Current condition of standards from the Denali Park road vehicle management plan: 2017 summary report

Clark, William; Bracher, Taylor

Conditions on six Vehicle Management Plan (VMP) indicators from the Denali Park Road were documented for the 2017 regulatory year (May 27 – September 14, 2017). The six tier–1 indicators are: (1) Number of vehicles stopped at wildlife in the same place at one time (wildlife stops), (2) number of vehicles parked at rest stops at one time, (3) number of vehicles visible in specific viewscapes at one time, (4) hourly 10–minute gaps in traffic at sheep crossing locations (sheep gaps), (5) nighttime (2200–0600) traffic rates, and (6) amount of time a hiker waits for a bus (hiker wait time). The method for monitoring standards for a seventh indicator, large vehicle traffic (> 80,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating), has not been implemented but we include recommendations for future monitoring. Here we (1) compare current conditions of the VMP indicators to the 1–year VMP standards, (2) use 2013–2017 data to assess 5–year VMP standards, (3) assess the efficacy of the current monitoring techniques and make recommendations for their improvement. Assessment of the 1–year VMP standards: 1) Wildlife stop standards were met in all Wildlife Viewing Subzones. In fact, 32% of all wildlife stops (n = 2,803) were occupied by a single bus and 29% were occupied by two. 2) Rest stop standards for number of total vehicles were met at all sites. Rest stop standards for total number of buses failed at Toklat (>11 buses observed twice) and were met at Teklanika and Eielson. 3) Viewscape standards were met at all four sites. However, there is evidence that viewscapes are becoming more crowded. The standard for the number of vehicles observable at one time was less frequently met at two of four viewscape sites. 4) Sheep gap standards were met at two of five sites (Tattler Creek and Grassy Pass). 5) Nighttime traffic standards were met Toklat, Stony, and Grassy. TekGate did not pass. Due to equipment failure, data was unavailable for Sable. 6) Hiker wait time standards were met. However, we question the quality of VTS driver data; for the last two years, the percentages reported are exactly the same between years, and for all categories of wait times (which is mathematically not possible). One–year standards are less strict than 5–year standards to protect from aberrant years suggesting long–term failure trends. In 2017, 80% of 5–year standards were met. The wildlife stop indicator in Subzone 3 failed the 5–year standard for the percent time that two or fewer vehicles are present at wildlife stops. As predicted in 2016, sheep gap indicators at mile 21.6, 37.6, 52.8, and 60.6 did not meet the 5–year standard. The Tattler Creek sheep gap (mile 37.6) highlights how 1–year metrics can be met every year, while failing the stricter 5–year metric over the same period. Sheep gap results are reported conservatively because they are only measured during the busiest times of day though the VMP defines sheep gaps as a 24–hour standard. Near–continuous data are collected at the mile 68.5 sheep gap using a battery–operated traffic counter. At mile 68.5, 10–minute nighttime gaps in traffic are common. Data from traffic counters at other locations, away from sheep gap sites, suggest that 10–minute nighttime gaps in traffic are common along the road corridor. At the same time, 2016–2017 data suggest we may be under reporting the occurrence of day time sheep gap failures. Installing traffic counters at other sheep gap sites is planned for 2018/2019. Additionally, we recommend the same counters to be installed at two sites (locations yet to be finalized) co–located with camera traps to monitor the seventh tier–1 indicator, large vehicle traffic. Our field–based data collection effort slightly decreased (–3%) from 2016. Eighty percent (33 of 41 metrics) of all VMP standards were met in 2017, down 10% from 2016. Sheep gap success rate continues to be......

Current condition of standards from the Denali Park road vehicle management plan: 2017 summary report

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