roadway are visible on Friday, June 7, 2024, the day before its “catastrophic failure.”
Gordon said Saturday he met with officials from WYDOT and the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security to coordinate a response to the “catastrophic landslide.”
“I am grateful for the efforts of WYDOT personnel to protect public safety during this evolving situation, and I am grateful that no one was injured during this incident,” the governor said.
Wyoming Department of Transportation
Another mudslide closed the road on June 7, 2024.
Work to repair the cracked roadway and mudslide was expected to last until Saturday, according to the Department of Transportation, when the cracked section of roadway collapsed.
“WYDOT engineers, surveyors and geologists quickly mobilized to try to keep the highway viable for as long as possible, but catastrophic failure could not be avoided. WYDOT remains on site, steadfastly committed to repairing the road and restoring connectivity to the Teton Valley,” WYDOT Director Darin Westby said in a statement.
WYDOT says it is exploring long-term solutions and repairs for the highway and Westby urged the public to stay away from the site until it is stabilized.
The Teton Pass corridor “serves as a critical commuter route and facilitates the transportation of goods and services that are essential to the growing regional economies of Wyoming and Idaho,” according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.