At Issue
High on the list of Teton County’s capital projects is the proposed Tribal Trail Connector, meant to address congestion at the Y. Since its inclusion in the ITP, a majority of community members have been concerned with the project’s cost, potential adverse impact on the environment and lack of data and analysis showing any traffic alleviation or safety benefits. The opposition has consistently and strongly urged elected officials to first improve the Y Intersection and consider other alternative solutions. We are now particularly concerned about how a proposed tribal trail connector would impact the sensitive wetlands along the Tribal Trail Scenic Pathway.
In 2018, WYDOT sensibly upgraded the Y intersection WY 22 / WY 390 in line with what RGC had been advocating (i.e., add a second left turn lane and upgrade the traffic light system to be responsive to current traffic conditions). This has resulted in less congestion at the Y during peak hours. Motorists wishing to turn left onto WY 22 wait at most one light cycle. In fact, the elimination of the Y as the main bottleneck in the valley has resulted in the emergence of the next two bottlenecks: WY 22 at WY 390 for westbound traffic, and WY 22 at Spring Gulch Rd for eastbound traffic.
Fen
What is a fen?
A Fen is a groundwater-dependent peat layer within a wetland, which takes centuries to form (one inch every 100 years). There are many fens in the Rocky Mountain West, including one along the Tribal Trail Scenic Pathway. Our fen, located in the north end of the area where a road is proposed, is 12 inches thick, or 1200 years old. This is “young” compared to most fens in the Rocky Mountains, which are more than 6,000 years old.
Why is a fen important?
- A fen is an irreplaceable ecosystem, which counteracts global warming naturally by capturing CO2, recycling nutrients, trapping eroding soil, and filtering out pollutants to create hotbeds of diverse flora and fauna
- Globally, peatlands store carbon and nitrogen, retaining about one-third of the world’s soil carbon and 16 to 28 percent of the world’s soil nitrogen while occupying only 3 to 4 percent of the Earth’s surface
- Dozens of rare plant and animal species are supported by fens
- Fens require stable hydrological conditions which are important for their water storage and release capacities – activities that disturb the groundwater-dependent hydrological regime of a fen, causing drying or warming, can permanently damage, or destroy them
RGC Point of View
RGC is opposed to the prioritization and construction of a TTC based on the disruption to the fen and the information known to date. The County has failed to demonstrate any material benefits from the TTC, let alone of sufficient value to justify the project’s huge cost ($7+ million) and likely adverse impact on the environment (also a cost).
The risks to the environment include:
- disruption of the fen
- disruption to an established wildlife migration routes
- damage to the flora and fauna in the wetlands
- increased noise pollution
- increased air pollution, both in the immediate area and more widely due to induced demand generating a permanent increase in vehicle miles and vehicle trips
Unless and until the TTC can be properly justified, it should not be built.
See traffic engineer Robert Bernstein’s professional evaluation of Teton County’s 2010 Felsburg South Park Study. Inconsistencies are noted and the rationale for a proposed Tribal Trails Connector is questioned.
Related JH News & Guide Articles
Mother’s ITP Safety Concerns
RGC comments on Public Review Draft of Integrated Transportation Plan (ITP)
Attorney Nicole Kreiger’s Letter to Commissioners and Town Council
Sign the Petition
New roads affect all of us. Lend your voice to ensure that a Tribal Trail Connector is not built. The most recent studies from 2008–2010 indicate that this proposed new road would divert up to 13,000 cars, trucks & buses a day through wildlife habitat and school zones. Instead, traffic modelling with current data must be performed and alternative solutions should be considered.
See what others have to say and join hundreds of concerned citizens by signing the petition to stop the proposed Tribal Trail Connector Road.