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Proposal would cut 163 miles of Forest road
Public meetings set to discuss road proposal

Motorized vehicle damage on the Tusayan Ranger District.

Motorized vehicle damage on the Tusayan Ranger District.

The environmental analysis for a plan to remove about 163 miles of road from the Tusayan Ranger District's 700-mile system is available for public comment, with two open houses next week to take input and answer questions.

These are next Tuesday in Flagstaff at the Coconino Community College Board Room, Lone Tree Campus, and on Thursday, Jan. 15, at the Tusayan Ranger Station. Both are from 5-7 p.m.

This is the latest step in a process that started in 2006 to develop policies to manage the increase in off-road motorized travel. All of the Kaibab's districts are working on plans, with the Tusayan Ranger District furthest along.

Planners developed three alternatives, opting for alternative 2 as the proposed action.

Included in this option:

• Removes 163 miles of road, 23 percent, from the system.

• Keeps 546 miles of designated road system on the Tusayan Ranger District, with 105 suitable for passenger cars, 455 for high clearance vehicles.

• Designates 17 miles of camping corridors allowing vehicles off road up to 300 feet to camp.

• Adds six miles of unauthorized roads, mostly to dispersed camping sites, and prohibits use of the other 160 miles of unofficial roadway.

• Allows motorized cross-country game retrieval of up to a mile during elk season.

One alternative was no action and the other was similar to alternative two but took 23 fewer miles of road out of use.

Currently there are no restrictions on off-road, motorized vehicle use.

According to planning documents, implementing the second alternative would save about $47,000 a year in maintenance costs.

The plan allows some motorized access to camping areas, and permits hunters to travel cross-country up to one mile to retrieve downed elk.

The comment period closes on Jan. 30, with an extension on the normal 30 days due to the holidays.

Submit comments to Forest Supervisor, Kaibab National Forest, 800 S. Sixth St., Williams, AZ 86046, by mail or in person weekdays 8 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. Also you can comment verbally by calling 928-635-8200, by FAX to 928-635-8208 or by e-mail to comments-southwestern-kaibab@fs.fed.us.


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