A $100 Million Boondoggle: Togwotee Pass Road Upgrade?

by Kelly Matheson

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) plan to spend up to $100 million on improvements to 37.7 miles of road along U.S. Highway 287/26 from Moran Junction over Togwotee Pass to Dubois. If the plan is implemented as proposed, travelers will see improvements to the road, but local economies and wildlife will suffer.

What You Can Do By August 28 please express your concerns regarding proposed improvements to U.S. Highway 287/26 between Moran Junction and Dubois by writing to: Bob Bonds Wyoming Department of Transportation 5300 Bishop Boulevard Cheyenne, WY 82003-1708 In addition, please consider sending a letter to the editor of your local paper and to the Casper Star-Tribune. Letters to the latter should be sent to: Claudette Ortiz P.O. Box 80 Casper, WY 82602 ortiz@trib.com

Those who have been fortunate to travel this stretch of highway know that the Togwotee Pass road provides a beautifully scenic route from central and southeastern Wyoming to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Most would agree that maintenance is needed for the road, built between 1955 and 1967. However, the draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) issued by the FHWA and WYDOT in May fails to address a number of major issues. Perhaps most significant is the document's lack of concern for the safety of wildlife and the economic health of local businesses and communities.

Increased traveler safety is one of the primary reasons given by the agencies for improving the road. According to the draft environmental analysis, 21% of the accidents along this stretch of highway are caused by vehicle collisions with wildlife, while a mere 1.1% are caused by collisions with snowmobilers. Yet, despite this data, the agencies plan to spend approximately $2 million on underpasses for snowmobilers while doing very little to protect travelers and wildlife alike from collisions with one another.

In addition to causing dramatically fewer accidents than passenger vehicle/wildlife collisions, snowmobilers know to look both ways before deciding when to cross the road. Deer, elk, moose and other large animals act on instinct and cannot be trained to look for vehicles before crossing. If traveler safety is indeed the agencies' priority, why are so few resources being allocated to protecting drivers and wildlife along this forest corridor?

The DEIS paints an upbeat picture of the project's socio-economic impacts, claiming that the project will bring money to local communities and businesses. To support this conclusion, the agencies cite an increase in temporary jobs.

However, the analysis fails to disclose that road improvement and reconstruction efforts are slated to take place over the course of 14 years, beginning the summer of 2004. Officials predict short vehicle delays during the height of the tourism season each year of the project's implementation, with intermittent overnight road closures.

A 14-year project will undoubtedly hurt local tourist-dependent businesses and communities such as Dubois, Lander and Riverton, since travel agents regularly re-route clients around significant construction projects.

WOC will submit extensive comments on the analysis and will be represented on an advisory committee created to oversee the project's implementation. By participating in this process, we can work to ensure that this is not just another pork-barrel highway project. We believe that the agencies should take advantage of a valuable opportunity to undertake a state-of-the art highway project that not only creates a safe vehicle corridor but also safeguards wildlife, protects local economies and educates the public about the rich natural values along this spectacular road through America's first national forest.

For further information on the DEIS for the Togwotee Pass Road Improvement and Reconstruction Project, please contact Kelly Matheson at (307) 332-7031 ext. 20, kelly@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org or Scott Groene at (307) 734-6004, sgroene@greateryellowstone.org. To receive a copy of the document, please contact Bob Bonds, Wyoming Department of Transportation, 5300 Bishop Boulevard, Cheyenne, WY 82003-1708, (307) 777-4364.