Senator Mike Crapo | Official U.S. Senate headshot
Senator Mike Crapo | Official U.S. Senate headshot
U.S. Senators Mike Crapo, Jim Risch (both R-Idaho), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming) and U.S. Representatives Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) and Harriet Hageman (R-Wyoming) have urged Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to provide federal assistance for the repair of Teton Pass. The call follows a catastrophic landslide that destroyed a section of the highway.
“We stress the urgency of restoring travel for more than 7,000 daily drivers between the greater Jackson area of Wyoming and Victor, Idaho. The highway closure jeopardizes livelihoods and impacts a significant portion of the workforce—around 15%—that routinely commutes to Jackson from Idaho,” said the lawmakers.
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon has issued a disaster declaration to secure emergency federal funding for the repairs. The highway is essential not only for employees and residents commuting between Idaho and Wyoming but also for tourism, connecting Idaho to Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park.
The legislators emphasized the situation's urgency, noting that the alternate route adds over an hour to each commute.
Read the full letter here.
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