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Conditions and Performance Report. Appendix E.

Conditions and Performance Report
Appendix E—Condition and Performance of the
Transportation System Serving Federal and Indian Lands

Conditions and Performance Chapter Listing

Conditions and Performance Home Page


Introduction


Characteristics of Federal Roads and Lands

Conditon and Performance of Roads by Federal Agency

Funding of Roads Serving Federal and Indian Lands

Future Challenges

 

Characteristics of Federal Roads and Lands

The total area of the 50 States is 2.3 billion acres, of which the Federal Government has title to about 650 million acres. Federal lands, representing about 29 percent of the country's area, are overwhelmingly located in the Western United States. Indian lands make up about 2 percent of the country's area. Exhibit E-1 summarizes the various Federal and Indian lands. Exhibit E-2 summarizes the types and condition of roads serving these areas.

Federal lands are managed by various Federal Land Management Agencies (FLMA) within the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, and Defense. Most Indian lands are held in trust by the Department of the Interior or Native Alaska corporations.

Exhibit E-1. Types of Lands Managed by Federal Land Management Agencies

Exhibit E-2. Summary of Roads Serving Federal and Indian Lands

Resources Served Within Federal and Indian Lands

Federal and tribal lands have many uses. These include: recreation, grazing, timber harvesting, mineral extraction, energy production and watershed, fish and wildlife, and wilderness protection. Indian communities, villages, and small towns are located in or surrounded by these lands. These lands are also managed to protect natural, scenic, scientific, and cultural resources. Over the past ten years, resource extraction and timber cutting have been significantly reduced. At the same time, recreation use has significantly increased. Exhibit E-3 summarizes uses for Federal and tribal lands.

Many of these areas have multiple uses, while others have a very limited, specific purpose. Approximately one-half of Federal lands are managed under multiple use and sustained yield policy, which relies on effective transportation. The remainder have protected use management policies, but even so, transportation systems are essential to their resource management, development, recreational use and protection. About 2 million Native Americans and military personnel live on these lands.

Exhibit E-3. Federal and Indian Land Use

Role of Federal Lands in the U.S. Economy

Travel, tourism, and recreation are among the largest industries in the United States. This sector ranks third in retail receipts behind automobile and food sales, generating over $450 billion annually. The travel, tourism, and recreation industries can claim a share of many other industry sectors, including transportation, lodging, communications, power, manufacturing, and construction. Travel and tourism is the largest employer in 11 States and is the third largest employer nationwide. Over 6.6 million people are employed with an annual payroll exceeding $120 billion.

Approximately 94 percent of Americans over the age of 16 participate in outdoor recreation. More than 10 percent of all consumer spending is on recreation and entertainment, totaling over $40 billion annually. Recreation is one of the fastest growing sectors of the United States economy, expanding at a rate of 5 percent annually. Travel and tourism is also an integral part of many local economies in communities adjacent to Federal and Indian lands.

Travel, tourism, and recreation are heavily dependent on federally owned lands. For example, Federal lands accommodate over 20 percent of recreation activities in the U.S. This percentage is measured in recreation visitor days (RVD). A RVD is equivalent to a 12-hour visit.

The various FLMAs contribute in different ways to travel and tourism:

  • National Park Service (NPS) areas receive more than 273 million visitors annually, generating more than $5.5 billion annually to local communities. Recreational use in the national parks is expected to double by 2020. As the larger and more popular parks become more crowded, emphasis may shift to other lesser known national parks, nearby State facilities, gateway communities, and private recreational facilities.
  • The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) estimates that outfitters and guides provide between $50 and $60 million in public land related revenue to the 11 western States. The combined uses of BLM lands annually generate over $1.3 billion in receipts, of which $740 million is shared with State and county governments. Economic benefits on BLM lands from travel and tourism exceed $3.3 billion.
  • Exhibit E-4
    Economic Benefits of Federal and Indian Lands(1)
    (1) Economic benefits include lodging, food, entertainment, recreation,
    and incidentals expended during travel.
    (2) Travel, tourism, and gaming are emerging areas on American
    Indian lands. Statistical information is not available.
  • The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that visits to the National Wildlife Refuge System generate over $370 million to the economy.
  • Visitors spend over $12 billion during recreation visits to areas near U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) facilities.

In addition to the benefits from recreation, travel and tourism, Federal lands provide resources for grazing, timber harvesting, oil extraction, mining, electrical generation, and other related activities. In many instances, a portion of the receipts are returned directly to local governments. Exhibit E-4 summarizes recreation and related economic benefits.

Role of Transportation in the Use of Federal and Tribal Lands

The recreation, travel and tourism industries depend on a quality transportation infrastructure. Nearly 490,000 miles of Federal roads and over 110,000 miles of State and local access roads provide access to and within these lands. Transportation is also critical to the survival and quality of life of tribal communities and other small towns located within Federal lands. It provides the access between Indian housing and education, emergency centers, and employment.

In the United States, pleasure driving accounts for 30 percent of all vehicle miles traveled. The FLMAs have various roads that promote pleasure driving:

  • Many Federal Lands Highway Program (FLHP) roads are Scenic Byways, a designation conferred by Federal and State agencies.
  • The Forest Service designated 136 National Forest Scenic Byways in 35 States. The byways total length is 9,126 miles. 74 percent of these byways are also designated as a State or Federal scenic byway.
  • There are also more than 3,000 miles of National Park Service roads that also meet the criteria for Scenic Byways. Nine Federal scenic byways pass through National Park Service lands.
  • The Bureau of Indian Affairs has identified 1,000 miles with a potential for an Indian Reservation Road Scenic Byways designation. Several Federal scenic byways are in Indian reservations.
  • The Bureau of Land Management designated over 60 byways, totaling 3,100 miles in 11 States as Back Country Byways.

The remaining byways are largely public and administrative roads. In many remote areas, motorized and non-motorized trails, waterways, and air transports serve as the primary mode of transportation.

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Page last modified on November 7, 2014
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