JACKSON, Wyo. — An open house is scheduled for Wednesday, February 19 as a means to explore options for a Tribal Trail Road that would connect south Jackson with the west bank without the need to traverse the “Y.”
Nine months after the first public meeting of the Tribal Trail Connector Road, Teton County, in cooperation with the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) and the Tribal Trail Stakeholder Advisory Committee, is hosting a second public meeting to update the community on current design alternatives for the connector road.
“The Stakeholder Advisory Committee has met seven times and its members have devoted many hours to screening various design options for the proposed Tribal Trail connector road,” said Heather Overholser, Director of Public Works. “We look forward to sharing these alternatives with the public, answering questions, and collecting feedback.”
The public meeting will take place on Wednesday, February 19, 2020 from 5–7 p.m. at the Teton Science Schools Jackson Campus at 700 Coyote Canyon Road. A presentation will begin at 5:30 p.m. followed by a question-and-answer segment and open house during which attendees can view design alternatives. The public will also be encouraged to provide feedback on the presented alternatives, which will be taken into consideration as the process moves forward.
Each design alternative went through a level one and level two screening, which analyzed the purpose and need, as well as project objectives. The stakeholder group has considered things like safety concerns, impacts to natural resources and private property, improved emergency response, travel redundancy, and reduced local trips through the “Y” intersection.
“We would like to see a large turnout, including residents of the immediate project area, as well as those from throughout the valley,” Overholser said. “We’d like to receive feedback from the perspective of the entire community.”
The Stakeholder Advisory Committee will meet in early March to review public input and provide feedback to identify a preferred alternative. Once identified, Teton County staff will hold a public workshop with the Board of County Commissioners to review the study background and progress, as well as the preferred design alternative.
Following the workshop, Teton County staff will bring the preferred alternative to the County Commissioners for their consideration during a regular meeting this Spring. Commissioners will then be tasked with approving or rejecting the alternative.
Some 12 alternatives have made it to the current Level 2 stage including an option of “no road” at this time.
In July 2018, Teton County Commissioners approved the Project Charter for Tribal Trail Road, in accordance with the Integrated Transportation Plan (ITP), which was approved in September 2015 by the Jackson Town Council and County Commissioners. The Stakeholder Advisory Committee was formed in early 2019 and is comprised of nine community members who provide varying perspectives from schools, neighborhoods, emergency services, transportation, bike paths, environment and wildlife.
