Grand Canyon National Park Seeks Public Comment on Preliminary Alternatives for Rehabilitation of Hermit Road

GRAND CANYON, AZ - Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Joseph F. Alston today announced the initiation of public scoping for the rehabilitation of Hermit Road, the roadway that connects Grand Canyon Village to Hermits Rest along the west rim of the park. The approximately 7-mile long road (previously named West Rim Drive) and its associated turnouts and overlooks, is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. It was constructed in 1911 - 1913 as a scenic roadway. The road was substantially upgraded in the early 1930's and this alignment remains today. The road is approximately 18 to 20 feet wide and is in need of substantial upgrading and repair. Currently, the park operates a shuttle bus system on this roadway for most of the year and vehicular traffic is restricted to shuttle buses, tour buses, service vehicles, and a limited number of private vehicles for visitors with accessibility needs. The road is open to all vehicle traffic during the winter (December through February). Bicyclists and pedestrians use the area year-round.

Grand Canyon National Park's 1995 General Management Plan (GMP) identifies Hermit Road as a primary route for the park’s transit system and states that automobiles will be restricted on Hermit Road year-round and will be accessible only by transit, hiking or biking.

The primary management concerns and related objectives for rehabilitating Hermit Road include:

The overall road condition is poor, posing significant safety concerns and needs to be improved;
the condition of many of the parking areas and overlooks is also poor and improvements in safety and accessibility in these areas is needed;
the road width is too narrow for safe passage of buses and private vehicles and needs to be increased;
pedestrian and bicycle access to Hermits Rest is unsafe and inadequate, and the use conflicts with vehicle traffic on the roadway; and
the roadway and its associated turnouts and overlooks are historic and considered significant cultural resources. Rehabilitation efforts need to balance the preservation of these cultural resources with improvements in safety and accessibility for vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians.

Several alternatives have been preliminarily developed to address the purpose and need for action and the management objectives listed above. The National Park Service (NPS) has not yet selected a preferred alternative, pending further detailed evaluation of these alternatives. The NPS anticipates that some of these alternatives may change and/or that new alternatives will be added as the planning process proceeds, based on continued input from NPS staff, other agencies and the public. Preliminary alternatives are as follows:

Alternative 1 includes widening the road minimally (up to 22 – 24 feet) to slightly improve the existing situation but preserve the historic integrity of this scenic roadway;
Alternative 2 includes widening the road enough to accommodate bus traffic and a bike lane (up to 26 to 28 feet);
Alternative 3 includes constructing a loop road by creating a west-bound one-way bus lane and a two-way bicycle lane on the existing road, and constructing a separate east-bound one-way road along existing utility and historic road corridors; and
Alternative 4 includes widening the road (up to 22 to 24 feet) and constructing a bicycle trail separate from the roadway.

Separate pedestrian use would be accommodated with trail improvements under Alternatives 2, 3 and 4 with the understanding that in a few limited areas, pedestrians would still choose to use the road where there is not enough room for a trail between the roadway and the canyon rim.

This project is expected to be implemented in 2007. While under construction, the NPS is considering closing the road entirely to park visitors or implementing partial closures, in order to expedite the completion of the project.

Comments will be accepted for 30 days and should be sent to Sara White at the above address by July 16, 2004. For questions or additional information, please contact Debbie Lutch, project compliance lead, at 928-774-0095. Additional information can also be found on-line at www.nps.gov.grca/compliance.