Officials Working On Alternatives For Travel Management Plan

Officials from the U.S. Forest Service have begun to develop alternative actions for the West Side Snowy Range Travel Management project, which is the next step in the National Environmental Policy Act process.

Alternatives will be derived from the initial proposed action and the public comments.

Those alternatives will be analyzed in an Environmental Assessment that will be released later this summer. Additional public comments will be solicited at that time. This comment period was added by Brush Creek/Hayden District Ranger Melanie Fullman in response to broad public interest in the large-scale travel project.

Ranger Fullman continues to meet with individuals and groups about the project, and is trying to find ways to accommodate offers of assistance from the public.

“It is important that we find appropriate, long-term solutions to the issues at hand with this project,” stated Fullman. “First we need to come to some conclusions regarding the future of our road and trail system. After those decisions have been made, then we can look into collaborative ways to implement maintenance of that system.”

Fullman notes that the public commented on a number of concerns with the project.

“We received substantive and specific input from the public during the recent comment periods. They addressed access needs, as well as resource concerns on the Forest and we are hopeful for this type of public participation throughout the remainder of this process.”

In line with national travel management direction, the Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District began analyzing the existing road/trail system for 210,000 acres on the west side of the Snowy Range, Medicine Bow National Forest, in 2013.

Ultimately the process is meant to produce a safe, sustainable motorized road and trail system that will meet public and management needs, while maintaining viable natural resources.

Click here for more details on the project.