Motor Vehicle Travel Management

In November 2005, the Forest Service issued final Travel Management Regulations, which require all national forests to designate roads, trails, and areas where motor vehicle travel will be allowed.  Upon designation, cross-country travel off these routes and areas will be prohibited.

The Forest Service is currently preparing travel management plans for motor vehicle use on all national forests.  The majority of these plans for the national forests in California and Oregon will be completed in 2009.  In California and the Pacific Southwest Region of the Forest Service (Region 5), this planning process is also known as the route designation process.

The route designation process in California has raised some key concerns to ROC members, which will be our priorities for the next two years.  These concerns include:

1. The Forest Service (FS) in the Pacific Southwest Region has adopted restrictive policies regarding motorized mixed use (defined as the use of the same FS roadway by both highway legal and non-highway legal vehicles).  Under these policies, mixed use on existing, unpaved FS passenger car roads (also called maintenance level 3-5 roads) will be significantly reduced.  This reduction will create large gaps in the road system where non-highway legal vehicle travel currently occurs.  Mixed use on unpaved FS roads is allowed under the California Vehicle Code.  ROC is commenting on this inconsistency at all levels within the Forest Service.
2. The Forest Service in the Pacific Southwest Region completed an inventory of “unauthorized” roads and trails in the national forests.  “Unauthorized” roads and trails are routes that exist on the ground, but have not been officially designated as part of the Forest Service’s transportation system.  This inventory found thousands of miles of routes with current evidence of some motor vehicle use.  During the route designation process, California national forests will determine if these routes should be added to their road system or closed to motor vehicles.  To date, several national forests in northeastern California are proposing to close the majority of these routes.  This will result in fewer riding opportunities and create gaps in the road system.   ROC is submitting comments and/or developing a ROC alternative for FS staff to analyze during the route designation process.
3. There is a lack of integration between how the Forest Service proposes to manage their road system and how local counties are managing their roads into and through the national forests.  The primary difference is how each agency proposes to manage motorized mixed use on unpaved roads.  ROC will be working with both the Forest Service and County Boards of Supervisors to ensure a seamless transportation system for the public to enjoy.