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Traffic Congestion Management Plan for Arches and Canyonlands National Parks
Canyonlands National Park » Traffic Congestion Management Plan for Arches and Canyonlands National Parks » Document List
The National Park Service (NPS) is developing a Traffic Congestion Management Plan for Arches and Canyonlands National Parks to consider ways to reduce parking congestion and related crowding problems in the parks.
During peak season, all major parking areas in the parks are at or over capacity several hours a day. When this occurs, visitors park their cars along roadsides for long distances and walk in traffic to their destination. And at parking lots, stopped cars waiting for spaces to become available impede traffic flow. As a result, visitor safety is compromised, conflicts arise between visitors, roadside vegetation is damaged, and the positive visitor experience is diminished.
The purpose of the Traffic Congestion Management Plan is to explore ideas and identify solutions to solve these crowding problems. The overall goal of the Plan is to protect and enhance the current and future visitor experience in the parks while protecting park resources and values. More specifically the plan will aim to:
• reduce crowding
• enable visitors to safely and easily experience the park
• eliminate or minimize natural resource damage
• reduce crowding-related effects on park operations
• prevent or reduce crowding-related accidents
The NPS is now beginning the compliance process (NEPA/NHPA) to further examine those solutions as part of a Traffic Congestion Management Plan and Environmental Assessment (EA) for both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.
Click on the newsletters to view alternatives and comment on the project.
Currently, the NPS is seeking public input on the preliminary alternatives and will analyze alternatives in the final EA.
The public comment period will open on October 14, 2015 for 30 days.
Deadline for comments submitted via this website is November 12, 2015.
Anyone unable to submit their comments to either of the above websites may submit comments via email to nps_seug_planning@nps.gov or mail their comments to the National Park Service, Attn: Planning and Compliance, 2282 SW. Resource Blvd, Moab, UT 84532.
Emailed comments must be received by, and written comments must be postmarked by, the November 12, 2015 deadline.
435-719-2103
During peak season, all major parking areas in the parks are at or over capacity several hours a day. When this occurs, visitors park their cars along roadsides for long distances and walk in traffic to their destination. And at parking lots, stopped cars waiting for spaces to become available impede traffic flow. As a result, visitor safety is compromised, conflicts arise between visitors, roadside vegetation is damaged, and the positive visitor experience is diminished.
The purpose of the Traffic Congestion Management Plan is to explore ideas and identify solutions to solve these crowding problems. The overall goal of the Plan is to protect and enhance the current and future visitor experience in the parks while protecting park resources and values. More specifically the plan will aim to:
• reduce crowding
• enable visitors to safely and easily experience the park
• eliminate or minimize natural resource damage
• reduce crowding-related effects on park operations
• prevent or reduce crowding-related accidents
The NPS is now beginning the compliance process (NEPA/NHPA) to further examine those solutions as part of a Traffic Congestion Management Plan and Environmental Assessment (EA) for both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.
Click on the newsletters to view alternatives and comment on the project.
Currently, the NPS is seeking public input on the preliminary alternatives and will analyze alternatives in the final EA.
The public comment period will open on October 14, 2015 for 30 days.
Deadline for comments submitted via this website is November 12, 2015.
Anyone unable to submit their comments to either of the above websites may submit comments via email to nps_seug_planning@nps.gov or mail their comments to the National Park Service, Attn: Planning and Compliance, 2282 SW. Resource Blvd, Moab, UT 84532.
Emailed comments must be received by, and written comments must be postmarked by, the November 12, 2015 deadline.
Contact Information
Planning and Compliance435-719-2103