JACKSON, Wyo. — A new, citizen-initiated fundraising effort will support enhanced speed limit patrols on WY 390 with the goal of reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions in the Snake River Corridor.
This Speed Limit Enforcement Fund will enable increased enforcement of posted speed limits along Teton Village Road by deputies of the Teton County Sheriff’s Office.
“According to a recent Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) report, most motorists are not complying with posted speeds,” said Paul Hansen, who helped start the fund.
Increased driver speed is directly tied to heightened chances of wildlife-vehicle collisions, especially at night. Funding of new patrols is a direct response to an outpouring of community concern for the high rate of wildlife-vehicle collisions, often involving moose, on this stretch of roadway.
Due to staffing constraints, the Teton County Sheriff’s department will provide officers overtime compensation for extra hours worked during this direct patrol. The initial goal is to raise sufficient funds for ten hours of direct patrol enforcement per week for ten weeks. Funding will directly enable sheriff department’s deputies to allocate time patrolling WY 390 for speeding motorists.
Over the past decade, more than 50 moose have been killed in wildlife-vehicle collisions on roadways between Teton Village and the town of Wilson, including several animals in 2020. The Jackson Hole moose herd is estimated by Wyoming Game and Fish Department to contain only several hundred animals at best, and wildlife-vehicle collisions represent a significant long-term threat to the sustainability of a healthy herd.
Additionally, due to their sheer size, dark coat, and their long legs, moose are a big safety concern for motorists. Most of their mass sits high above the ground and their immense bodies can come crashing through the windshield or roof of a car. The typical average cost of a collision with a moose is over $30,000. Collision data indicates the vast majority of vehicles involved in collisions with wildlife along WY 390 belong to residents of Wyoming and Idaho.
