This program provides the resources necessary for construction,
maintenance, and preservation of the National Forest Road
System (NFRS). The road system is one of the foundations
that allows for the achievement of the agency’s strategic
plan and goals. It provides the access necessary for management,
public use, and protection of National Forest System (NFS)
lands. Virtually all activities on the lands require travel
over the road system to destinations where activities take
place. Over 90 percent of road system use is by recreationists,
who annually make over 210 million visits to recreation
opportunities accessed by the road system.
The road program provides for the planning, management,
maintenance, and capital improvement of 7,500 bridges and
375,000 miles of National Forest System roads. Twenty percent
of the roads are open without restriction to all vehicle
types (including passenger cars), 58 percent are open to
pickups and other high-clearance vehicles, and 22 percent
are closed. The program also provides engineering support
for road construction and maintenance activities on commercial
timber
sales and land stewardship contracts.
FY 2004 Accomplishments
- A total of 51,403 miles of roads open to public
travel in passenger cars received some maintenance.
Of that, 30,512 miles (38 percent of all passenger car
roads)
met applicable standards at year-end.
- 4,071 miles of road received investments to eliminate
deferred maintenance backlogs.
- 1,491 miles of road capital
improvements were constructed,
of which only 26 miles were new road miles.
- 100 bridges were repaired or replaced, and 40 new
bridges were constructed. 58 bridges were removed from
the
deficient bridge list.
- 622 miles of road were decommissioned with appropriated
road construction and maintenance funds, and an additional
451 miles were decommissioned with other funds.
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