Comment from Elwood Lynn

I believe that changing the annual traffic limit to a daily traffic limit on the Denali Park Road would have detrimental consequences to park operations and resources. I worked for Denali National Park and Preserve from 1996-2014 serving as the Facility Manager and Assistant Superintendent for Operations. During my tenure I witnessed firsthand the impacts of increased visitation to park operations and resources. I spent my entire tenure at DNP&P trying to improve critical infrastructure in order to support the demands brought on by the increased visitation. The 2012 Vehicle Management Plan was developed with critical input from the Tourism Industry, visitors, Park Resource Management and other professional NPS staff. The plan identified critical needs and concerns which would protect the visitor experience, protect park resources and allow for park operations to satisfactorily meet the demands of public safety and road maintenance. The annual traffic limit provided Management with the flexibility to increase daily traffic, when needed, to carry out road repairs, respond to emergencies or to meet the needs of Inholders. Once a daily limit is established this flexibility will be lost. For example, if a section of road needs an emergency repair will Management need to cancel bus tours operated by the Concessionaire in order to repair the road? When Inholders, who have guaranteed access, need to rehabilitate a lodging unit will Management or Concessionaires be required to reduce their services in order to stay under the daily limit? Increasing traffic on the Park Road could increase visitation to Denali’s Front Country by as much as 3,000 people per day. This will have significant impacts on operations ranging from increased road maintenance to more demand on the park’s sewage lagoon. The bus fleet will need to be expanded significantly. Where will the buses be maintained and stored? More employees will be needed for both the Concessionaire and the Park Service - where will they be housed? Safety on the Park Road is paramount. Beyond mile 32 the Park Road is a single lane road with pullouts to facilitate vehicles passing. There have been numerous accidents on the Park Road, many involved vehicles trying to pass. There have been two bus accidents where bus passengers were killed. Increasing the number of buses that run daily on the Park Road will increase the number of vehicles passing and ultimately increase the risk of more accidents. What action is anticipated to reduce this risk? Resource Management studies found that heavy equipment, such as trucks hauling gravel, disturbed wildlife and impacted wildlife viewing significantly more than regular traffic on the Park Road. As traffic on the Park Road increases more road maintenance will be required. How does the NPS plan to mitigate these impacts? As we all know, once the investments, larger bus fleet etc. are made, reducing the use on the Park Road will be extremely difficult and unpopular to accomplish. In closing I would recommend that the Park continue its monitoring program and increase the number of buses as appropriate, but maintain the annual limit to give Management the operational flexibility that is needed to manage the Park Road in a safe and effective manner while protecting park resources.