Teton County directs design work to allow future separated pathway on Spring Gulch Road

County engineers told the Board of Commissioners on Jan. 12 that geotechnical work shows full-depth reconstruction is necessary for two sections of Spring Gulch Road and presented two design approaches: rebuild in the existing alignment (least costly) or shift the roadway within the existing 60-foot right-of-way to provide space for a separated pathway.

Associate County Engineer John Kemp said the current draft design covers a 3.1-mile stretch with a 24-foot-wide asphalt surface and that geotechnical analysis found a mill-and-overlay would be insufficient. He described alignment shifting as the most cost-effective way to allow a separated pathway in the future but warned that shifting the road can require additional ditch work, culvert extensions, retaining walls and more earthwork in pinch points.

Staff provided preliminary cost context: the county has $13.5 million in the capital improvements plan for 2027 for the segment under discussion and reported that average maintenance for the corridor has been over $60,000 per year over the last 12 years; recent storm damage in 2024 cost about $556,000. The design team proposed a $20,000 change order to investigate alignment shifts that would accommodate a 10-foot separated pathway without committing to building the pathway at the same time as the road.

Public works director Heather Overholser warned the board that if staff does not incorporate the pathway during the design phase, building one later would be “very difficult” because of topography and easement constraints. She asked the board for direction; Commissioner Gardner said he wanted design work that anticipates a future pathway and that he would like staff to explore fitting a bike path within the current easement. Brian Schilling, the town’s pathways coordinator, noted prior community planning has consistently identified a separated Spring Gulch pathway as a high priority.

The board generally agreed to direct the consultant to revise the design to shift the roadway within the existing right-of-way to allow for a future separated pathway and to proceed with the $20,000 design task. Commissioners also asked staff to involve the pathways task force and to consider grade-separated crossings (for example, at the Highway 22 intersection) if regional plans require multi-lane roundabouts.

Next steps: staff will proceed with the change order and develop construction estimates and options for the board and include design-derived cost estimates in upcoming budget discussions.