TRAFFIC ALERT: Avalanche control maintenance will cause delays over Teton Pass Friday

JACKSON, Wyo. (KIFI) - Drivers will experience brief closures on the Teton Pass on Friday, Nov. 22, as crews work to maintain avalanche equipment.

The Wyoming Transportation Department said motorists will experience up to 5-minute closures on WYO 22 between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

Crews will use a helicopter in the Shovel Slide area of the pass to refuel the Gazex avalanche mitigation units. The units use explosions to trigger smaller, controlled avalanches to prevent dangerous, uncontrolled conditions.

For safety reasons, roadside flaggers will control the operations. WYDOT says the times are approximate and dependent on weather conditions. They are all subject to change.

The Wyoming Department of Transportation would like to inform drivers that WYDOT crews will be performing maintenance on some avalanche infrastructure on WYO 22, Teton Pass tomorrow morning, November 22. 

Motorists will see closures of up to 5 minutes on WYO 22 over Teton Pass between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Crews will be utilizing helicopter operations in the Shovel Slide area of Teton Pass to refuel the Gazex avalanche mitigation units. These units use explosions to trigger smaller, controlled avalanches to prevent dangerous, uncontrolled conditions. The work will cause short delays for traffic of up to 5 minutes at a time. 

For the safety of the traveling public and the safety of WYDOT crews, the road must be briefly closed and free of moving traffic while the helicopter is in the air near the roadway. Roadside flaggers will control traffic for the operation. All times are approximate, dependent on weather conditions, and subject to change.