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Mitigation of Flood Damaged Road and
Coronado National Memorial » Mitigation of Flood Damaged Road and » Document List
H4217
February 23, 2009
Dear Interested Party:
The National Park Service at Coronado National Memorial is proposing the rehabilitation of 3.5 miles of deteriorating pavement on Montezuma Pass Road. The road, constructed between 1933 and 1935 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, has been determined eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The work will include repaving 3.5 miles of roadway and adding base material along the road shoulder to provide an adequate slope and shoulder area. In addition, the park will pave approximately six existing turnouts for law enforcement and visitor use and install five new low water crossings; two will replace existing inadequate culverts, while three will be installed at locations that currently have no drainage features. The low water crossings will include drainage channel re-grading that is currently affecting the roadway. Also included in this proposal is a parking area along the road which will serve as a new trailhead for Coronado Cave Trail, moving the trailhead from its current location in Montezuma Wash.
Summer rain storms and subsequent flooding in 2006 and 2008 caused extensive channel realignment in Montezuma Wash. The main channel within the wash is closer to the road and in a number of areas is impacting the stability of the roadway. Flood debris (rock, gravel and woody material) plugged culverts and caused severe erosion of the road embankments and roadside ditches. These debris jams have realigned the channel redirecting water flow toward the roadway causing severe erosion of the embankments in a number of locations. A natural channel designed restoration project is being proposed to improve the long term sustainability of the channel and the protection of the roadway.
An Environmental Assessment will be prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to provide the decision-making framework that 1) analyzes a reasonable range of alternatives to meet project objectives, 2) evaluates issues and impacts to park resources and values, and 3) identifies mitigation measures to lessen the degree or extent of these impacts.
The park encourages public participation throughout the planning process. There will be two opportunities to comment formally on the project; once now during the initial project scoping and again following release of the Environmental Assessment. The park is currently in the scoping phase of this proposed project and invites the public to submit written suggestions, comments, and concerns regarding the proposed project online at the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/. If you are not able to submit comments electronically through this website, you may submit written comments at the address on this letterhead.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment -including your personal identifying information - may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us to withhold your personal identifying information from public we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will always make submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety.
Please provide comments by March 23, 2009. These comments will be considered during preparation of the Environmental Assessment. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
/s/
Matthew Stoffolano
Acting Superintendent
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
CORONADO NATIONAL MEMORIAL
4101 E. Montezuma Canyon Road
Hereford, Arizona 85615
February 23, 2009
Dear Interested Party:
The National Park Service at Coronado National Memorial is proposing the rehabilitation of 3.5 miles of deteriorating pavement on Montezuma Pass Road. The road, constructed between 1933 and 1935 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, has been determined eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The work will include repaving 3.5 miles of roadway and adding base material along the road shoulder to provide an adequate slope and shoulder area. In addition, the park will pave approximately six existing turnouts for law enforcement and visitor use and install five new low water crossings; two will replace existing inadequate culverts, while three will be installed at locations that currently have no drainage features. The low water crossings will include drainage channel re-grading that is currently affecting the roadway. Also included in this proposal is a parking area along the road which will serve as a new trailhead for Coronado Cave Trail, moving the trailhead from its current location in Montezuma Wash.
Summer rain storms and subsequent flooding in 2006 and 2008 caused extensive channel realignment in Montezuma Wash. The main channel within the wash is closer to the road and in a number of areas is impacting the stability of the roadway. Flood debris (rock, gravel and woody material) plugged culverts and caused severe erosion of the road embankments and roadside ditches. These debris jams have realigned the channel redirecting water flow toward the roadway causing severe erosion of the embankments in a number of locations. A natural channel designed restoration project is being proposed to improve the long term sustainability of the channel and the protection of the roadway.
An Environmental Assessment will be prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to provide the decision-making framework that 1) analyzes a reasonable range of alternatives to meet project objectives, 2) evaluates issues and impacts to park resources and values, and 3) identifies mitigation measures to lessen the degree or extent of these impacts.
The park encourages public participation throughout the planning process. There will be two opportunities to comment formally on the project; once now during the initial project scoping and again following release of the Environmental Assessment. The park is currently in the scoping phase of this proposed project and invites the public to submit written suggestions, comments, and concerns regarding the proposed project online at the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/. If you are not able to submit comments electronically through this website, you may submit written comments at the address on this letterhead.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment -including your personal identifying information - may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us to withhold your personal identifying information from public we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will always make submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety.
Please provide comments by March 23, 2009. These comments will be considered during preparation of the Environmental Assessment. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
/s/
Matthew Stoffolano
Acting Superintendent
Contact Information
United States Department of the InteriorNATIONAL PARK SERVICE
CORONADO NATIONAL MEMORIAL
4101 E. Montezuma Canyon Road
Hereford, Arizona 85615