Two-Day Closure for Moose-Wilson Road

July 13, 2009
09-59
Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott announced today that a temporary travel closure will be in place on the unpaved segment of the Moose-Wilson Road within Grand Teton National Park from 5 a.m. Thursday, July 16, to 5 p.m. on Friday, July 17. The road closure will allow for a two-part road improvement project to be completed: grading work will be done on the gravel roadbed from the Granite Canyon trailhead parking area for a distance of 1.5 miles north; and a dust abatement product will be applied. Barring inclement weather or equipment malfunction, the Moose-Wilson Road will reopen by 5 p.m. on July 17.

The scheduled two-day closure will prevent the ability to make a “through trip” on the Moose-Wilson Road, so local residents and park visitors are advised to make alternate travel plans and expect to use a detour route via Highway 26/89/191. Visitors wishing to reach the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve or the Death Canyon trailhead will need to access these locations by driving south from the Teton Park Road junction near the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center at Moose, Wyoming.

The gravel surface of the Moose-Wilson Road between the Granite Canyon trailhead and the old JY Ranch gate (1.5 miles north of the trailhead) becomes eroded throughout the summer due to the volume of vehicles that travel on it. Road grading creates a smoother surface and provides an added measure of safety for motorists using this park roadway.

Although the temporary closure will inconvenience visitors and local residents who wish to drive the length of the Moose-Wilson Road on Thursday and Friday, the dust abatement application will make future travel a safer and more enjoyable experience. By minimizing dust on this road, visibility will be improved and damage to nearby vegetation will be reduced. The product used for dust abatement is a slurry of magnesium chloride. It is the same product that is used to treat dirt roads in and around Jackson Hole. This product coats the road surface, but it can also adhere to the undercarriage of vehicles. Motorists, who drive this portion of the Moose-Wilson Road after it reopens on Friday evening, may want to rinse off their vehicles to eliminate any residue.

Roadwork schedules may change, or be delayed, due to weather conditions or other extenuating circumstances.