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Sherman Pass Vegetation Management Project: Transportation Report 1

Sherman Pass Vegetation Management Project

Transportation Report

Lucy Reeves, Civil Engineer Colville National Forest

November 21, 2014

Framework

In accordance with the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (FRPA) and Colville National Forest Plan all constructed roads (either temporary or permanent system roads) shall be designed and constructed to environmental and safety standards appropriate for the resource and designed use. Safety concerns, costs and potential environmental impacts to soil and water resources are to be evaluated and appropriately mitigated for all constructed, re-constructed and/or decommissioned roads and trails.

Existing Conditions

Project Overview

The project area lies approximately 12 miles west of Kettle Falls, Washington and encompasses 34,042 acres of federal and private land. State Route 20 (Sherman Pass Scenic Byway) provides the main access through the planning area.

Based on an I-web Travel Routes query, there are approximately 131.1 miles of State, County, and National Forest Service roads in the Sherman Pass project area. Roads by jurisdiction are as follows in Table 1.

Table 1. Roads by Jurisdiction within the Sherman Pass Planning Area Jurisdiction Length (miles) Percent of Total

State 21.1 16% County 1.2 1% USFS 108.8 83% Total 131.1 100%

Not included in the table above are 25 unauthorized roads1 that were identified in the field and GIS investigation.

Road Maintenance Levels: Maintenance Levels are used to describe the intensity of maintenance effort needed on a road to allow the road to function and be used as it is intended. There are five different levels used by the Forest Service used to describe this intensity, with Level 1 being the lowest and Level 5 the highest. Roads may be currently maintained at one level and planned to be maintained at a different level at some future date. The operational maintenance level is the maintenance level currently assigned to a road considering today's needs, road condition, budget constraints, and environmental concerns; in other words, it defines the level to which the road is currently being maintained. The objective

1 Unauthorized Roads are roads that are not intended to be part of, and are not managed as part of, the National Forest transportation system such as unplanned roads, off-road vehicle tracks, or abandoned travelways (36 CFR 212.1).


maintenance level is the maintenance level to be assigned at a future date considering future road management objectives, traffic needs, budget constraints, and environmental concerns. The Road Management Objectives for the roads (RMO’s) include both and operational and objective maintenance level.

Following is a brief description of the Maintenance Levels (from FSH 7709.59) for Forest Service roads in the Sherman Project Area as well as a breakdown of the roads by operational/objective maintenance level in Table 2 found within the planning area.

Table 2. Miles of USFS System Roads within the Sherman Pass Planning Area by Maintenance Level

Operation ML/ Objective ML

Length (miles) Percent of Total

Level 1/1 46.6 43% Level 1/2 0.3 ~0% Level 2/1 18.5 17% Level 2/2 38.7 36% Level 3/3 4.2 4% Level 3/4 0.4 ~0% Level 4/4 0.2 ~0%

Maintenance Level 1: These roads are assigned to intermittent service roads during the time they are closed to vehicular traffic. The closure period is one year or longer. Basic custodial maintenance is performed to keep damage to adjacent resources to an acceptable level and to perpetuate the road to facilitate future management activities. Emphasis is normally given to maintaining drainage facilities and runoff patterns. Planned road deterioration may occur at this level. Appropriate traffic management strategies are “prohibit” and “eliminate”. Roads placed in this category may be any type, class, or construction standard, and may be managed at any other maintenance level during the time they are open for traffic. However, while being maintained at Level 1, they are closed to vehicular traffic, but may be open and suitable for non-motorized uses.

Maintenance Level 2: This level is assigned to roads open for use by high clearance vehicles. Passenger car traffic is not a consideration. Traffic is normally minor, usually consisting of one or a combination of administrative, permitted, dispersed recreation, or other specialized uses. Public and commercial use may occur at this level. Appropriate traffic management strategies are either (1) “discourage” or “prohibit” passenger cars or (2) “accept” or “discourage” high clearance vehicles.

Maintenance Level 3: Assigned to roads open and maintained for travel by a prudent driver in a standard passenger car. User comfort and convenience are not considered priorities. The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) is applicable. Warning signs and traffic control devices are provided to alert motorists of situations that may violate expectations.

Roads in this maintenance level are typically low speed with single lanes and turnouts. Appropriate traffic management strategies are either "encourage" or "accept." "Discourage" or "prohibit" strategies may be employed for certain classes of vehicles or users.


Maintenance Level 4: Assigned to roads that provide a moderate degree of user comfort and convenience at moderate travel speeds. Most roads are double lane and aggregate surfaced. However, some roads may be single lane. Some roads may be paved and/or dust abated. Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices is applicable. The most appropriate traffic management strategy is "encourage." However, the "prohibit" strategy may apply to specific classes of vehicles or users at certain times.

County Road Use: County Road 99 (Hall Creek Road) provides access to the western end of the project area.

Cost Share

There are no cost share roads within the project boundary.

Right-of-Way

A review of the Sherman Pass project area relative to existing USFS rights-of-way in the affected area includes five situations where haul or road reconstruction could occur across other ownership where the USFS has no rights. There is also one situation in which there is an existing easement granted over a Forest Service Road (FSR). The six situations are shown below in Figure 1.1.

Figure 1.1


The first situation is in the western part of the project in T36N, R34E, Section 20 on FSR 2050110 through 2 parcels of private land. Also, in that area is a potential private road easement grant on a non-system road template across national forest lands. See Figure 1.2 below.

Figure 1.2

After further investigation of the second situation, it was determined to be not valid because FSR 2000240 ends at the FS boundary from the 2000222 road and the road template does not actually extend north beyond the private property. See figure 1.3.

Figure 1.3

The third situation is in the eastern part of the project in T36N, R36E, Section 33 on FSR 2000150 through private land.

Figure 1.3


The fourth situation is in the eastern part of the project in T36N, R36N, Section 26 and Section 27 on FSR 2000092 in two areas through Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) land.

Figure 1.4

The fifth situation is in the eastern part of the project in T36, R36, Section 26 on FSR 2000090 through WDFW land.


Figure 1.5

The one existing easement granted over a National Forest System road is on the 2000136, Bangs Mountain Road, and it is an FLPMA grant from the Hwy 20 to beyond the project boundary.

Figure 1.6

BPA Access


There are 18 roads or road segments in which Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) has access to per their Land Use Grant Instrument (LUGI), and one road in which BPA would like to explore the option of using as show below in Table 3.

Table 3. BPA Access Roads

Route Portion of Road Accessed by BPA 2000085 BOP to MP 1.2 2000090 Both 0.1 segments 2000092 0.4 segment 2000220 BOP to MP 1.3

2000222 BOP to MP 0.2 2000231 Entire 2000381 BOP to MP 0.4 2000382 BOP to MP 1.1 2000386 Entire 2000388 Entire 2000450 BOP to MP 0.6 2000452 BOP to MP 1.4 2000453 Entire 2000457 BOP to MP 0.2 2000470 BPA would like to explore the option of using this road 2000475 Entire 2000480 BOP to MP 0.2 2000488 Entire


Travel Management

There are 31 roads that are designated as open to highway legal vehicles and 20 roads or road segments that are designated as open to all vehicles according to the CNF 2011 Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) as show in Tables 4 and 5. Table 4. Roads Open to Highway Legal Vehicles

Route Route 2000090 2000493A 2000092 2000495 2000110 2000496 2000134 2000600 2000136 2020000 2000138 2020120 2000215 2020180 2000380 2030000

2000400 2030051 2000410 2030055 2000420 2050010 2000425 2050100 2000450 2050110 2000457 2050114

2000488 2050116 2000493

Table 5. Roads Open to All Vehicles

Route Route 2000085 2000381 2000220 2000382 2000222 2000384 2000231 2000450 2000237 2000452 2000238 2000453 2000240 2000464 2000280 2000466 2000325 2000467 2000350 2053000


Material Sources

There is one developed pit run source in the planning area and two developed pit sources outside the planning area (all located on N. F. land) which could supply aggregate surfacing material for projects in the planning area. The Lane Creek Pit is an existing stockpile aggregate source located inside the planning area in T36N, R36N, S 28. The Snow Peak Pit is an existing source located outside of the planning area in T36N, R34E, S 32, a small roadside borrow source on the north side of road 2050110. The Coyote Creek Pit is an existing stockpile aggregate source located outside of the planning area in T36N, R 36E, S 26.

Existing Material Sources

Lane Creek Pit

The Lane Creek pit is a rehabilitated glacial till pit that contains four stockpiles of aggregate at the end of FSR 2000244. The stockpiles vary in size from approximately 2” minus to 1” minus and contain a total of approximately 2000 CY.

Snow Peak Pit

The materials at the Snow Peak Pit are glacial sand and gravel deposits which appear to have been used as pit run aggregates in the past, as there were no screened or sorted materials evident at the site. This site consists of a small roadside borrow on the north side of road 2050100; the area that has been excavated or developed is currently only about 1/3 acre in size.

The “pit-run” size of materials is up to 18” in size, but most of the materials are smaller than 6”. Consequently, the site is probably only suitable for producing pit-run aggregates and only for those applications where relatively fine materials (coarse sand with some larger rock) can provide the needed performance characteristics.

Coyote Pit

There is one stockpile of aggregate in the Coyote Pit accessed by a short spur road that takes off from FSR 2000110 that has approximately 6000 CY of 1” minus sized crushed rock. The materials at this site are glacial gravel deposits, which were previously used to produce crushed aggregates. The developed areas at the site, including the stockpile and excavation areas total at least five acres.


Proposed Action

Road Reconstruction

Proposed road reconstruction for the Sherman Pass Project is listed in Table 6. The total amount of light reconstruction proposed is approximately 31.5 miles, medium reconstruction is 56.4 miles, and heavy reconstruction is 0.7 miles. The definitions for light, medium, and heavy reconstruction are as follows:

• Light Reconstruction: This includes minor work activities in the roadway which may involve minor disturbances to existing cut and fill slopes and is normally performed by road maintenance equipment such as a motor grader or rubber-tired backhoe. Typical work activities may include: scarifying and shaping the roadbed or grading the surface to remove ruts and reestablish proper surface drainage; cleaning or reestablishing ditches, catch basins, culvert inlets and outlets; removing minor slumps or slides; placement of aggregate, riprap, or other erosion control features; or brushing or limbing existing vegetation to maintain required sight distances and clearances; and incorporation of Best Management Practices.

• Medium Reconstruction: This includes activities on an existing road that may involve localized disturbance to the existing cut or fill slopes and additional clearing and grubbing. Typical work activities include: widening existing roadbed; and installation of drainage features such as culverts, cross drains, and roadside ditches. Medium reconstruction may include new disturbance occurring intermittently as needed and light reconstruction activities along the entire length of the road.

• Heavy Reconstruction: This includes activities that would have impacts similar to new road

construction and may involve: widening and/or realignment along portions of, or the entire road; substantial additions to, or replacement of, drainage structures including live crossings; and/or new excavation, embankment, and surfacing.


Table 6. Proposed Road Reconstruction

ROUTE NAME Current

Operational ML

Road Reconstruction

Miles for Commercial

Treatment (Inside Project Area)

Miles for Commercial Treatment

(Outside Project Area)

2000085 COYOTE 2 Light Reconstruction 2.8

2000092 2 Medium Reconstruction 0.3

2000110 COYOTE PROJECT ROAD

2 Light Reconstruction 0.9


2000136 BANGS MTN 3 Light Reconstruction 1.3


2000214 GROWDEN ROAD 1 Medium Reconstruction 2.1

2000220 LANE CREEK 2 Light Reconstruction with Heavy Reconstruction @ 2

crossing sites 8.0 0.2

2000222 NULLET 2 Medium Reconstruction 1.7


2000237 2 Light Reconstruction 0.9



2000244 LANE CREEK PIT ROAD 2 Light Reconstruction 0.5

2000244 LANE CREEK PIT ROAD 1 Medium Reconstruction 1.0





2000295 1 Medium Reconstruction 1.0 <0.1

2000300 STONEY CREEK LOOP 1 Medium Reconstruction 0.9 0.1

2000325 HART CREEK RIDGE 2 Light Reconstruction 1.5

2000325 HART CREEK RIDGE 1 Medium Reconstruction 0.1



2000355 UPPER MILK CREEK 1 Medium Reconstruction 0.1




ROUTE NAME Current

Operational ML

Road Reconstruction







2000386 OLD SHERMAN HWY

1 Medium Reconstruction 2.7



2000400 FRITZ CREEK 1 Medium Reconstruction 0.3

2000400 FRITZ CREEK 2 Medium Reconstruction 2.7


2000404 1 Heavy Reconstruction @ crossing site

2000410 2 Medium Reconstruction with

Heavy Reconstruction @ crossing site

1.7



2000420 FRITZ CREEK EXT. 2 Medium Reconstruction 1.2


2000425 1 Medium Reconstruction with

Heavy Reconstruction on last 2 switchbacks

2.3


2000450 GRAVES MTN 2 Medium Reconstruction 3.9

2000452 MCGAHEE 2 Medium Reconstruction with

Heavy Reconstruction @ crossing site

2.2




2000460 MILK CREEK WEST 1 Medium Reconstruction 1.9











2020000 SOUTH 2 Light Reconstruction 2.3


ROUTE NAME Current

Operational ML

Road Reconstruction





SHERMAN

2020000 SOUTH SHERMAN 3 Light Reconstruction 0.3 3.6


2020050 SCALAWAG 2 Light Reconstruction 0.9

2020120 BRIDGE CREEK 2 Medium Reconstruction 4.2




2030000 ALBIAN HILL 3 Light Reconstruction 2.0


2050110 OBRIEN CREEK 2 Medium Reconstruction 1.5


2050115 MIDDLE FORK 1 Medium Reconstruction 1.9

2050116 GUNSIGHT 2 Medium Reconstruction 0.2



Proposed Right-of-Way

FSR’s 2000090 & 2000092: The Forest Service has proposed gaining permanent access from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) in order to secure access for future hazardous fuels reductions and potential recreational use, as the route is part of the route for an OHV loop proposed by Ferry County. In the past, WDFW has been unwilling to provide permanent access to the Forest Service over WDFW lands. Should WDFW deny the request for permanent access, the Forest Service will pursue temporary access for the purpose of the project.

Documents

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