JACKSON HOLE, WYO – The Gros Ventre Road to Kelly is open to alternating one-lane traffic.
Park officials made the decision to close the road on June 6 due to erosion from the nearby Gros Ventre River. A long-term fix will re-routing the road further north in the affected section, away from the riverbank.
The erosion-affected area is now managed by a lighted traffic control system. For safety purposes, no parking, stopping or walking is allowed in the vicinity of the affected area. No weight restrictions for the one-lane traffic are in place, but the speed limit through the area is reduced.
Grand Teton National Park superintendent David Vela said, “My sincere thanks goes to park staff, local contractors at Nelson Engineering and Fish Creek Excavating, and our partners at Wyoming Department of Transportation and Federal Highways for their dedicated and timely response to this incident.”
Vela said, “We greatly appreciate the patience of our neighbors in Kelly and the surrounding area, the campground concessioners with Grand Teton Lodge Company, and others that were affected by the road closure during the last month.”
The alternating one-lane of traffic and some riverbank stabilization is the first of three phases in the park’s response to the situation. The second phase of the plan is to provide additional stabilization and create a two-lane bypass. The third phase includes re-establishing the riverbank and permanent realignment of the road.
Still closed
High water has also affected the River Road, located off of the Teton Park Road in the park. The River Road is currently closed to vehicle and bicycle traffic. It is unknown when the road may be accessible.
