As part of its long term transportation planning effort, the park intends to manage traffic congestion by reducing the number of automobiles within the park while maintaining and improving public access. This action is supported by the park’s Transportation Implementation Plan and Environmental Assessment (2006), and Executive Order 13514 on Federal Leadership In Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance (2009), which requires agencies to measure, manage, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions toward agency-defined targets including a 30% reduction in vehicle fleet petroleum use by 2020.
Since 2004, when visitation trends were last evaluated for the Arches NP Transportation Plan, park visitation has increased from 733,131 in 2004 to 996,304 in 2009, more than a 35% increase in park visitors over the last 5 years. From 2004-2009 there has been an increase of 100,000 cars annually, 36% more cars than documented in the 2006 Transportation study. Arches also averages around 2,000 commercial bus tours a year with the busiest seasons from May through October. With this increase of visitation the park has seen an increase of parking issues that are no longer associated with holidays or weekends or other special occasions. Parking congestion is now the norm from mid March through early November.
