WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Wednesday, June 12, Idaho and Wyoming state representatives sent and published a formal letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg urging the U.S. Department of Transportation to provide federal assistance to help repair Teton Pass following its catastrophic landslide.
U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Representatives Harriet Hageman (R-WY) and Mike Simpson (R-ID) jointly sent the letter, which states, “The restoration of Teton Pass is critical for thousands of residents in Wyoming and Idaho, local businesses and services and the region’s economy.”
The letter requests that emergency relief funds be directed to the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) as expeditiously as possible in order to aid the short and long-term construction needed to restore travel on Highway 22. The senators and representatives stressed that the alternative route adds more than an hour to the commute each way.
“We stress the urgency of restoring travel for more than 7,000 daily drivers between the greater Jackson area of Wyoming and Victor, Idaho,” the senators and representatives wrote in the letter. “The highway closure jeopardizes livelihoods and impacts a significant portion of the workforce — around 15% — that routinely commutes to Jackson from Idaho.”
The Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce estimates that closer to 40% of Teton County’s workforce commutes from Idaho, according to a recent report from KHOL.
Idaho and Wyoming State Legislators also recognized the vital importance of Teton Pass in relation to surrounding parks and visited attractions.
“Highway 22 is a critical connector between Idaho and Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Teton County, Jackson Hole and countless outdoor destinations for visitors from around the world to enjoy,” the Wyoming Congressional Delegation said in the announcement.
Aware of the situation, on June 9, Buttigieg wrote on X (formally known as Twitter), “Our Department of Transportation team is working with Wyoming officials to assist with emergency repairs.”
On June 8, Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon issued a disaster declaration to access resources from the Federal Highway Administration to start work on repairing Teton Pass.
