WYDOT plans Hoback emergency bridge project

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. (KIFI/KIDK) - The Wyoming Department of Transportation is working to schedule bridge repair work in the Hoback Canyon.

The Stinking Springs bridge, at the western mouth of the Hoback Canyon at Bryan Flats, is experiencing what engineers call "scouring." Channel material is being changed or removed by swift water around bridge abutments or piers.

WYDOT says bridge repair is necessary, which will require some slope protection work and installation of rip-rap on the foundations of the structure.

The bridge is a crucial connection to Teton Valley and is one of the three main routes in and out of Jackson.

The bridge is over the Hoback River, which is a protected and scenic river, so the work will require US Forest Service approval.

"The Wild and Scenic River Act requires us to be conscientious of the water flows and the surrounding landscape. We do not want to drastically affect the aesthetics or the physical characteristics of the river," WYDOT District Engineer Keith Compton said.

Work is planned during the summer of 2020 as part of a district-wide rehabilitation project.