WYO Roads Less-Traveled Get Fed Budget Millions
Monday, December 24, 2007
Cheyenne, WY – You've got to spend money to save money. When it comes to "the roads less traveled," that's what the U.S. Forest Service and Congress have decided, and environmental activists approve. Wyoming will receive a big chunk of of the expenditure, a $39 million appropriation Congress recently approved for cleaning up, shutting down or erasing old and unused roads in national forests nationwide.
Environmental and Resource Economist Joe Kirkvliet with The Wilderness Society says it's a good use of funds, because crumbling roads can cause landslides, spread weeds and pose danger to the public. He adds that road repair and removal also mean work for heavy equipment operators and contractors.
"We're talking about removing those roads that are no longer an important part of the road system and can no longer be maintained. We will have some jobs created by this."
Although closing old roads is controversial for those who fear losing their access to public lands, Kirkvliet responds that access will be a consideration when the roads to be closed are selected. And he points out that removing unneeded roads can improve habitat for wildlife and fish, especially along streams and rivers.
Kirkvliet notes that the Forest Service helped craft the plan because it saves money.
"It's cheaper in the long run to decommission these roads because the maintenance costs are ended."
The original funding request for National Forest road closures was $70 million.
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