The National Park Service preserves the natural and cultural resources and
values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration
of this and future generations. For over a century, national parks have existed so
that visitors can experience our countrys diverse beauty and heritage,
from tundra to cavern, to forests and urban historic sites. In order to make
these national treasures accessible to visitors, the NPS builds and manages an
array of transportation infrastructure including some of the country's historic
treasures and engineering marvels. Transportation systems, both to and
within our national parks, support safe travel and enjoyable visitor experiences.
NPS transportation also supports Americas economy by connecting over 300
million visitors each year with businesses and services in communities
near parks in both urban and rural settings. The NPS transportation program
provides options for visitors and local communities alike while also minimizing
impacts to natural and cultural resources. The NPS is responsible for
nearly 5,500 miles of paved roads, over 1,400 bridges and tunnels, more than 100
transit systems, and over 4,500 miles of multi-use trails.
Many parks serve an increasing number of visitors, with 2016 visitation reaching over 330 million, an
increase of nearly 25 million from the year before.
The NPS needs to modernize an aging transportation system to adapt to
current needs of park users. Park funding has not kept pace with increasing
visitation and demands on transportation networks. This funding gap leaves little
room for parks to meet existing challenges. The NPS works daily to be
good stewards of our public lands. The National Park Services transportation
systems are an important part of that stewardship, protecting natural resources
and ensuring that visitors can access and enjoy parks for years to come.