WYOMING – Teton Pass, connecting the Driggs, Idaho area with the Jackson, Wyoming area, is closed indefinitely after a large landslide left a portion of the road completely missing. While the closure will certainly impact the citizens of Jackson and Jackson Hole, work commuters and tourists will see some major damage to their summer plans.
Chelsea Lyn, or @the_idaho_mom, shared how the road closure will impact people who live and work in the area, specifically noting how her husband, a commuter from Idaho to Jackson Hole, will have to travel around the canyon with thousands of other commuters and tourists.
With the Teton Pass closure, people will likely have to take US 26 to US 89, up into Jackson. Without traffic, the new pattern can easily add an hour to the route. With traffic, who knows. If there’s one thing for certain, it’s that the summer will look quite a bit more difficult for the area’s local population.
Maybe this should act as a warning to the towns that are actively pricing out all of their employees? We’ll see how the resort towns in the area do through the tourist months, but I would imagine businesses will have a harder time with staffing and staff retention if commutes are doubled (or worse).