Engineers work to open Gros Ventre/Kelly Road traffic

Grand Teton National Park hopes to open alternating one-lane traffic on the Gros Ventre/Kelly Road within the next two weeks. Park engineers, Federal Highway Administration experts, and a local geotechnical firm are assessing the road and nearby erosion. At this time, they believe one-lane traffic can be safely managed through the currently closed section of road. Their plan calls for an automated traffic signal, which will alternate eastbound and westbound one-way traffic for vehicles and bicycles. Grand Teton National Park Superintendent David Vela said, “We plan to open the Gros Ventre Road as soon as we safely can to one-lane of traffic. We know the road closure has impacts to many, and we are doing our best to safely re-establish this vital transportation link within the park.” More than 20 feet of the river bank has eroded this spring due to substantial water runoff. According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, snowpack in the Gros Ventre Range received a higher level of precipitation this year than it has in the past 36 years.