U.S. Forest Service begins revision process for regulations on road and trail closure in National Forests

Key Takeaways

On August 21, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) announced it is moving forward with plans to revise the 2005 Travel Management Rule, which regulates how USFS plans which roads and trails are open to the public. Revising the Travel Management Rule is an important step that will increase public access to National Forests and help connect forest communities.

As part of the rulemaking process, USFS is seeking public comment on its proposed revisions. Counties have until September 23 to submit comments on the agency’s initial action.

View proposal

Rule revisions

The 2005 Travel Management Rule (36 CFR 212) governs how USFS plans the road network in the National Forest System, including where off-highway vehicles (OHVs) are permitted. The rule requires each National Forest unit to operate “the minimum road system needed for safe and efficient travel and for administration, utilization, and protection of National Forest System lands” and further requires land managers to publicize motor vehicle use maps. 

As it currently stands, the 2005 Travel Management Rule limits access to and connectivity across National Forest land. While the current rule requires public participation in the process, it does not direct land managers to consider the central role that National Forests play in connecting communities in many counties.

USFS plans to change the basis of travel management planning to assume that roads and OHV trails are open to the public unless specifically deemed otherwise. The agency proposes to remove the “minimum road system” planning model and replace it with different criteria that are more suited to conditions at each National Forest System unit. USFS also plans on providing planning guidance for expanded OHV use and to create rulemaking on airstrips on USFS land.

County impacts

The rule’s revision will change how USFS plans its roads and will affect transportation in forest counties. The 2005 Travel Management Rule governs more than 380,000 miles of USFS roads, many of which connect to county-owned roads or are integral parts of a county’s road network. In the more than 700 counties nationwide that are home to National Forest System units, USFS-managed roads provide critical connectivity for communities and essential access to public lands. 
Under the agency’s proposal, access will be increased by removing the requirement that USFS minimize its road network. The revision may also provide increased opportunities for counties to consult with local forest managers on the importance of roads to the overall county transportation network.

Next steps

USFS is seeking public comments on its notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the rule’s revision, which is an initial step in the rulemaking process. The agency will seek public comment again when a draft EIS is available.

Counties have until September 23 to comment on USFS’s proposal and provide more detail on how the 2005 Travel Management Rule impacts transportation and connectivity in their county. Comments can be submitted to the rule’s docket via Regulations.gov.