Road closure structures within Grizzly Bear Management Situation One areas of the Swan Lake Ranger District were ground truthed. 38% of the closures truthed were found to be ineffective in fully restricting passenger type vehicles. The road miles behind these ineffective closures comprises 44% of road reported by the USFS as being closed year-long to all motorized vehicles, and from April 1 to November 30 to snowmobiles, in order to protect wildlife resources.
Hammer_1986_Road_Closure_Effectiveness.pdf
Abstract
Of the 62 road closure structures inventoried within Grizzly Bear Management Situation One areas of the Swan Lake Ranger District, 53 were successfully ground truthed, photographed and on-site observations recorded to enable each closure structure to be evaluated using criteria designed to measure the degree to which the U. S. Forest Service has taken all reasonable measures to insure the structure restricts the type of vehicles for which it is intended. 38% of the closures truthed were found to be ineffective in fully restricting passenger type vehicles. The road miles behind these ineffective closures comprises 44%, or 49 of the 111 miles of road reported by the USFS as being closed year-long to all motorized vehicles, and from April 1 to November 30 to snowmobiles, in order to protect wildlife resources.
50% of the ineffective closures was found to be due to failure of the agency to diligently insure that gate closures be kept closed and locked. 25% of the ineffective closures was due to two and four-wheel drive vehicle trails which circumvented the closure structure. 10% of the ineffective closures was due to vandalism. 15% of the ineffective closures was due to structures reported to restrict road miles but not yet installed.
Redundant use of multiple closure structures to secure a given area was found in numerous areas. Site specific examples are noted and both site spcific and general recommendations are made toward achieving a more cost effective and efficient road closure program. The current average miles of road secured per closure truthed was found to be 2.14 miles. Summary discussion and recommendations are made concerning measures readily available and likely to increase the effectiveness of the truthed closures In restricting off-road-vehicle and snowmobile travel. Such available measures were not taken by the agency in 92% of the closures which were ground truthed.
