The multi-use paths going in on both sides of WY-22 through downtown Wilson were supposed to open this fall. Teton County's contract with Evans Construction set substantial completion for November 20, 2026. It also offered a $75,000 bonus to open the pathway by October 31, so it would open at the same time as WYDOT's mill-and-overlay work on the highway. County staff have since proposed a no-cost change order that moves substantial completion to June 16, 2027 and final completion to July 20, 2027, The Teton Scroll reported on October 16.
The road and the paths were planned to finish in the same season. Now they won't. WY-22's new surface is arriving this fall, and the paths along its edges have been pushed to next summer.
A Schedule With No Slack in It
The project was designed to fit one construction season. The county's May 26 staff report describes about 2,100 linear feet of multi-use path on the north and south sides of WY-22. The scope also includes shoulder widening, stormwater collection and treatment, a rectangular rapid flashing beacon, retaining walls, signage, and striping. Funding comes partly from a federal BUILD grant and partly from a WYDOT Transportation Alternatives Program grant, and each carries its own requirements. The staff report explains the timing directly:
"Due to the BUILD grant deadlines and the typical short construction season of Jackson Hole, it has been determined that starting construction in June will allow for completion in one construction season, which is the most cost effective and efficient approach to the project schedule."
That plan depended on a June start. The same report also noted that the county could not issue a notice to proceed until WYDOT's Local Government Coordination office approved the bid, as the TAP grant requires. So the most important date in the project wasn't in Evans Construction's hands, or the county's.
Where the Summer Went
Here's how the 2026 season has gone so far:
- May 13: The county received two bids. Evans Construction was the only responsive bidder at $5,000,625, which was $897,499 above the engineer's estimate of $4,103,126.
- May 26: Commissioners got a contract package that included Change Order No. 1, which cut $285,301 and set a not-to-exceed price of $4,715,324.
- July 14: WYDOT issued the notice to proceed after reviewing subcontractor agreements. That's the date county staff now cite as too late to realistically finish this fall.
- July 17: Buckrail announced that work would start the following Monday and run through late fall. It would happen on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with temporary lane shifts, reduced speeds, and short delays.
- October 20: The Teton County Board of Commissioners' regular meeting agenda lists Change Order No. 2 for the Wilson Active Transportation Project for consideration.
The plan called for a June start. Work began around July 20, so about seven weeks of a short Jackson Hole building season were already gone. The November 20 target counted on those weeks. The proposed June 16, 2027 date gives up on getting them back this year and puts the remaining work into next spring.
The October 20 agenda links to the county's meeting video page for anyone who wants to watch the meeting online.
The Repaving That Was Supposed to Finish With the Paths
The $75,000 bonus was there to make two separate projects finish together. WYDOT's release described milling and paving on WY-22 from the "Y" intersection of US 26/89/189/191 to the base of Teton Pass. Work was scheduled to start the evening of August 10 and take about four weeks. Traffic would run in both directions during the day, with alternating one-lane traffic from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. The districtwide patching contract behind that work has an October 31 completion date. WYDOT's 511 route page lists the same date for milling and paving on WY-22 from milepost 0.22 to milepost 7.
The original design had the new highway surface, the wider shoulders, the striping, and the paths all finishing around Halloween. Under the proposed schedule, the highway work finishes first. The path project's own shoulder widening, striping, and flashing beacon are part of the county contract, not WYDOT's, so they follow the county's revised dates. For people driving downtown Wilson this winter, that means a newer road surface on the main lanes, with the path project still unfinished along the edges.
The Extra Season Has a Cost
The change order is called "no cost" because it doesn't change the contract amount. The Teton Scroll's account of the staff report also says that carrying the work into spring 2027 will likely add construction administration and engineering costs, which would go into the fiscal 2028 budget.
That matters because the project was already over budget before construction began. Even after the $285,301 in Change Order No. 1 reductions, the contract stood $612,198 above the engineer's estimate. The county planned to cover that gap, along with the rest of the local share, from its Fund 37 capital budget for FY2027. A second season means a second year of engineering and oversight costs. Jorgensen Associates and Alta Planning and Design handle construction quality assurance and administration, and Three Elephant Public Relations handles public outreach.
What the Longer Timeline Leaves Open
Streetlights are still undecided. In June, the Jackson Hole News&Guide reported that commissioners asked staff to look into lighting downtown Wilson without delaying the path project. They also asked for safety data and a look at solar lights, which would avoid the delay of running utility lines underground. County Pathways Coordinator Brian Schilling told the News&Guide, "There are real safety benefits to having lighting." He also said any lights would have to be dark-sky compliant and point downward. The same article noted that the county had considered lights before and decided against them over community-character concerns.
The paths themselves have been argued about in Wilson for years. Commissioners approved a path plan in January 2025. The News&Guide reported that a political action committee called Concerned Citizens of Wilson formed on May 28 to raise safety and wildlife concerns, while the Wilson Advocacy Group supports the project. Supporters say the paths will move cyclists off the highway and make the hamlet more walkable. Opponents worry that riders coming down Teton Pass will carry their speed through town. The News&Guide found that people on both sides were open to lighting.
A project that keeps going into next summer will still be under construction during another round of public meetings. Anyone who wants to follow the lighting question or the spring restart can watch the commissioners' agendas.
Downtown, in the Meantime
The county's priority from the start was keeping downtown Wilson's small businesses reachable. The staff report named outreach to businesses, residents, and travelers as a "high priority." Buckrail's construction notice said access to homes and businesses would generally stay open, though it could shift as work moved along.
At least one longtime business started a new chapter during the work. The News&Guide reported in June that Mekki Jaidi and two silent partners bought Pearl Street Bagels' Wilson and Jackson shops from Heather Gould, and Jaidi said he wanted to "maintain and preserve" the brand. The Wilson shop reopened August 6, a few weeks after construction started, with a refreshed interior and a commercial toaster. The News&Guide noted that this ended the shop's longstanding no-toasting tradition.
The Old Wilson Schoolhouse Community Center at 5655 Main Street has two free events on its fall calendar:
- Fall Harvest Festival, Thursday, October 29, 4 to 6 p.m., with pumpkin carving, a DJ, cider pressing, and a costume cake walk.
- Songwriter Showcase, Saturday, November 7, at 6 p.m., featuring Zach Freidhof, Russell Nelson, and Possum Queen.
Both will take place in a downtown that's still between phases. The highway work is finishing on its own schedule, and the paths are now set to open next summer under the proposed timeline.
Our team at Budge Kelley Realty Group follows projects like the downtown Wilson paths because they change how a stretch of WY-22 works for the people who live and own property along it. If you have questions about what next summer's finish could mean for a Wilson home, we're happy to talk them through with you.
