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Rehabilitation of South Kelbaker and Kelso-Cima Road
Mojave National Preserve » Rehabilitation of South Kelbaker and Kelso-Cima Road » Document List
The National Park Service (NPS) is considering a project to rehabilitate Kelso-Cima Road and South Kelbaker Road in the Mojave National Preserve (the Preserve). Proposed rehabilitation of the roads will include the demolition and removal of existing asphalt road surface, the installation of a new stable road base, and the reapplication of the asphalt road surface. Existing low water crossings on the roadways will be maintained at the current locations but will be stabilized to prevent erosion. In addition, desert tortoise fencing will be constructed along Kelso-Cima Road and South Kelbaker Road to facilitate safe passage of the desert tortoise (a federally threatened species) to reduce fatalities and prevent further decline in the population. Additionally, the parking lot at Granite Pass will be improved to increase parking and provide additional access points to improve vehicle operations and safety measures for visitors.
The primary purposes of the project are to improve public safety and the resiliency of the roadway by reducing the number and severity of traffic accidents, to reduce desert tortoise mortality, and to provide additional resource protections in the Preserve. This project is needed because the existing road system has exceeded its service life and current road design deficiencies, including soft shoulders and asphalt conditions, lead to avoidable traffic deaths and serious injuries each year. In addition, the project is needed to address impacts to natural resources and reduce desert tortoise mortality in the Preserve.
The Preserve is a 1.6-million-acre desert solitude of canyons, mountains, and mesas located in a remote portion area of San Bernardino County, California. The Preserve was created in 1994 as part of the California Desert Protection Act, and maintenance of the roadways was transferred to the NPS in 2013. The Preserve protects a diverse mosaic of desert ecological communities and functions, and evidence of a 10,000-year history of human connection with the desert. Of the Preserve's 1.6 million acres, about 700,000 acres are designated wilderness. In addition, about half is designated as critical habitat for the federally listed threatened desert tortoise.
The anticipated environmental document type for the project is an Environmental Assessment (EA), with the NPS serving as the lead agency for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). However, the Preserve is also consulting with the Federal Highway Administration as a cooperating agency participating in the roadway design process and environmental analysis.
760-221-5310
The primary purposes of the project are to improve public safety and the resiliency of the roadway by reducing the number and severity of traffic accidents, to reduce desert tortoise mortality, and to provide additional resource protections in the Preserve. This project is needed because the existing road system has exceeded its service life and current road design deficiencies, including soft shoulders and asphalt conditions, lead to avoidable traffic deaths and serious injuries each year. In addition, the project is needed to address impacts to natural resources and reduce desert tortoise mortality in the Preserve.
The Preserve is a 1.6-million-acre desert solitude of canyons, mountains, and mesas located in a remote portion area of San Bernardino County, California. The Preserve was created in 1994 as part of the California Desert Protection Act, and maintenance of the roadways was transferred to the NPS in 2013. The Preserve protects a diverse mosaic of desert ecological communities and functions, and evidence of a 10,000-year history of human connection with the desert. Of the Preserve's 1.6 million acres, about 700,000 acres are designated wilderness. In addition, about half is designated as critical habitat for the federally listed threatened desert tortoise.
The anticipated environmental document type for the project is an Environmental Assessment (EA), with the NPS serving as the lead agency for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). However, the Preserve is also consulting with the Federal Highway Administration as a cooperating agency participating in the roadway design process and environmental analysis.
Contact Information
Sierra Willoughby760-221-5310