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- Federal funds may help with road projects at Little Sahara
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By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Three years ago, Juab County obtained $3 million to build a road to Little Sahara Sand Dunes.
Byron Woodland, county commission chairman, said that grants were available through the Federal Lands Access Program to do projects like the Sand Dunes road project.
"The Access Program supplements state and local resources for public roads, transit systems, and other transportation facilities, with an emphasis on high-use recreation sites and economic generators," said Woodland.
Brian Allen, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fish Springs, National Wildlife Refuge Manager said the Federal Lands Access Program (Access Program) was established to improve transportation facilities that provide access to, are adjacent to, or are located within Federal lands.
The program is designed to provide flexibility for a wide range of transportation projects in the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
One of the reasons that the Little Sahara Sand Dunes project was funded, said Woodland, was that there were a high number of visitors—700,000—to the area annually.
"The refuge has about !,500 visitors a year," said Allen.
The Access Program is funded by contract authority from the Highway Trust Fund. Funds are subject to the overall Federal-aid obligation limitation. Funds will be allocated among the States using a new statutory formula based on road mileage, number of bridges, land area, and visitation.
One project the county would like to consider for funding would be the roads for the refuge.
"We are on a three-year cycle," said Allen.
He said the county and the refuge had partnered to get the funding for the Little Sahara Sand Dunes.
More than $30 million comes from the program to the state but the state is trying to spread the wealth.
"The competition is pretty strong in Utah," said Allen.
He said that any project in Juab County would likely be approved for $4 million.
The National Wildlife Refuge System, within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, manages a national network of lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife, and plants.
The marshlands that make up the Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge are located in the central western portion of Juab County. There are 31 square kilometers of marsh in this area which are fed by fourteen springs or sets of springs.
Within the wildlife refuge, four caves have been located and nominated for the National Register of Historic Places. Each of these caves contain artifacts and information that thoroughly document 4,000 years of history.
In addition to the history of ancient America found there, the Pony Express passed through Fish Springs.
Allen said that the commission could reevaluate the project they were contemplating.
BLM is interested in developing a rest stop on BLM land along the Pony Express Road to be used for resting and for camping. Therefore, they may be willing to contribute funds for that purpose.
The Fish and Wildlife Department may also have some funding they could use.
That might be possible if the road surface inside the refuge was included.
Lynn Ingram, county road department superintendent, said that when the funding was calculated, $4 million is not a lot when used for road building, and the best way to reach the goal might be to do the project in sections.
"It is a pretty lengthy road," said Ingram.
The road is approximately 24 miles long from the last of the black top to the refuge. It is gravel but there are many projects along its length that need to be addressed.
Ingram suggested those projects might be addressed one by one over the next few years. For example, they could move one part of the road out of the drainage in the wash to solve that problem.
There were areas that needed grates and some areas of the roadway needed to be improved but others were fine, he said.
He said he thought the county ought to at least make an attempt to receive funding.
Perhaps the county could increase the amount of the match they would contribute, said Allen.
"We put in $200,000 on the Little Sahara Road," said Woodland, "and we have a $3 million road."
Clint Painter, commissioner, said he thought the commission should at least submit a request for funding. He would like to see the county move forward.
Woodland asked if there would need to be an EIS done.
Allen said that the BLM would be prepared to know just what to do if that were the case and would have the expertise to do that work.
"I think we should break the project down into portions," said Carlton. "For example, the county could apply for funds to help them bring the road out of the wash."
Ingram said they could apply to do the worst areas first.
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