WILSON, Wyo. — Two runaway vehicles on the Teton Pass have successfully been halted this month by the truck arrestor system, according to the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT).
On Friday, Aug. 4, the runaway truck ramp was utilized to stop an overweight semi truck, which was slowed down by four nets. The system was reset and ready for use by the following afternoon.
One week later, on Friday, Aug. 11, the system was used again, this time by a pickup truck with an attached travel trailer. This time, only the lead net was used. The lead net was replaced immediately and the system was reopened shortly thereafter.
“Sometimes referred to as a ‘Catchnet’ system, the ramp works similarly to the way a jet plane is stopped on an aircraft carrier,” WYDOT’s website says. “The arrestor employs a system of cables and canisters of energy absorbing tape that expand to absorb the speed and force of a truck. The design allows less distance to catch a vehicle and allows placement where a typical runaway ramp would not, preventing trucks from having to cross head-on traffic to utilize the system.”
For more information on the arrestor system, see WYDOT’s website.
