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Dec 3, 2024:
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Northeast Entrance Road Reconstruction Project
Yellowstone National Park » Northeast Entrance Road Reconstruction Project » Document List
The National Park Service, in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration, seeks public comment on a proposal to significantly improve Yellowstone's Northeast Entrance Road between Tower Junction and the northeast entrance boundary.
Project Overview
The National Park Service (NPS), in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is preparing an environmental assessment (EA) for improvements to the Northeast Entrance Road (road) in Yellowstone National Park (park). The project begins about 1 mile east of the intersection of Northeast Entrance Road and Tower Junction and extends about 27 miles to the northeast boundary of the park. The project will improve safety and traffic flow through various upgrades. Project alternatives will analyze ways to avoid, minimize or mitigate impacts to sensitive resources. The NPS encourages your participation throughout the planning process.
Why is this Project Needed?
Aging Infrastructure: The road has not had any substantial improvements since the 1980's. The existing pavement has exceeded its 20-year design life and was not designed for current traffic loads. The age of the road combined with increased visitation has also taken a toll on associated infrastructure such as bridges, culverts and retaining walls. In areas where the road intersects seasonally wet areas or crosses over areas with historical subsurface water flows, the road subgrade is poorly drained and susceptible to frost heaves.
Outdated Standards that Impact Safety: The existing corridor has a substandard width of 20-22 feet while the modern park standard is 30 feet. The corridor lacks adequate shoulders for vehicles to pull off in case of an emergency. The increased road width, the addition of shoulders, and improvements to parking and turnouts areas will help to increase safety by minimizing vehicle conflicts and facilitating traffic flows.
Resource and Resiliency Concerns: The lack of adequate shoulders and turnouts are causing resource issues when drivers pull off in undesignated areas, which leads to vegetation degradation and the spread of invasive weeds. Some of these areas are steep and pose a safety issue. In addition, several sections of the road washed out during the 2022 flood event, and other sections may be vulnerable to similar future events. The alignment could be diverted in some locations within the corridor due to sensitive resources and/or natural hazards impacting infrastructure.
Improvement of the Visitor Experience: The Northeast Entrance Road, along with the North Entrance Road, are the only two park roads open year-round to the communities of Silver Gate and Cooke City, MT. This corridor includes the very popular Lamar Valley, known for its spectacular landscape and wildlife viewing. The parking configurations in some turnouts areas need to be expanded and/or redesigned to add capacity, improve vehicle circulation, and add new wildlife viewing turnouts.
Summary of Project Goals
1. Provide a safe road for visitors, local residents, and Park staff that meets current engineering standards as well as NPS plans and policies, and improves traffic flow along the corridor;
2. Preserve unimpaired natural and cultural resources for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations;
3. Protect or restore natural hydrologic processes, conditions, and values;
4. Enhance and expand visitor facilities and services within the corridor.
Additional project information is included in the scoping newsletter available by clicking the "Document List" button on the left. Comments will accepted until December 3, 2024.
Project Overview
The National Park Service (NPS), in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is preparing an environmental assessment (EA) for improvements to the Northeast Entrance Road (road) in Yellowstone National Park (park). The project begins about 1 mile east of the intersection of Northeast Entrance Road and Tower Junction and extends about 27 miles to the northeast boundary of the park. The project will improve safety and traffic flow through various upgrades. Project alternatives will analyze ways to avoid, minimize or mitigate impacts to sensitive resources. The NPS encourages your participation throughout the planning process.
Why is this Project Needed?
Aging Infrastructure: The road has not had any substantial improvements since the 1980's. The existing pavement has exceeded its 20-year design life and was not designed for current traffic loads. The age of the road combined with increased visitation has also taken a toll on associated infrastructure such as bridges, culverts and retaining walls. In areas where the road intersects seasonally wet areas or crosses over areas with historical subsurface water flows, the road subgrade is poorly drained and susceptible to frost heaves.
Outdated Standards that Impact Safety: The existing corridor has a substandard width of 20-22 feet while the modern park standard is 30 feet. The corridor lacks adequate shoulders for vehicles to pull off in case of an emergency. The increased road width, the addition of shoulders, and improvements to parking and turnouts areas will help to increase safety by minimizing vehicle conflicts and facilitating traffic flows.
Resource and Resiliency Concerns: The lack of adequate shoulders and turnouts are causing resource issues when drivers pull off in undesignated areas, which leads to vegetation degradation and the spread of invasive weeds. Some of these areas are steep and pose a safety issue. In addition, several sections of the road washed out during the 2022 flood event, and other sections may be vulnerable to similar future events. The alignment could be diverted in some locations within the corridor due to sensitive resources and/or natural hazards impacting infrastructure.
Improvement of the Visitor Experience: The Northeast Entrance Road, along with the North Entrance Road, are the only two park roads open year-round to the communities of Silver Gate and Cooke City, MT. This corridor includes the very popular Lamar Valley, known for its spectacular landscape and wildlife viewing. The parking configurations in some turnouts areas need to be expanded and/or redesigned to add capacity, improve vehicle circulation, and add new wildlife viewing turnouts.
Summary of Project Goals
1. Provide a safe road for visitors, local residents, and Park staff that meets current engineering standards as well as NPS plans and policies, and improves traffic flow along the corridor;
2. Preserve unimpaired natural and cultural resources for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations;
3. Protect or restore natural hydrologic processes, conditions, and values;
4. Enhance and expand visitor facilities and services within the corridor.
Additional project information is included in the scoping newsletter available by clicking the "Document List" button on the left. Comments will accepted until December 3, 2024.