A portion of Teton Pass, which connects workers in Idaho to the popular tourist town of Jackson, Wyoming, collapsed over the weekend.
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Real estate agents and property managers are bracing for the impact after part of a major mountain road connecting the popular tourist area of Jackson Hole to affordable Idaho towns collapsed over the weekend.
State officials quickly responded after an entire section of U.S. Highway 22, known as Teton Pass, slid off a mountain Saturday, blocking a vital route used by tourists and nearly two-thirds of the workforce that manages the town of Jackson. reaction. The closure prompted a response from top state officials, who vowed to rebuild the pass route as quickly as possible. But that leaves vacation rental managers facing higher cancellation rates heading into the busiest time of the year.
“We had about 15 cancellations this weekend,” said Edye Bean, owner of vacation rental property manager PMI Grand Tetons. “That’s high. I expected more. I don’t know what to think right now.”
The town of Jackson, Wyoming, is approximately 33 miles from the town of Driggs, Idaho. Jackson real estate is among the most expensive in the United States, sending many of the employees who run Jackson hotels, resorts, bars and restaurants in the Tetons to towns such as Driggs and Victor, Idaho. House prices and rent there are less than half price.
Employees who live in Idaho and commute to Jackson now face more than twice the driving time as they navigate winding mountain and canyon roads, with the current commute distance being 93 miles one way.
“It’s pretty devastating,” said Bomber Bryan, an associate agent at Keller Williams Jackson Hole. “It’s going to be amazing.”
Teton Pass is a popular route for tourists flying into Jackson, visiting Grand Teton National Park, and then heading to Yellowstone National Park or beyond.
Driggs, Idaho, is set against the west side of the Teton Mountains and has a total population of approximately 1,600 people, similar to the nearby town of Victor, Idaho.
In addition to being an attractive place for those who live in Jackson, the Idaho side of the Teton Mountains is also a popular tourist destination.
Teton Valley real estate agent Tayson Rockefeller, who also helps manage vacation rentals in the area, compared what he expects to happen to the post-COVID-19 drop in visitor numbers.
“I don’t know if we’ll see mass cancellations, but we will see them,” Rockefeller said.
As for the for-sale market, Rockefeller said the appeal of living in the Grand Tetons will draw buyers to the area.
“Am I scared that people won’t buy their dream homes in the Teton area?” he asked. “No.”
According to interview News MediaWyoFileTeton County Commission Chairman Luther Propst said the issue highlights the critical need for more housing that is affordable for the employees who keep the region running.
“This demonstrates the risks to many of our local workforce commuting on geologically unstable mountain passes,” Propst said. tell exit. “This certainly provides a very clear example of why we need a better balance between the number of jobs and the number of homes needed for the people doing those jobs.”
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