Casey Jones - Professional Engineer | Questions I have about the Teton Pass Bypass Construction @CaseyJones-Engineer | Uploaded June 2024 | Updated October 2024, 2 hours ago.
In this video, I provide a new update as to what Wyoming DOT officials are planning to address the catastrophic failure of an embankment fill section for Highway 22 (Teton Pass Highway) in Wyoming that occurred June 8, 2024. WyDOT officials have decided on a course of action to continue working on constructing an adjacent section of new roadway and opening it to traffic in just 2 weeks and they are a week in at this point. This aggressive time table is unlikely to provide sufficient time to determine the causes of the failure, access which areas of the highway embankment may also pose a risk of failure and to determine the best methods for resuming traffic flows. I provide details associated with the geotechnical engineering aspects of these issues.
In this video I list the key questions I think WyDOT needs to answer on a technical basis for people to be able to confirm whether or not they are taking appropriate and safe actions to reopen this road to traffic.
Here is my free digital download of my guide to the biggest civil engineering disasters during the last 100 years.
ftandc.com/top-engineering-disasters-from-the-last-100-years
Join this channel to get access to perks:
youtube.com/channel/UCJgU-4V308a_7XVApOuCamg/join
Here is are my previous videos on the slope failure: youtu.be/Yu8ZthFK2OE
youtu.be/SSXkLLFnvFw
Link to June 19, 2024 Jackson Hole News and Guide article:
jhnewsandguide.com/news/environmental/wydot-defends-teton-pass-detour-as-politicos-engineers-question-plans/article_42433cd2-2dcf-11ef-a6cf-bb5627cc49bc.html
Link to Idaho 8 New Article and Councilwoman Chamber's Editorial.
localnews8.com/news/wyoming/2024/06/17/is-the-teton-pass-reopening-project-moving-too-quickly-jackson-councilmember-raises-concern
Link to Wyoming DOT media kit:
dot.state.wy.us/home/news_info/media-kits.html
My questions for WyDOT:
1. Why hasn’t WyDOT computed the factor of safety anticipated for the reconfigured embankment that will be used for the bypass roadway?
2. What minimum factor of safety would they consider to be acceptable?
3. What geotechnical data do they have from past and current or ongoing studies with which to confirm the stability of the reconfigured roadway embankment for the temporary bypass?
4. What geotechnical information is still pending in terms of instrumentation data, laboratory tests associated with soil samples obtained in the field and the associated analysis and when will that pending data be compiled?
5. Has WyDOT consulted with private sector engineers in implementing either the temporary or planned permanent repair measures for the roadway embankment?
6. If WyDOT had an inclinometer casing installed in or near the portion of the embankment last year as has been recently reported by Jackson Hole News and Guide, where specifically was it located and when was it surveyed following its installation?
7. What were the depths and magnitude of slope movement over period of time prior to the catastrophic slope failure as indicated from the inclinometer readings?
8. What is the type and location of any geotechnical instrumentation that will be installed to monitor the reconfigured slope and how often will that instrumentation data be collected and analyzed?
9. WyDOT has indicated that based upon current projections, the roadway for the temporary bypass is anticipated be open on or around June 26, 2024. Given that timeline, will there be sufficient time to install the geotechnical instrumentation for slope and foundation soil monitoring and to have collected enough initial readings to establish baseline conditions and to determine whether movement is continuing with the foundation soils or the embankment?
10. What restrictions will be placed on traffic for the temporary bypass in
This video is for educational purposes and contains excerpts from copyrighted material. The use of these excerpts is protected under the principle of 'fair use' in copyright law. The purpose of including these excerpts is for commentary, criticism, educational, or transformative purposes, and they have been used sparingly in relation to the overall content of this video. The original source material remains the property of its respective copyright holder(s), and this video is not intended to compete with or replace the original work. No copyright infringement is intended. If you have any concerns about the use of your copyrighted material in this video, please contact us through the provided contact information.
The use of the information set forth in this YouTube video is at the viewer's own risk. This information should be considered neither technical nor engineering advice. Users should consult with the relevant professionals for specific advice related to their situation.
In this video, I provide a new update as to what Wyoming DOT officials are planning to address the catastrophic failure of an embankment fill section for Highway 22 (Teton Pass Highway) in Wyoming that occurred June 8, 2024. WyDOT officials have decided on a course of action to continue working on constructing an adjacent section of new roadway and opening it to traffic in just 2 weeks and they are a week in at this point. This aggressive time table is unlikely to provide sufficient time to determine the causes of the failure, access which areas of the highway embankment may also pose a risk of failure and to determine the best methods for resuming traffic flows. I provide details associated with the geotechnical engineering aspects of these issues.
In this video I list the key questions I think WyDOT needs to answer on a technical basis for people to be able to confirm whether or not they are taking appropriate and safe actions to reopen this road to traffic.
Here is my free digital download of my guide to the biggest civil engineering disasters during the last 100 years.
ftandc.com/top-engineering-disasters-from-the-last-100-years
Join this channel to get access to perks:
youtube.com/channel/UCJgU-4V308a_7XVApOuCamg/join
Here is are my previous videos on the slope failure: youtu.be/Yu8ZthFK2OE
youtu.be/SSXkLLFnvFw
Link to June 19, 2024 Jackson Hole News and Guide article:
jhnewsandguide.com/news/environmental/wydot-defends-teton-pass-detour-as-politicos-engineers-question-plans/article_42433cd2-2dcf-11ef-a6cf-bb5627cc49bc.html
Link to Idaho 8 New Article and Councilwoman Chamber's Editorial.
localnews8.com/news/wyoming/2024/06/17/is-the-teton-pass-reopening-project-moving-too-quickly-jackson-councilmember-raises-concern
Link to Wyoming DOT media kit:
dot.state.wy.us/home/news_info/media-kits.html
My questions for WyDOT:
1. Why hasn’t WyDOT computed the factor of safety anticipated for the reconfigured embankment that will be used for the bypass roadway?
2. What minimum factor of safety would they consider to be acceptable?
3. What geotechnical data do they have from past and current or ongoing studies with which to confirm the stability of the reconfigured roadway embankment for the temporary bypass?
4. What geotechnical information is still pending in terms of instrumentation data, laboratory tests associated with soil samples obtained in the field and the associated analysis and when will that pending data be compiled?
5. Has WyDOT consulted with private sector engineers in implementing either the temporary or planned permanent repair measures for the roadway embankment?
6. If WyDOT had an inclinometer casing installed in or near the portion of the embankment last year as has been recently reported by Jackson Hole News and Guide, where specifically was it located and when was it surveyed following its installation?
7. What were the depths and magnitude of slope movement over period of time prior to the catastrophic slope failure as indicated from the inclinometer readings?
8. What is the type and location of any geotechnical instrumentation that will be installed to monitor the reconfigured slope and how often will that instrumentation data be collected and analyzed?
9. WyDOT has indicated that based upon current projections, the roadway for the temporary bypass is anticipated be open on or around June 26, 2024. Given that timeline, will there be sufficient time to install the geotechnical instrumentation for slope and foundation soil monitoring and to have collected enough initial readings to establish baseline conditions and to determine whether movement is continuing with the foundation soils or the embankment?
10. What restrictions will be placed on traffic for the temporary bypass in
This video is for educational purposes and contains excerpts from copyrighted material. The use of these excerpts is protected under the principle of 'fair use' in copyright law. The purpose of including these excerpts is for commentary, criticism, educational, or transformative purposes, and they have been used sparingly in relation to the overall content of this video. The original source material remains the property of its respective copyright holder(s), and this video is not intended to compete with or replace the original work. No copyright infringement is intended. If you have any concerns about the use of your copyrighted material in this video, please contact us through the provided contact information.
The use of the information set forth in this YouTube video is at the viewer's own risk. This information should be considered neither technical nor engineering advice. Users should consult with the relevant professionals for specific advice related to their situation.
