KEY CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS

Optimizing travel and safety in the WY-22 corridor will require design improvements to key intersections that cause delay and expose travelers to risk as they enter, exit, or cross the highway. Improvements at seven key areas of focus will improve corridor operations and safety. In the following pages, we propose solutions for each of these key intersections.

Wilson

• Maintain the rural character of the community.

• Use natural features to establish a gateway into the community. Formalize business access, circulation, and parking.

• Encourage active transportation modes by developing safe bike and pedestrian circulation throughout Wilson

• Prioritize human safety for all modes, including walking, biking, and driving.

• Conserve, connect, and enhance natural open space.

THE WY-22/WY-390 INTERCHANGE

WYDOT plans to rebuild this interchange over multiple seasons with completion in 2025. Four new wildlife crossings will also be built, three for WY-22 and one for WY-390. Three of the crossings will be located around the 22 and 390 intersection. One will be located on the east end of the bridge made possible by a bridge extension. Pedestrian crossings are also included in the new plan with expected completion by October 2023.

The Florida T design will allow eastbound traffic to bypass the signal.

We recommend that WYDOT consider the addition of a transit-only lane on the slip ramp for the westbound movement turning onto WY-390.

The Ranch Drives

Left turn movements from minor roadways and ranch drives are a safety hazard and cause of congestion on WY-22. We recommend that WYDOT consider the following two primary strategies for reducing turn conflicts:

Consolidating access points to WY-22. The two tightly spaced drives south of Iron Rock present an opportunity for consolidation.

Using a roadway design that allows only right-in and right-out turn movements and provides upstream turn around opportunities, sometimes called a Michigan left. Candidates for this treatment could include:

• Pratt Road and Walton Ranch Road

• Mallard Road and Bar Y Road

INDIAN SPRINGS/TETON SCIENCE SCHOOL

While this interchange does not generate a high volume of traffic across the day, access to Teton Science School has distinct peaks that occur during rush hour. It is particularly challenging for school buses to make left turns across traffic.

Because safety concerns here involve school buses—which have slow acceleration and carry precious cargo—we recommend that a grade separated facility should be considered. The right-in, right-out access with a two-lane underpass would minimize tunneling and improve safety and mainline operations.

This design could be implemented independent of the Tribal Trail Connector (planning studies evaluated a similar design).

See page 66-67 for more on the Tribal Trail Connector

Right-in/Right-out with underpass

Spring Gulch

Spring Gulch Road intersects with WY22 at one of its busiest stretches. The intersection is currently signalized to allow vehicles to enter the mainline and protected pedestrians and cyclists who cross WY22. This stoplight is a major contributor to congestion on WY-22. We recommend that WYDOT consider a roundabout at this location to:

• Allow a steady flow of mainline traffic. A roundabout would create a low and steady speed as traffic enters Jackson, increasing functional capacity.

Roundabout at Spring Gulch

Roundabout at Spring Gulch

• Greatly reduce disruption from the Spring Gulch signal.

• Reduce wait times for southbound vehicles using Spring Gulch.

• Improve safety for all users.

• Allow the outer westbound lane to continue through uninterrupted (there is no southern leg to allow the outer HOV/Transit lane to act as a slip lane).

• Consider expanding the pathway on the southern side of WY-22 and making this the primary route from Town.

THE “Y” [WY-22 AND US-191/89 INTERCHANGE]

The “Y” is the busiest intersection in Teton County. Recent intersection upgrades made by WYDOT have improved the function of the intersection, but it still causes congestion during peak periods, and future growth in vehicle travel will worsen mobility at this junction. Future improvements focused solely on “auto mobility” suggest solutions incongruent with Jackson’s character. A focus on moving more people, not vehicles, through this critical intersection is needed. To that end, we recommend that WYDOT consider the following:

• Connect Spring Gulch to the “Y” with an HOV/Transit lane in each direction.

• Use space preserved for slip lanes to accommodate the addition of an HOV/Transit lane

• Consider transit signal priority to allow eastbound buses to gain priority in accessing US-191.

• Prioritize pedestrian and bicycle movements for people traveling west along WY-22 to use an improved southside Pathway.

Wyoming Highway 390

WY-390—also known as Moose Wilson Road—is a short and busy roadway that connects WY-22 with Teton Village and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. North of Teton Village, the roadway provides access to a secondary entrance to Grand Teton National Park. Inside the park, the road is unpaved in sections. The National Park service started to improve the road north of the Granite Entrance Station in Summer 2022.

Travel on WY-390 is driven by access to Teton Village, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, residential development along the West Bank, and access to Grand Teton National Park. Demand peaks during winter weekend days and good snow days. The community, stakeholders, and Teton Village support an excellent set of programs to manage peak demand. Managed by Teton Village Association, TDM programs have priced and managed parking and investment in additional START bus service as foundational elements of the traffic management plan. Bus and shuttle service from Town and Stilson are highly utilized on peak days.

WYDOT is planning to rebuild the WY-22/WY-390 interchange during the 2023 and 2024 construction seasons. This project intends to reduce traffic congestion on both roadways, which is caused by the current signal and intersection configuration. The project will include four wildlife crossings of WY22 and WY-390.

Key corridor issues to be addressed along WY390 include:

• Wildlife crossing safety. This corridor has a high number of vehicle-wildlife collisions.

Over 50 moose have died from auto strikes on WY-390 since 2008. (Top-left)

Wildlife detection and warning systems that use infrared, laser or microwave radio signals are already in use in the Greater Yellowstone area (US-191 in Montana). (Top-right)

• Speed control. High speed limits and speeding lead to increased wildlife collisions, increased severity of collisions, and decreased corridor safety for pedestrians and cyclists in the corridor.

• Uncontrolled access, including left turn movements from minor drives, contributes to congestion and is a cause/risk factor for vehicular collisions.

• Congestion is a concern during peak visitation periods, particularly during ski season. TVA, in partnership with START, has already demonstrated that bus services are the best tool for managing highly peaked ski season demands. The most significant congestion occurs between WY-22 and Lake Creek Bridge.

Solutions

Recommended solutions for WY-390 focus on management and design solutions to reduce speeds, manage turning movement conflicts, and add roadway features that act to reduce vehicular travel speeds.

• Speed control: Set limits at 35 mph night and 45 mph day; add flashing beacons that trigger when drivers exceed limits.

• Enforcement: Increase county sheriff patrols.

• Detection: Explore addition of animal detection systems with driver messaging integrated into speed signage.

• Manage demand: Implement enhanced transit and TDM measures presented in this report. WY-390 congestion is due largely to visitation and skier peaks, decreased interregional travel demand, solutions for cost-effective demand management, and resources to reduce environmental impacts.

• Consider devolution of WY-390 to County control as a mechanism to design and manage the road in line with local values, and to provide a potential one-time injection of funds to make safety improvements.

• Traffic calming and access management: A raised median and a series of roundabouts between Nethercott and Lake Creek (a less than 2-mile segment of the highway) could help to manage uncontrolled left turns, encourage drivers to enter at roundabout-controlled intersections, and provide a turn-back opportunity within 1/4 to 1/2 mile of any drive or minor access road. Treatments could be extended north, but this is the most developed portion of the corridor with the highest density of uncontrolled access.

Referred to as the "Dog Bone Concept," roundabouts in sequence combined with a center median allow the removal of uncontrolled left turns (dangerous and a cause of delay) and provide easy turn backs for drivers accessing or leaving driveways or minor roadways.

Major Access Roundabout

Minor Access Roundabout for Turn-Back

FOCUS AREA FOR ACCESS MANAGEMENT AND TRAFFIC CALMING

Roundabouts at major intersections and every 1/2 mile between Nethercott and Lake Creek

Center median requiring right-in-right-out movements

Opportunity to turn back in 1/2 miles or less (in most cases)

Access consolidation between Pony and Wiley