Wyoming Department of Transportation crews began installing updated safety signage on Highway 22 at Teton Pass on Monday, September 21. The new infrastructure includes “Must Stop Brake Check” signs at the summit and “No Parking” markers near the gravel escape ramp and vehicle arrestor system.
The installation follows a summer season that saw three fatalities and multiple injuries on the mountain corridor. Safety advocates, including retired civil engineer Jared Smith, have pushed for improved signage and driver education as part of the ‘Make Teton Pass Safer’ movement.
“We had identified a whole list of measures that we thought could be brought to bear to make Teton Pass safer,” Smith said. “And it includes the education. It includes better signage.”
The updated signs warn all vehicles about sharp curves, steep grades, and the need for low gear usage, replacing older signs that specifically targeted truckers. Officials intend for warnings to reach drivers at upstream points including Tetonia, Swan Valley, Sugar City, Hoback Junction, and Jackson.
Heavier vehicles are encouraged to reroute through Snake River Canyon rather than crossing the pass. WYDOT is reviewing the current sign updates and plans to install additional markers as they are produced and delivered.
Mandatory Education Program Launches
Alongside physical signage, WYDOT launched the Safe Pass education program to help drivers understand the challenges of mountain terrain. The program requires participants to acknowledge their understanding of safety rules before traveling the route.
Starting October 1, completion of the Safe Pass program will be mandatory for specific vehicle operators. Drivers of recreational vehicles, those towing trailers, and operators of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight or rating exceeding 10,000 pounds must complete the training.
“What we hear again and again is ‘If I only knew, I would have taken a different route,’ we don’t want that to be the excuse, we want them to know,” Smith said.