JACKSON, Wyo. — On July 7, Teton Backcountry Alliance Chair Gary Kofinas was scheduled to drive from Wilson to Driggs to attend a meeting with Winter Wildlands Alliance Director David Page. The two had joined forces to address the proposed expansion of Grand Targhee Resort. In the end, the meeting was expected to have a small turnout, so Kofinas elected to stay in Wilson while Page headed to Idaho.
About 10 minutes later, on the east side of Teton Pass, Page’s Subaru was one of multiple vehicles struck by an out-of-control dump truck. Page and Tetonia resident Nicholas Besobrasow died on the scene.
“This particular incident was so horrific, I think,” Kofinas told Buckrail. “Many of us in the community just said, ‘Enough. Something has got to be done.'”
Kofinas and six other community members are organizing a community meeting to address Teton Pass safety on Monday, Aug. 3, at the Old Wilson Schoolhouse. Organizers include Nate Carey, Randy Roberts, Ellen Fales, Corey Milligan, Ryan Freeman and Jared Smith. Doors will open at 5 p.m., with the event running from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Those who are unable to attend are encouraged to listen to the meeting livestreamed on KHOL 89.1 or 891khol.org.
The dump truck accident was the third fatal crash on Teton Pass since 2020, according to meeting organizers. A week after that collision, an RV with an oversized trailer burned through its brakes coming into Wilson and barreled through oncoming traffic, narrowly avoiding a collision. Meeting organizer Roberts experienced a close call in 2023 when a runaway RV crashed on the lawn of the Wilson Exxon gas station while he was pumping gas.
“The objective is to provide some information and give people a chance to say, ‘Here’s my concern and here are what we see as solutions,'” Kofinas said. “We very much want this to be a constructive meeting. We’re not attacking anyone. We want to find solutions.”
Events on the Pass are stirring up fear and frustration among residents and commuters. According to Kofinas, some people are asking the Teton County Board of County Commissioners to take action on the topic of Teton Pass safety. However, the WY22 artery is not within the County’s jurisdiction — it is a state highway under control of the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT).
Teton Pass has some of the steepest grades of any highway in the continental United States, per Wyoming Highway Patrol. Kofinas said that WY22 is the busiest two-lane entry to the state of Wyoming, and it sees more than 8,000 vehicles per day, including many members of Jackson Hole’s workforce. Short-term and long-term safety solutions are currently being explored. The organizers understand that long-term solutions could take the form of legislation and cost time and money. Short-term solutions could happen sooner through WYDOT initiatives.
Kofinas anticipates the meeting will include representatives from WYDOT, elected officials from the state and local level, reporters, and “a lot of locals.” He is contemplating putting up speakers outdoors for overflow, if necessary. WYDOT’s weigh station on the west side of the Pass is expected to be a key component of discussions. From Kofinas’ perspective, the station is never staffed, and tractor-trailers are seen on Teton Pass during the winter all too often.
An online petition connected to the community meeting credits WYDOT with saying that car accidents on Teton Pass have increased by 20% over the last five years. The appeal urges agency leaders and elected officials to work together to make changes for improved safety on the commuter corridor.
“[It is] saying, ‘We need to do something, and we’re not endorsing a solution yet,'” Kofinas said. “We are in the exploration phase. We want to look at what the options are and really evaluate them. Every option has costs and benefits. We need to understand them. … Tell me the cost of a human life.”
