Department of Transportation explores employee housing

The Wyoming Department of Transportation is moving toward providing housing for its employees in Teton County, in particular its first responders.

The Jackson Hole News and Guide reports the department commissioned a feasibility study and preliminary architectural designs to examine how many housing units could fit on its property in Jackson.

Preliminary designs under review show between 14 and 27 units. But funding is a key factor in determining the scale of the potential project, along with the department’s needs.

Though all employees would have access to the housing, the most pressing need is for people who are state highway patrollers, maintenance workers, snow plow drivers and avalanche mitigators – roles that often are required to respond quickly to after-hours incidents and can have difficulty commuting back into Jackson.