The Wyoming State Highway 22 (WY 22) Corridor Project – Jackson to Wilson is located in Teton County, and extends approximately 5.7 miles from the US 89/WY 22 intersection (known locally as the Y intersection)  at Broadway Avenue in Jackson west through Wilson  and includes existing Tribal Trail Road to S. Park Loop/W Boyles Hill roads. A roughly 0.25-mile section of WY 22, from the Y intersection extending west, lies within the Town of Jackson limits.

The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) proposed the WY 22 Corridor Project. The project is a cooperative effort between WYDOT, FHWA, the Town of Jackson, and Teton County.”

The purpose of this project is to improve safety and mobility for all users and modes of transportation through the approximately 6-mile segment of the WY 22 corridor between Jackson and Wilson.

This section of WY 22 is Wyoming’s busiest and most congested two-lane highway. Daily traffic on WY 22 has increased by 20 percent over the last 10 years. Project needs include reducing the potential for crashes, reducing peak period travel time delay, and accommodating existing and future person trips. See the Purpose & Need page for additional detail regarding the purpose and need for the project.

NEPA stands for the National Environmental Policy Act. It requires federal agencies to assess the environmental effects and input from the public of their proposed actions prior to making decisions. For this project, the lead federal agency is the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Three “classes of actions” prescribe the level of documentation required in the NEPA process: Categorical Exclusions, Environmental Assessments, and Environmental Impact Statements. In consultation with FHWA, WYDOT will determine the appropriate level of NEPA documentation or class of action after early project activities, termed pre-NEPA, have been completed.

WYDOT is conducting early project activities to inform the decision on what type of NEPA class of action will be appropriate. These activities include project scoping, traffic and safety analysis, environmental resource investigation, and, later, alternatives evaluation.

The NEPA study conducted for this proposed project will evaluate potential impacts to an array of environmental resources. These range from natural resources such as wildlife, wetlands, and water quality to human or social environmental resources including visual resources, air quality, historic properties, noise, parks, and Section 4(f) properties.

Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act of 1966 (as codified at 23 U.S. Code [U.S.C.] § 138 and 49 U.S.C. § 303) requires that transportation projects avoid using land from publicly owned parks, recreation areas, wildlife and waterfowl refuges, and historic sites, unless there are no feasible and prudent alternatives. The authority to administer Section 4(f) and make Section 4(f) approvals resides with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and, therefore, FHWA ultimately will decide which resources qualify as Section 4(f) properties for this project.

With input from an advisory committee formed after Public Meeting #1, the project team has started evaluating alternatives.  For a description of the Alternatives evaluation process and alternatives being considered please click here: Alternatives.

Get more information and sign up for email updates at the project website: wy22corridor.com

Email the project team with questions or concerns at [email protected]

WYDOT plans to complete the NEPA process for the project in early 2026. Final design would follow. Construction funding has not been identified yet and therefore is not scheduled.

WYDOT held the second set of public meetings in February 2024. The meeting displays are available on the project website (click here). The first public meetings were held in June 2023, the meeting displays are also available on the project website (click here). Future public meetings will be held at key points in the process to provide project information and updates and obtain public comments. The public will have the opportunity to provide comments on the alternatives carried forward into Level 2 screening at the third set of public meetings, tentatively planned for late summer 2024.  Meetings will be announced a minimum of 2 weeks prior to each meeting.

Approximately one-quarter of all the crashes on WY 22 in the project area over the past decade were wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC). WYDOT is currently constructing four wildlife crossing structures, fencing, and jump outs within and adjacent to the WY 22 corridor as part of the Snake River Bridge project. WVC improvements proposed as part of the WY 22 project would tie in with improvements under construction as part of the Snake River Bridge project, creating a comprehensive WVC mitigation system designed to substantially reduce the number of WVC.

Wildlife fencing will be considered as part of this project. Refer to the previous question for more information.

Teton County Commissioners wanted to combine the Tribal Trail project with the WY 22 Corridor Project so that WYDOT can evaluate potential transportation-related improvements to the WY 22 corridor in a comprehensive and coordinated manner. Teton County and WYDOT also received public comments that the Tribal Trail project should be analyzed along with the WY 22 Project. Some of the benefits of combining the projects include coordinated analysis and planning, increased opportunities for federal funding, and additional opportunities for public input through WYDOT’s robust public outreach process.

Yes – Based on WYDOT’s four-tiered safety rating system, WY 22 has the lowest or worst rating for critical crashes compared to similar roads statewide.  It also has a high number of wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs), particularly with large mammals. Alternatives will be developed and evaluated based on how well they address the purpose and need of the project. Identified safety needs include reducing crashes, improving reliable access for emergency response vehicles, improving resiliency of the road, and improving intersection safety.

Previous studies have recommended widening WY 22 in some locations. This study will identify any potential right-of-way impacts that would result from the proposed project and identify measures to minimize those impacts. Unavoidable right-of-way acquisitions will be conducted in conformance with the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Polices Act.

• A noise study will be done to see how the proposed project will affect the noise levels around noise-sensitive properties in the area.
• Noise-sensitive properties are places where people are likely to be affected by noise, such as homes, schools, and parks.
• To determine if a project will have noise impacts, the project team will compare the existing noise levels at noise-sensitive properties with future noise levels at those properties after the project is built. This will help to determine if the project will have any negative impact on noise levels.
• If the noise study finds that the project will have negative impacts on noise levels, the project team may need to take steps to mitigate the noise, such as planting trees or installing noise barriers.

The traffic analysis portion of the project will consider bus use through the corridor. Final effects will not be known until an alternative is selected. 

Yes. WYDOT recognizes the importance of bicycle and pedestrian connectivity in the WY 22 corridor from both a recreational and transportation perspective. One of the needs of the project is to promote multimodal (pedestrian, bicycle, transit) travel options for the project corridor. Therefore, improvements to bicycle and pedestrian connectivity will be considered in developing and evaluating project alternatives.

This will vary based on alternative.  Considering the importance of scenic resources within the project area, WYDOT will compare potential visual impacts from different improvements and alternatives as part of the alternatives evaluation. A formal visual impact assessment (VIA) following FHWA requirements will be required during NEPA. WYDOT will evaluate ways to minimize and mitigate visual impacts that may result from the proposed improvements.  

This will depend on what alternative is recommended for construction. Later in the process, traffic analysis will help identify how construction should be implemented, including any potential traffic re-routes, lane closures, and detours. WYDOT public involvement staff will work closely with construction contractors to understand and communicate any construction activities that impact travel to the public in advance of traffic disruptions.  

A high-level cost estimate will be developed for the Recommended Alternative once it is identified. This cost will be refined as project planning and design progresses. Currently, WYDOT has not identified or programmed any funding for project construction.  Further, no specific funding sources have been identified, but future project funding likely would be a mix of federal and state funds.   Local funding sources also could be used for specific improvements.

Speed limits range from 25 mph to 55 mph along the project corridor, depending on the roadway segment. WYDOT does not anticipate any changes to the existing speed limits as a result of the proposed improvements.

The designation of Highway 22 as a Scenic Byway would depend on the specific criteria and procedures established by the National Scenic Byways Program. The scenic byway program is typically geared toward longer corridors and promoting tourism. Therefore, the WY 22 project corridor may not be a good fit for the program.

These difficulties are primarily caused by heavy traffic along WY 22. This traffic forms long lines of vehicles, also known as platoons, that continuously flow without gaps for vehicles trying to enter from side streets or driveways. The project aims to improve both mobility and safety on WY 22. By addressing the congestion that creates these platoons, it will also help residents access the highway more easily. A detailed analysis of current traffic conditions and projected future volumes will guide the identification of measures to provide safe and efficient access to and from WY 22.