Date: January 7, 2008
Contact: David Elkowitz, 432 477-1108

A National Guard unit consisting of 12 people will spend 60 days in Big Bend National Park repairing several badly eroded sections of backcountry dirt road along River Road East. The road repairs are part of a cooperative effort between the Park, the National Guard, and the U.S. Border Patrol. Repairs are scheduled to begin the week of January 7th.

Road repair will benefit both the U.S. Border Patrol and the park’s visitors by allowing easier access and travel on River Road along badly eroded road sections which have caused frequent closures during the past year.

No new road construction will occur as a result of the cooperative agreement. All work will be completed to National Park Service standards for backcountry road maintenance and with park oversight. This work will greatly assist the park in its long-term maintenance of this backcountry access route by restoring the road to a baseline condition that is maintainable.

Park Superintendent Bill Wellman said, "We are pleased for the offer of assistance and the partnership efforts of the National Guard and U.S. Border Patrol to restore and maintain several difficult sections of dirt road after record rainfall eroded these segments in recent years."