National Park Service 2024 

National Transportation Strategy
National Park Service

National Transportation Strategy

2024
Table of Contents

1 Chapter 1 

 Introduction

The NPS Transportation System

 Challenges and Opportunities

15 Chapter 2 

 Transportation Investment Strategy

Transportation Funding Trends

 Transportation Investment Needs

 NPS Transportation Investment Strategy

33 Chapter 3 

 GOAL: Protect the Climate and Advance Resource Protection

47 Chapter 4 

 GOAL: Enhance Visitor Experience and Connect Diverse Communities

63 Chapter 5 

 GOAL: Reinvest in the System and Make Legacy Investments

73 Chapter 6

 Summary of Goals, Objectives, and Performance Measures

76 Conclusion

A-1 Appendix A: Transportation Legacy Investment Project Needs
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / 

Yosemite National Park

NPS Mission: The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the 

natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System 

for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future 

generations. The National Park Service cooperates with partners to 

extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and 

outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world. 
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Introduction 1

Introduction

The Organic Act of 1916 established the National Park Service (NPS) and a 

National Park System with the goal of “conserving the scenery and the natural 

and historic objects and the wildlife therein” for generations of Americans to 

appreciate and enjoy. The mission of the National Park Service is to conserve 

and provide access to natural and cultural resources and values. Perhaps in 

no other area is this dual mission more evident than in transportation. For 

more than 100 years, the National Park Service has provided the people of 

the United States, and the world, with opportunities to visit and experience 

some of the most unique and special places the country has to offer. First with 

railroads and stagecoaches, then with personal automobiles, and now with 

highways, buses, ferries, and emerging mobility technologies, the National 

Park Service has built and maintained the infrastructure and services needed 

to provide millions of annual visitors with these opportunities.

Providing transportation services to access 425+ park units in all 50 states, 

the District of Columbia, and in U.S. territories requires careful planning 

and a context-sensitive approach. With aging bridges and roads; the 

effects of climate change on park resources and infrastructure; and an 

urgency to reduce emissions, and with changing technologies and visitor 

expectations, the National Park Service has much to prepare for to achieve its 

transportation vision:

To provide safe and 

equitable access to the 

United States’ most unique 

and special places.

The National 

Transportation Strategy 

is organized by three 

goals, represented by 

these icons.

Protect the Climate and 

Advance Resource Protection

Enhance Visitor Experience and 

Connect Diverse Communities

Reinvest in the System and 

Make Legacy Investments
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Introduction 2

The National Transportation Strategy

The NTS is an update to the National Park Service’s 2017 National Long Range 

Transportation Plan (NLRTP). It provides information about transportation 

challenges and opportunities that the National Park Service is facing and 

communicates agency priorities and strategies to address them.

The NTS is consistent with and builds upon related NPS policies and strategic 

plans, including NPS Management Policies and Director’s Orders, the NPS 

Facility Investment Strategy, the Green Parks Plan, the Climate Change Response 

Plan, and the Department of the Interior’s Equity Action Plan (Figure 1).

Ambitious Long-Term Goals

Many of the details within the NTS focus on actionable steps that the National 

Park Service can take within the next five years. However, the NTS is informed 

by long-term goals and objectives, and sets an agenda for achieving ambitious 

changes in transportation infrastructure and operations. Core themes include: 

reducing the NPS transportation system’s contributions to climate change, 

increasing resiliency, and providing more equitable, safe, and sustainable access 

opportunities for visitors. Working closely with state, Federal, Tribal, and local 

partners to improve connections, secure funding, and enhance the traveling 

experience are also key priorities.

Informed by Stakeholders and 

Subject-Matter Experts

Transportation planning is inherently interdisciplinary and the NTS includes 

contributions from subject matter experts from across the National Park Service. 

Input from the public, key stakeholders, and NPS partners was used to inform 

the NTS, including a public comment period on the framework for the NTS.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Introduction 3

The National Transportation Strategy (NTS) aligns with the four core pillars of the NPS 

Facility Investment Strategy:

• Invest in Our Future: Through sustainable opportunities, improve facilities

or operations while prioritizing conservation and protecting natural and

cultural resources.

• Invest in Our Visitors: Continue to meet the needs and expectations of

visitors by modernizing our critical backbone infrastructure to eliminate

health and safety liability risks, leading to safe, accessible, and reliable

service for visitors. Enable every visitor to have a great national park

experience by improving access and enhancing recreational opportunities.

• Invest in Our Workplace: Invest in assets that support employee

accessibility, experience, and well-being to improve effectiveness and

retention.

• Invest in Our Heritage: Preserve and protect important natural and cultural

heritage assets for future generations by properly managing and maintaining

natural and cultural heritage assets that are critical to understanding our

country’s story.

The Washington Monument and U.S. 

Capitol Building as seen from the Lincoln 

Memorial. Credit: Kevin McCoy

Figure 1: Alignment of NTS with Other Plans

Legislation



NPS Management Policies 

and Director’s Orders 



Climate Change Response Plan 

Department of Interior Equity Action Plan 

Green Parks Plan 

NPS Facility Investment Strategy 
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Introduction 4

A Performance-Based Plan

The NTS provides information about how the National Park Service tracks and 

monitors success in a variety of areas. Performance measures and targets are 

based on transportation management systems the National Park Service uses to 

track and model specific outcomes. Performance indicators are also included, 

which the National Park Service uses to monitor progress in harder to measure 

areas.

Part of a “3C” Planning Process

The NTS guides transportation investments at a high level and is part of 

the National Park Service’s continuing, comprehensive, and cooperative 

(3C) approach to transportation planning.1 Long range planning is the first 

step of the transportation program life cycle (Figure 2) informing multiyear 

investment programs, project development, as well as construction, operations, 

and performance monitoring. The NTS covers all modes of transportation 

and addresses all transportation planning factors from asset management to 

environmental impact, safety, and more.

As part of the National Park Service’s decades-long partnership with the U.S. 

Department of Transportation (DOT), the NTS fulfills transportation planning 

requirements under the Federal Lands Transportation Program (FLTP), 

the primary funding source for NPS transportation infrastructure. Table 1 

demonstrates how the NTS addresses the ten transportation planning factors 

identified under 23 U.S.C sec. 134/135.

1 The 3C process is a guiding principle for transportation planning dating back to the Federal-Aid 

Highway Act of 1962. Long range transportation plans, like this one, are part of the 3C planning 

process, and are typically updated every five years (continuing). They cover all transportation 

modes and funding sources (comprehensive) and are informed by public and stakeholder input 

(cooperative).
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Introduction 5

Table 1: U.S. DOT Planning Factors

Source: U.S. DOT Planning Factors. 23 CFR § 450.306 - Scope of the metropolitan transportation planning process. | Electronic Code of 

Federal Regulations (e-CFR). Accessed on September 26, 2023.

U.S. DOT Planning Factors NPS Goal 1

Protect the Climate & 

Advance Resource 

Protection

NPS Goal 2 

Enhance Visitor 

Experience & Connect 

Diverse Communities

NPS Goal 3 

Reinvest in the 

System & Make 

Legacy Investments

Economic Vitality X X X

Safety X X

Security X

Accessibility & Mobility X X X

Environment X X

Connectivity X X X

Efficiency X X

System Preservation X X

Resiliency & Reliability X X

Travel & Tourism X

Figure 2: Transportation Program Life Cycle

The NTS follows a typical 3C process for transportation planning: continuing, comprehensive, and cooperative.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Introduction 6

The NPS Transportation System

The NPS transportation system is an extensive network of roads, bridges, 

tunnels, transportation trails, and transit systems. These assets represent a 

combined $60+ billion transportation portfolio that support a core mission 

of the National Park Service by providing visitor access to America’s greatest 

natural and cultural treasures. The NPS transportation system is the backbone 

on which all visitor experiences rely, connecting national parks with nearby 

communities and contributing to economic benefits.

The NPS transportation system is similar in scope and scale to a small state 

DOT and includes a diverse inventory of transportation assets:

· Roadway systems, including approximately 6,600 miles of paved roads, 

7,300 miles of unpaved roads, 1,800 road bridges and tunnels, 6,300 paved 

parking areas, and 1,800 unpaved parking areas. 

· Nonmotorized systems, including approximately 1,000 miles of 

transportation trails and 200 transportation trail bridges and tunnels.

· Approximately 100 transit systems, including buses, trolleys, trains, ferries, 

and snow coaches, as well as the maintenance facilities, buildings, docks, 

and other assets that support their operation.

The types of NPS transportation assets vary significantly across park units 

and by region, accounting for different visitation patterns and geographical, 

historical, and cultural characteristics. As shown in Figure 3, roadways and 

parking are by far the most common means of providing access to NPS park 

units. The Alaska Region is one notable exception, where many park units are 

not accessible by road and visitors must instead rely on boats, airplanes, overthe-snow transportation, and other modes of transportation.

Roads and parkways of the NPS transportation system often connect with 

bus services, ferries, trains, and transportation trails, allowing for multimodal 

trips, especially in major western parks and those in urban areas. Many NPS 

multimodal transportation networks are integrated with local and regional 

transportation networks to provide visitors with more seamless access, and 

frequently improve the mobility and quality of life of local residents.

Figure 4 illustrates 2022 NPS transit systems passenger boardings by park. It 

is important to note that in 2022, not all NPS transit systems operated and 

many experienced historically lower ridership due to changing transportation 

challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Shuttle buses at Zion National Park. 

Credit: Jim - stock.adobe.com
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Introduction 7

Figure 3: Approximate Scale of NPS Transportation System The NPS transportation 

system is similar in scope 

and scale to a small 

State Department of 

Transportation and includes 

a diverse inventory of 

transportation assets.

Table 1: Scale of NPS Transportation System

Table explanation text lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.

1,800 Road Bridges and Tunnels

100 Transit Systems

7,300 miles of Unpaved Roads

1,000 miles of 

Transportation Trails

6,300

Paved

Parking Areas

1,800

Unpaved

Parking Areas

6,600 miles of Paved Roads

200 Transportation

Trail Bridges and Tunnels

Figure 4: Transit System Passenger Boardings

2022 NPS transit systems passenger 

boardings by park. Source: National 

Transit Inventory 2022 (NPS)

1 – 1,000

1,001 – 350,000

350,001 – 750,000

750,001 – 1,500,000

1,500,001 – 5,000,000
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Introduction 8

Challenges and Opportunities 

Maintaining and Modernizing NPS 

Transportation Systems

The NPS transportation asset portfolio is extensive, diverse, and aging. A 

significant proportion of the NPS transportation system is more than 60 

years old; many assets are approaching the need for major reinvestment 

and modernization to continue their useful life or to improve safety and 

performance in-line with today’s standards. Expanding systems where 

necessary to meet visitor access needs, and incorporating new NPS units, poses 

an additional challenge, but it also presents a unique planning opportunity.

Changing Visitation Patterns 

Trends in how and when people visit are changing in many parks, creating 

a need for the National Park Service to monitor trends and provide efficient 

transportation services that maintain both positive experiences for visitors 

and benefits to neighboring communities. Visitation is trending toward front 

country areas and “iconic” parks such as Arches National Park or Great Smoky 

Mountains National Park. The average duration of visits has decreased. Seasonal 

trends in some parks have been upended, with “shoulder seasons” — the 

months just before and after the highest visitation times — sometimes recording 

as many visitors as peak visitation times. External factors like the COVID-19 

pandemic, fuel prices, and social media are all influencing which parks and 

which areas in parks are most visited (Figure 5).

Aging Population

The nation’s mobility and transportation needs evolve as the country grows 

older. The proportion of America’s population aged 65 and over has been 

growing as a share of the overall population for at least the last three decades, 

and the trend is accelerating with time. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 

more than 50 million people in the U.S.—about 1 in 6 adults—belonged to 

this age bracket in 2020. Accommodating more older adults and people with 

mobility challenges will be a key challenge for the National Park Service.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Introduction 9

Figure 5: Recent Recreation Visitation Trends (395 reporting park units)

Total recreation visits, for 395 reporting park units, have increased modestly over the last decade and fluctuate annually.

Source: NPS Visitor Use Statistics Program – Annual Visitation by Park

Visits

(in Millions)

The number of visits in the top 8 most visited parks is approximately equal to the number of visits in 331 parks combined.

Source: NPS Visitor Use Statistics Program – Annual Visitation by Park

8 Parks 

account for 

26% of total 

recreation visits

19 Parks 

account for 

24% of total 

recreation visits

331 Parks 

account for 

25% of total 

recreation visits

37 Parks 

account for 

25% of total 

recreation visits

8 Parks 

account for 

26% of total 

recreation visits

312 Million Total 

Recreation Visits (2022)

312 Million Total 

Recreation Visits (2022)

19 Parks 

account for 

24% of total 

recreation visits

331 Parks 

account for 

25% of total 

recreation visits

37 Parks 

account for 

25% of total 

recreation visits

A

B
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Introduction 10

At Gateway National Recreation Area, 

soil erosion occurred as a result of 

Hurricane Sandy.

A sign at Panoramic Point Trail in 

Kings Canyon National Park provides 

accessibility information about the trail 

for visitors.

Shared micromobility, like this bikeshare 

system that operates at the National 

Mall under a special use permit, is a type 

of emerging mobility technology that is 

changing how visitors access some park 

units. Credit: ep_jhu - flickr.com
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Introduction 11

Climate Change

Climate change will continue to impact NPS cultural and natural resources and 

stress the NPS transportation system. The National Park Service must reduce 

the contributions of park transportation to climate change, while also preparing 

for and responding to climate change impacts, such as increases in extreme 

weather and wildfire events. Planning for resilience and adaptation across a 

diverse landscape is both a monumental challenge and an opportunity to better 

integrate resource protection into NPS transportation systems.

Deepen Connections with and Remove Barriers 

for Underserved Communities

National parks belong to everyone. The National Park Service has a valuable 

opportunity to ensure equitable access to a park’s facilities, programs, 

services, and experiences, particularly for underserved communities. Multiple 

transportation modes are needed to ensure equitable access, particularly 

those transit and trail opportunities considered safe, reliable, pleasant, 

easily accessible, and affordable for members of historically underserved or 

disadvantaged communities. The National Park Service must work to overcome 

access barriers so that all who want to visit the national parks can feel welcome 

and comfortable while doing so.

Transportation Technology Innovation and 

Changing Visitor Expectations

The National Park Service has an opportunity to identify and implement 

new technologies that improve visitor access and protect cultural and natural 

resources. Emerging mobility initiatives, electric vehicles, and other cutting edge 

transportation technologies can create new transportation options that enhance 

visitor experience. However, staying up to date with ever-evolving technological 

advances often poses a challenge for the NPS transportation system. 

Meanwhile, visitor’s expectations have evolved as transportation innovations 

like electric vehicle charging equipment, cellphone service, widespread 

smartphone adoption, and nearly ubiquitous Wi-Fi access have become the 

norm in public spaces across the United States. The National Park Service must 

integrate transportation technologies in a context-sensitive manner, keeping 

in mind the financial and human resources required for their implementation, 

and consider the anticipated longevity of any new technologies while balancing 

visitor expectations for modern amenities.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Introduction 12

Transportation Partnerships and 

Stakeholder Engagement

There is perhaps more public interest and excitement 

today about improving visitor access to national parks 

than ever before, and there are myriad opportunities 

for the National Park Service to collaborate with 

stakeholders across jurisdictions to do so. State DOTs 

are required to consult the National Park Service when 

developing their transportation plans, but establishing 

a more integrated transportation planning approach 

with active cooperation between the National Park 

Service, state and local governments can yield benefits 

for everyone. Integrated planning approaches have the 

potential to improve connectivity and accessibility of 

local transportation systems in and outside of parks, the 

benefits of which can be shared by community members 

and park visitors. Economic benefits and improved 

quality of life for local communities are possible as a 

result. Integrated planning approaches allow for local 

expertise of partners to help solve and mitigate negative 

impacts of visitation in local communities, and they can 

address barriers to access for underserved populations 

(Figure 6).

New Programs and Funding

Sources

The National Park Service will benefit from the historic 

investments created by the Infrastructure Investment 

and Jobs Act (IIJA; also known as the Bipartisan 

Infrastructure Law or BIL), the Great American 

Outdoors Act (GAOA), and Inflation Reduction Act 

(IRA). These laws provide the National Park Service 

with opportunities to make once-in-a-generation 

investments in maintaining, modernizing, and when 

necessary, expanding its transportation system. 

Realizing these opportunities, however, requires a 

greater emphasis on building partnerships and 

competing for discretionary grants. It will also require 

the National Park Service to do more advanced 

planning and environmental compliance work to 

demonstrate the transformational potential of proposed 

investments and increase the number of “shovel ready” 

projects. Additionally, operating in an environment 

where a larger share of transportation funding comes 

through grants and partnerships may require a change 

in thinking about how projects are developed, scoped, 

and prioritized.

By the Numbers: New and Expanded Potential Fund Sources for NPS Transportation

$2.3 Billion available to transportation projects under the Great American Outdoors Act’s Legacy

Restoration Fund (LRF) between FY2022-26.2

$175 Million available to Federal Lands Management Agencies under the Nationally Significant Federal

Lands and Tribal Projects (NSFLTP) Grant program between FY2022-26.3

$58 Billion total BIL discretionary grant funding available from FY2022-26 for which the National Park

Service is an eligible entity (either directly or through partnerships).4

2 The National Park Service is authorized to use up to 35% of the $6.5 Billion share of LRF funds on transportation.

3 Congress may appropriate additional funds to the program on an annual basis throughout the lifecycle of BIL.

4 Figure assumes full appropriations of all programs throughout the lifespan of BIL. See NPS BIL Grants Strategic Plan for details.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Introduction 13

Figure 6: Transportation Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement

The NPS can seek partnership and stakeholder engagement opportunities to yield benefits for all partners and stakeholders involved and impacted 

by park transportation planning decisions.

Table 7: Transportation Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Transportation Investment Strategy 14

Glacier National Park
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Transportation Investment Strategy 15

Transportation 

Investment Strategy

The National Park Service relies on a variety of funding sources to maintain 

its transportation system. NPS staff work with strategic partners to analyze, 

plan for, and make routine and legacy investments that support access for more 

than 300 million annual visits. This chapter describes how NPS transportation 

investments have historically been funded, forecasted future resources, overall 

transportation needs, and the investment strategy the National Park Service will 

pursue to best meet those needs.1

Transportation Funding Trends

Major Funding Sources

There are two major types of funding for NPS transportation assets: Annual

funding programs and individual One-Time funding allocations. Annual 

programs provide reliable, consistent resources that can be planned on a multiyear basis (such as FLTP, the only Annual funding program solely dedicated 

to transportation). One-Time funding, however, is awarded or programmed 

on a project-by-project basis and originates from grants, donations, and 

special programs. One-Time funding, from the Great American Outdoors Act 

(GAOA) National Parks and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF), the 

Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects (NSFLTP) program, 

and other programs, has become increasingly important and now makes up 

approximately one-third of all NPS transportation funding (Figure 7).

Continued access to both types of funding is critical to maintaining the NPS 

transportation system and making progress on strategic priorities such as 

Yellowstone Grand Loop Road 

Reconstruction made possible with 

NSFLTP program grant.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Transportation Investment Strategy 16

improving safety, transitioning to electric vehicles, 

adapting to climate change impacts, and expanding 

access for underserved communities. Table 2 lists the 

largest funding sources for NPS transportation by type 

(Annual or One-Time) and by source.

Transportation Investments 

FY2016 – 2021

Between fiscal years (FYs) 2016 to 2021, the National 

Park Service allocated or was awarded a total of 

$3.5 billion for transportation projects (Figure 8). 

Approximately two-thirds ($2.36 billion) came from 

Annual funding sources and one-third from One-Time 

funding ($1.4 billion), with the majority of One-Time 

funding ($727.4 million) coming in 2021 from LRF.2

Transportation funding was allocated across the NPS 

transportation asset portfolio. The largest share of 

funding supported the Paved Road and Bridge Network 

(86 percent), with a smaller portion supporting unpaved 

roads and parking, transit, and transportation trails 

(14 percent). Program administration, management 

systems, data collection, transportation planning 

and other non-project costs are included in these 

figures and comprise less than 3 percent of the total 

expenditures.

Annual Funding Sources

Transportation funding from Annual sources is the 

foundation of the NPS transportation investment 

strategy. Annual funds provide predictable resources 

which can be planned and programmed over multiple 

years. The largest of these, and the only funding source 

dedicated to transportation, is the FLTP. This continues 

to be the single largest source of funding for NPS 

transportation (66 percent of Annual funding from FYs 

16-21 and 45 percent of all funding, including One-Time 

funding).

NPS Programs and Fee Programs comprise the majority 

of the remaining Annual funding sources. These sources 

fund both transportation and non-transportation 

projects. Although funding from these programs is not 

required to go to transportation projects, they have 

historically been an important transportation funding 

source.

In nominal terms, the National Park Service forecasts 

that Annual transportation funding will increase 

by approximately 12 percent overall in FY23-27 as 

compared with FY16-21 (Table 3). FLTP funding will 

increase in line with program authorizations in the BIL.

• FLTP funding will increase in line with program 

authorizations in the BIL, rising 21 percent (after 

reductions).

• Transportation funding from Fee Programs is 

forecasted to rise 10 percent.

• Transportation funding from other NPS Programs 

is forecasted to decline by 20 percent overall, led 

by declines in Line Item Construction and Repair/

Rehab funding.

This reflects current programming priorities for these 

programs as documented in the 2024 NPS Budget 

Justifications.

1 The chapter includes a summary of financial investments from FY16-FY21 and forecasted resources for FY23-FY27. Data for FY22 was not 

finalized at the time the analysis was conducted and is represented as a gap year. This chapter does not include information about park-level 

operations and maintenance activities, which are largely accomplished using park base budgets, for which detailed cost data are not available.

2 All Annual values are presented in year-of-expenditures dollars (not adjusted for inflation). Throughout the NTS, Annual funds figures are 

based on expenditures and One-Time funds figures are based on funding announcements or awards for individual projects. The two largest 

sources of One-Time funding (LRF and NSFLTP) were only available for part of the past period reported (FY16- FY 21). NSFLTP was first funded 

in FY19 and LRF was first funded in FY21. If these programs had been available for the full six-year period, the relative contribution of OneTime funding would likely have been greater.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Transportation Investment Strategy 17

Figure 7: Cumulative NPS Transportation Funding, FY16-FY21 (millions $)

One-Time 

Funding

Annual

Funding

One-Time 

Funding Total

$1,143M, 33%

Annual

Funding Total

$2,356M, 67%

Combined One-Time Funding + 

Annual Funding Total

$3,499M

NSFLTP

$211M, 19%

Other 

One-Time 

Funding

$204M, 17%

9%

LRF

$727M, 64%

FLTP

$1,559M, 

66%

NPS Programs,

Fees, and 

Other

$797M, 34%

Table 2: Major Funding Sources for NPS Transportation

Source Type Program

Highways Programs (USC Title 23) Annual Federal Lands Transportation Program (FLTP)

One-Time Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads (ERFO)

NPS Programs (USC Title 54) Annual Cyclic Maintenance

Annual Line-Item Construction

Annual Repair/Rehabilitation

One-Time Emergency Storm & Flood Damage

Fee Programs Annual Recreation Fee Program

Annual Concessions Franchise Fee Program

Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) One-Time Legacy Restoration Fund

Grants and Other Annual Reimbursable Agreements

One-Time Discretionary Grants (all sources)

One-Time Donations
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Transportation Investment Strategy 18

Figure 8: FY16-21 Sum of NPS Transportation Investments and One-Time Funding 

Announcements by Type and Fund Source (millions $)

Funding Type Funding Source Asset Category

Annual funding or 

One-Time project 

funding?

Where did the 

funding come from?

How was funding 

allocated?

Title 23

(Highways)

Annual NPS

Fees

GAOA

Grants

Other

$

1,628M

$

2,356M

Paved Road 

and Bridge 

Network

$

3,007M

Unpaved 

Roads,

Transit Trails,

& Other

$

491M

One-Time

$

1,143M

$

1,497M

$

324M

$

160M

$

727M

$

278M

$

208M

$

132M

$

95M

$21M

$

727M

$

419M

$

369M

$

311M

$

44M

$

23M

$

33M
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Transportation Investment Strategy 19

Impacts of Inflation

Inflation will reduce the National Park Service’s buying power and introduce 

significant financial uncertainty for its transportation system.

Historically, inflation in the general U.S. economy has been low, averaging 

between 0.1 and 3.2 percent between 2010 and 2020,3 resulting in consumer 

products costing approximately 19 percent more in 2020 than in 2010. However, 

increased construction costs for transportation projects grew faster during the 

same period, experiencing an estimated 29 percent increase.4

Beginning in 2021, the U.S. economy experienced higher than average inflation 

in the general economy and in construction, particularly due to supply chain 

disruptions, international events, and other factors. From the last quarter of 

2021 through the third quarter of 2022, average highway construction costs 

increased by more than 69 percent. Inflation has declined significantly from 

these peaks and increases in construction costs have moderated. However it is 

unclear if future construction costs will be in line with historical averages.

Figure 9 shows a possible inflation scenario for NPS FLTP funding from FY23-

27, demonstrating how inflation may affect NPS buying power over time. The 

Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation assumptions in the White House FY25 

Budget show that although Annual FLTP funding will nominally increase, the 

buying power of these funds will likely decrease. If highway construction costs 

increase faster than the CPI, the impact on NPS FLTP buying power would be 

greater.

3 Consumer Price Index, Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2023.

4 National Highway Construction Cost Index, Federal Highway Administration, 2023.

Reductions in NPS FLTP 

Allocations: 

NPS FLTP allocations 

are specified by FY in 

the statute. However, 

legislated “off-thetop” takedowns for 

specific programs and 

the obligation limitation

imposed through the 

annual appropriations 

process reduce the 

amount of funding 

that is available to the 

National Park Service. 

Although the specific 

amounts vary, the NPS 

FLTP allocations specified 

in legislation for FY16-

21 were reduced by 

more than 12 percent on 

average each year.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Transportation Investment Strategy 20

Table 3: Annual NPS Transportation Funding (millions $) FY16-21 and

Forecasted FY23-27

Source Funding

Program

Annual 

Average

FY16 – 21

Forecasted

Annual 

Average

FY23 – 27

Forecasted

Annual 

Average 

Change

Forecasted 

Annual 

Average % 

Change

Highways Programs 

(USC Title 23) 

NPS Programs 

(USC Title 54)

Cyclic Maintenance $35.94 $35.94 $0 0%

Repair/Rehabilitation $13.08 $7.70 -$5.38 -41%

Fee Programs Recreation Fee Program $54.61 $60.64 $6.03 11%

Other Reimbursable Agreements $1.71 $1.71 $0 0%

Figure 9: Historical and Forecasted Buying Power of NPS FLTP Funds (millions $)

20162017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

202520262027

$270M

$320.1M (+19%)

$258.2M (-4%)

Buying Power Change 

Relative to 2021 

NPS FLTP Allocations after Reductions

FLTP Buying Power in 2021 $

White House FY25 Budget CPI Forecast

$100.0

$150.0

$200.0

$250.0

$300.0

$350.0

Federal Lands 

Transportation Program 

(FLTP) 

$259.85 $315.09 $55.24 21%

Line-Item Construction $17.47 $8.61 -$8.86 -51%

Other NPS Programs $3.14 $3.14 $0 0%

Concessions Franchise 

Fee Program

$6.93 $6.92 -$0.01 0%

Total $392.72 $439.76 $47.04 12%
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Transportation Investment Strategy 21

Five Largest NPS Transportation One-Time Funding Awards, FY16-21 

George Washington Memorial Parkway North Section Rehabilitation: 

This project rehabilitated and repaired a 7.6-mile section of the George 

Washington Memorial Parkway, addressed serious deterioration of the roadway 

and drainage system, completed structural bridge repairs, implemented safety 

countermeasures, and improved travel time reliability. Approximately 26 million 

vehicles use the parkway annually. $208 million of LRF funding announced for 

this project in FY21. 

Blue Ridge Parkway Reconstruction: This project reconstructed and 

rehabilitated a portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway within North Carolina and 

the associated overlooks and parking areas. Road safety audits in 2012, 2017, and 

2018 indicated that roadway edge rutting presented safety challenges along many 

sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway—one of the busiest units in the National 

Park Service. The road is critical to maintaining the park’s purpose, significance, 

and resources. $124 million of LRF funding announced for this project in FY21.

Arlington Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation: Serving as the “ceremonial 

entrance to the capitol,” the Arlington Memorial Bridge rehabilitation was one 

of the largest projects in NPS history. Workers repaired or replaced the bridge’s 

foundations, concrete supports, deck, and sidewalks and installed 450 pre-cast 

concrete panels. FHWA engineers worked with the project contractor to use 

innovative methods that sped up construction and lowered costs. $90 million of 

FASTLANE and INFRA grant funding awarded for this project in FY16.

Tamiami Trail Project: The project repaired, elevated, and constructed several 

bridges across a 6.5-mile section of US-41/Tamiami Trail adjacent to Everglades 

National Park to help restore the natural flow of surface waters and helping 

ward off saltwater intrusion into groundwater resources, mitigating the negative 

impacts the road creates to the natural environment in South Florida. $60 

million of NSFLTP grant funding awarded for this project in FY18 and FY19.

Natchez Trace Parkway Project: This project rehabilitated a section of the 

Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi and Alabama, with heavy resurfacing, 

restoration, and rehabilitation to improve several miles of paved parkway. 

Raised pavement markers were installed to improve safety throughout the 

project area. $54 million of NSFLTP grant funding awarded for this project in 

FY21. 

George Washington Memorial Parkway. 

Credit: JudithAnne - stock.adobe.com

Blue Ridge Parkway. Credit: Dave Allen - 

stock.adobe.com

Tamiami Trail. Credit: Francisco - stock.

adobe.com
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Transportation Investment Strategy 22

One-Time Funding Sources

One-Time funding sources play a major role in NPS 

transportation. These sources allow the National 

Park Service to, among other things, accomplish 

legacy projects such as large-scale road and bridge 

rehabilitations or transit system recapitalizations that 

the agency’s Annual programs would not otherwise 

allow for. Table 4 provides a summary of NPS OneTime transportation funding awarded or announced 

from FYs 16-21. These funds include major grants, 

donations, special programs, and emergency relief 

funding for natural disaster recovery. During this time 

period, One-Time funding comprised approximately 

one-third of all NPS transportation funding.

The Impact of LRF and NSFLTP

LRF was the largest source of One-Time funding for 

transportation between FY16-FY21. Discretionary 

grants such as the NSFLTP and partnership donations 

have also been important sources of One-Time funding 

for NPS transportation priorities. The five largest 

projects that received One-Time funding between 

FY16 and FY21 received more than $535 million. Over 

the six-year period, this represents an average of $89 

million per year. One-Time funding for these projects 

represents an addition of more than 20 percent per year 

above the average of Annual funding sources (for all 

projects).

Legacy Restoration Fund

LRF has been particularly transformative for the 

NPS in recent years, with more than $1.3 billion in 

transportation investments announced between FY21 

and FY24 (Figure 10).5 Congress authorized this fiveyear program in 2020 (set to expire at the end of FY25), 

providing the National Park Service with a funding 

mechanism to accomplish large-scale infrastructure 

projects that address legacy deferred maintenance 

needs. The LRF program is limited to 35 percent 

investment in transportation projects.

Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal 

Projects Program

Discretionary grant programs have also been a 

major source of funding in recent years for NPS 

transportation projects, providing more than $339 

million from FY16 through FY22. Approximately 

70 percent ($238M) of these grant funds have come 

from NSFLTP, which has contributed funds to major 

roadway, bridge, and transit projects.

By law, NSFLTP funding is split between Tribal 

governments and Federal Land Management Agencies 

(FLMAs) like the National Park Service. Each year 

(beginning in FY22), at least one award is required to 

be for an NPS unit with more than 3 million annual 

visitors. The program has a minimum project size of 

$12.5 million. The National Park Service has received an 

average of 42 percent of NSFLTP funding available to 

FLMAs — a total of $238 million. However, NPS needs 

exceed one project per year, and without additional 

appropriations,6 NSFLTP’s annual funding will be 

reduced dramatically, and the amount NPS could 

potentially receive would similarly decline.

Future Outlook

Together, LRF and NSFLTP made up more than 80 

percent of all One-Time transportation funding and 

more than 25 percent of total NPS transportation 

funding between FY16 and FY21. With the expected 

expiration of LRF, and less NSFLTP funding 

available, future One-Time funding awards for NPS 

transportation are likely to decline. The National Park 

Service will continue to leverage these programs for 

large and complex projects, and will explore other 

external grant and partnership opportunities as well.

5 In this chapter, FY21 LRF project funding announcements are included in historical One-Time funding. Funding announcements for FY22+ are 

included in forecasted future One-Time funding. Figures are as of March 19, 2024.

6 Under BIL, Congress may appropriate up to an additional $300M each year to NSLFTP through the annual appropriations process.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Transportation Investment Strategy 23

Table 4: NPS One-Time Transportation Funding, FY16-21 (millions of $)

Source Program Funds Awarded 

or Announced

Highways Programs (USC Title 23) Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads 

(ERFO)

$68.9 M

Highways Programs (USC Title 23) Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal 

Projects Program (NSFLTP)

$211.3 M

NPS Programs (USC Title 54) Emergency Storm & Flood Damage $1.5 M

Great American Outdoors Act National Parks and Public Lands Legacy 

Restoration Fund (LRF)

$727.4 M

Various External Discretionary Grants $100 M

Various Donations $33.5 M

Total $1,142.6 M

Figure 10: LRF Transportation Project Funding Announcements, FY21-24 (millions $) 

as of March 19, 2024

?

?

 

FY21

FY22

FY23

FY24

$727.4

$615.1

 $90.5

$0

Figure 11: NSFLTP Funding and NPS Awards FY19-26 (millions of $)

$130

$28

Total NSFLTP Amount 

for which NPS is 

Eligible

NPS Awarded 

Amount

$350M

300

$325

$123

$100

$54

$70

$33

250

200

150

FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

100

50

0

50% of FY22-26 Awards 

Earmarked for Tribal Lands

$95

$55 $55 $55

FY23 - FY26 Awards Not Announced at 

Time of Publication

Congress may appropriate up to an 

additional $300M annually to NSFLTP at 

their discretion.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Transportation Investment Strategy 24

Investment Needs

With a large, multimodal transportation system 

serving visitors in every state and territory and in many 

challenging and unique environments, the National 

Park Service faces substantial costs to maintain its 

transportation network and address strategic priorities. 

Transportation investment needs can be described 

in five categories: Maintenance; Modernization and 

Renewal; System Expansion or Rightsizing; Advancing 

Strategic Priorities; and Administration, System 

Management, and Planning. NPS transportation 

management systems track the conditions and 

performance of the system and identify asset 

management needs. Transportation planning and 

partnerships help to identify needs for other types of 

investments to advance strategic priorities, and when 

warranted, system expansion or rightsizing.

Maintenance

Transportation infrastructure requires ongoing 

investment to remain in good condition and perform 

well for its intended useful life. This includes 

preventative, recurring, and cyclical maintenance 

activities that fall short of a full replacement or 

recapitalization. This category comprises a large 

proportion of NPS transportation needs and has 

historically been the primary emphasis of transportation 

investments.

Recapitalization, Alteration, and Replacement

Even when best management practices are followed, 

transportation assets eventually require replacement. 

Recapitalizing the aging NPS transportation system 

will be a major category of need in the coming decades. 

Assets also sometimes require changes to improve 

safety, reduce environmental impact, or updates to meet 

today’s standards. These alterations are often made in 

tandem with recapitalization or replacement projects to 

minimize costs.

New Construction and Divestiture

Changes to the NPS transportation network are 

sometimes required when new park units are added or 

when operational needs of existing units change. This 

may include the expansion of roadways or parking, 

development of transportation trails, establishment 

of new transit services, or the divestiture of assets 

no longer needed. This category is relatively small 

compared to maintaining, and modernizing, and 

renewing the existing system. Because of financial 

constraints, the National Park Service carefully 

examines the fiscal and operational sustainability of 

any potential system expansion before making these 

investments.

Advancing Strategic Priorities

This National Transportation Strategy identifies several 

strategic priorities including reducing transportation 

fatalities, improving collaboration and connections 

with neighboring communities, transitioning to a 

zero-emissions transit fleet, improving access for 

underserved communities, and making transportation 

infrastructure resilient to the impacts of climate change 

and extreme weather. These needs are often addressed 

through maintenance of the existing transportation 

system, but will also require additional investments, the 

scale and scope of which have not been fully studied 

or quantified. Transportation planning investments are 

needed to better understand the scope of these needs 

and to develop projects that will address them.

Administration, System Management, and 

Planning

Making wise investments requires advance planning and 

data-driven decision making. The National Park Service 

must devote a small percentage of transportation 

resources to collecting and analyzing information on 

the condition and performance of the transportation 

system, the ways visitors use the system, and developing 

plans for future improvements. This is the smallest 

category of NPS transportation needs, and historically 

has comprised less than three percent of total 

transportation investments.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Transportation Investment Strategy 25

Maintaining the NPS

Transportation System

The National Park Service and its FHWA partners 

continuously monitor and assess the condition of NPS 

transportation infrastructure. Using industry standard 

modeling and asset management platforms, NPS facility 

managers and transportation program managers 

develop cost estimates of future investment needs to 

maintain the transportation system. These estimates do 

not include potential alteration, expansion or 

rightsizing costs, program administration and planning 

costs, or potential investments needed 

to advance strategic transportation priorities that 

cannot be addressed through the course of regular 

maintenance.

The annual cost of maintaining the current NPS 

transportation system in its current condition is 

estimated to be $458 million per year on average. An 

additional $272 million per year is needed to reach 

target condition levels (average “good” condition). 

Figure 13 shows how these costs break down between 

the Paved Road and Bridge Network and other 

transportation asset types such as unpaved roads and 

parking, transit systems, and transportation trails. In 

percentage terms, this breakdown is consistent with past 

NPS transportation expenditure patterns.

7

Park Operations and Maintenance

In addition to the costs shown in Figure 13, park units 

invest staff time and park base funding in the operations 

and maintenance of transportation assets. This includes 

major activities such as clearing snow and ice from 

roadways and parking areas, as well as less frequent 

preventive maintenance such as clearing debris from 

culverts or regrading gravel surfaces. This is a critical 

aspect of transportation asset management which is 

not easy to quantify because investments are often 

made in terms of staff hours or multiuse equipment at 

the park level. Because park operations budgets have 

been relatively flat over many years, these needs often 

compete with other basic park operations needs. 

Major Projects

When transportation assets reach the end of their useful 

life, they may require a major project to recapitalize 

or replace the asset, or to alter it to meet modern 

standards. Examples of this project type include bridge 

replacements, full-depth roadway reconstruction 

projects, vessel replacements, and occasionally the 

construction of a new transportation asset. These kinds 

of projects are rare in the National Park Service, but 

with an aging transportation asset portfolio, they are 

anticipated to come up more frequently as time goes on.

Major projects are challenging to fund, and beyond 

the capacity of Annual funding programs, requiring 

One-Time funding from grants, partnerships, or special 

appropriations to accomplish. These project needs are 

also difficult to forecast because the unique details of 

these projects have a large impact on eventual project 

costs. Figure 12 shows a map of major project needs 

that the National Park Service has identified, and 

Appendix A provides additional information about 

these needs. The National Park Service will require 

One-Time funding to accomplish these projects as 

their anticipated costs far outpace NPS Annual funding 

forecasts. The National Pak Service is working to better 

understand these and other major project needs, and 

will continue to update information in this area as needs 

estimates are improved.

7 Annual costs estimates for maintaining and improving the condition of the NPS transportation system are based on modeling using NPS 

pavement, bridge, and facility management systems, using the National Transportation Strategy asset inventory.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Transportation Investment Strategy 26

Figure 12: Map of NPS Transportation Legacy Investment Projects

Alaska

Denali NP and NPRES

Arizona

Lake Mead NRA

Colorado

Great Sand Dunes 

NP and NPRES

Rocky Mountain NP

Utah

Zion NP

Washington

Mount Rainier NP

Olympic NP

Wyoming

Grand Teton NP

Yellowstone NP

California

Golden Gate NRA

Joshua Tree NP

Mojave NPRES

Sequoia and Kings Canyon NP

Yosemite NP

AZ

CA

WA

WY

UT CO

AK

$12.5M-$25M

$25M-$50M

$50M-$150M

$150M+

KEY
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Transportation Investment Strategy 27

Alabama

Natchez Trace PKWY

Arkansas

Buffalo NR

Maine

Acadia NP

Maryland

Clara Barton PKWY

Massachusetts

Boston NHP

Michigan

Isle Royale NP

Mississippi

Natchez Trace PKWY

North Carolina

Blue Ridge PKWY

Tennessee

Great Smoky Mountains NP

Virginia

Blue Ridge PKWY

Colonial NHP

Clara Barton PKWY

Washington, D.C.

National Mall and Memorial Parks

West Virginia

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NHP

New River Gorge NP and NPRES

MI

MS AL

AR

TN NC

WV

MD

MA

ME

VA

$12.5M-$25M

$25M-$50M

$50M-$150M

KEY

$150M+
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Transportation Investment Strategy 28

Understanding Other Types of Transportation 

Investment Needs

Unlike with transportation asset management and transit fleet vehicles, the 

National Park Service does not have mature systems for estimating the potential 

costs of other types of investment needs. This does not mean these needs are 

less important.

The National Park Service is committed to addressing the goals and objectives 

in this National Transportation Strategy, including those which may require 

additional investments. For example, improving the resiliency of transportation 

infrastructure may require relocating infrastructure or retrofitting it with new 

materials. Providing better access for underserved communities may require 

providing more transportation options, such as trail connections, increasing 

shuttle services, and partnering with transportation providers in the community. 

Ensuring that NPS transportation systems provide the safest traveling 

experience possible will require engineering improved designs.

To better understand the scope and scale of these and other needs, the National 

Park Service will continue to invest in park level transportation planning, 

scientific analysis, management systems, and engagement with state and local 

partners. Over time, these needs will be better reflected in the estimated costs to 

maintain and modernize the existing system or in system expansion needs.

Annual Funding Gap

Forecasted Annual funding sources fall short of anticipated annual investment 

needs to achieve target condition levels for NPS transportation assets by 

more than $290 million per year. Forecasted annual funding ($440 million 

per year) is insufficient to maintain even current condition levels for all asset 

categories. Additionally, the buying power of NPS transportation funding 

is likely to continue to decline as a result of construction cost inflation. As a 

result, this funding gap will widen over the life of the BIL, absent any change in 

appropriations (Figure 14).

As described above, additional funding will be needed to address major projects 

and other strategic priorities that cannot be addressed through the routine 

maintenance and recapitalization of existing transportation infrastructure. As 

these costs become better understood, the funding gap will widen further. 

The funding gap shows how critical it is that the National Park Service 

continue to have access to One-Time funding from LRF, NSFLTP, 

partnerships, and other One-Time funding sources.

Converting the NPS 

Transit Fleet to Zero 

Emission Vehicles

The National Park Service is 

committed to transitioning 

its current transit vehicle fleet 

to zero emission vehicles, 

over time. This is consistent 

with Executive Order 14057, 

which directs all federal 

agencies to transition to 

100 percent zero-emission 

vehicle acquisitions by 2035 

(target for light duty vehicles 

is 2027). Converting the NPS 

transit fleet of 241 vehicles is 

estimated to cost in excess 

of $182 million. Ninetyfour vehicles are expected 

to exceed their service life 

within the next 10 years, with 

an estimated replacement 

cost of $100 million. There 

will be additional costs to 

upgrade and retrofit vehicle 

maintenance facilities and 

install charging or alternative 

fueling infrastructure where 

needed. These substantial 

costs will be addressed 

over time, as vehicle fleets 

reach the ends of their 

useful lifespan and require 

replacement, or strategically 

when partnership 

opportunities are identified.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Transportation Investment Strategy 29

Figure 13: Estimated Annual Funding Needs for NPS Transportation Assets (millions $)

Total Needs to Maintain 

Current Condition and to 

Achieve Condition Targets

Needs by Category

Needs Summary

Paved Road and 

Bridge Network $368.1M $185.6M

To 

Maintain 

Current 

Condition

To Achieve 

Condition 

Targets

Transit, Trails, and Unpaved 

Roads/Parking

To 

Maintain 

Current 

Condition

To Achieve 

Condition 

Targets

$89.9M $86.5M

Major Projects Not Quantied

Other Strategic Priorities Not Quantied

Transit, Trails, and 

Unpaved Roads/ 

Parking

$175.2M

24%

Paved Road and 

Bridge Network

$554.8M

76%

Figure 14: Annual Funding Gap

$458M $272M

$440M

Not Quantied Not Quantied

To Maintain 

Current Condition

To Achieve 

Condition Targets

Major Projects Other Strategic 

Priorities

Forecasted Annual 

Transportation Funding
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Transportation Investment Strategy 30

NPS Transportation 

Investment Strategy

This section describes the overall investment strategy 

that the National Park Service will pursue to ensure the 

transportation system is maintained in a state of good 

repair and to address other strategic priorities. The 

investment strategy balances investments in different 

transportation modes with a focus on maintaining 

current condition levels and replacing transit vehicles 

which are beyond their service life.

To address the gap between forecasted transportation 

resources and investment needs, and to fund strategic 

priorities which are beyond the capacity of the Annual 

programs, the National Park Service will continue to 

pursue One-Time funding sources such as external 

grants and partnerships. Successful grant applications 

and partnerships will be critical to the long-term 

success of the NPS transportation program, particularly 

with the planned sunset of the LRF program in 2025.

Baseline Investment Strategy

The NTS investment strategy builds on the investment 

approach from FY16-21, which successfully maintained 

the average condition of the NPS transportation 

network. Due to the forecasted funding gap, the vast 

majority of Annual funding must be dedicated to lifecycle asset management. Limited progress on NTS goals 

outside of sustaining the existing transportation system 

is anticipated if the National Park Service is limited to 

Annual funding sources.

Because the paved road and bridge network 

comprises the majority of NPS transportation assets, 

approximately 85 percent of Annual transportation 

funding will continue to be needed to maintain these 

assets. Fifteen percent of Annual funding will be 

needed to maintain unpaved roads and parking areas, 

transit, trails, and other transportation asset categories 

(Figure 15).

Figure 15: Baseline Investment Strategy by Asset Type and Category

Program 

Administration, 

Management 

Systems, & 

Planning,

2%

Other NTS Goals,

3%

Maintenance of 

Existing System, 

95%

Transit, Trails, 

and Unpaved 

Roads/Parking

15%

Paved Road and 

Bridge Network

85%

Investment 

by Asset Type

Other 

Transportation 

Asset Need

$80.8M, 16%

Paved Roads, 

Bridges, & Tunnels

$410M, 84%

Needs by 

Asset Type

ANNUAL NEED

$491

Million

Investment 

by Category
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Transportation Investment Strategy 31

Expected Outcomes

Based on forecasted funding, the baseline investment strategy is modeled to 

meet approximately 95 percent of the funding needs to maintain the existing 

transportation system in its current condition. This percentage will likely decline 

in future years as inflation saps the buying power of Annual funding, falling 

below 85 percent and possibly lower in later years. The means that overall asset 

condition is projected to decline if limited to Annual funding sources.

As in recent years, the National Park Service will continue to prioritize 

transportation assets with the biggest impact on visitor access and park 

operations for funding. Bridges will continue to be the highest priority 

along with main park roads and transit systems. Parking areas and less-used 

transportation assets will receive lower priority, but with an overall intent 

of protecting the public investment in these facilities through a sound asset 

management approach.

Expanded Investment Strategy

If the National Park Service is successful in continuing to receive One-Time 

funding, or if additional appropriations are made available, this will open 

opportunities for the National Park Service to better meet the goals of the 

National Transportation Strategy. Under this scenario, a more proactive 

and coordinated approach will be possible. When transportation needs are 

funded with One-Time grants or allocations, through partnerships, or special 

appropriations, the National Park Service will work strategically across 

programs to update project plans and fill gaps in funding to advance NTS goals.

Based on recent performance, the National Park Service is optimistic that 

One-Time funding for transportation projects will continue to be available. 

This will allow both the preservation of the existing multimodal transportation 

system, but also provide significant progress on addressing the overarching goals 

outlined in the NTS in other areas.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Protect the Climate and Advance Resource Protection 32

Sequoia & Kings Canyon 

National Parks

Credit: Sean Xu - stock.adobe.com
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Protect the Climate and Advance Resource Protection 33

Protect the Climate 

and Advance 

Resource Protection

The National Park Service has been a national and global leader in natural 

and cultural resource protection for more than a century and has a strong 

record of contributing to climate research and adaptation. Through this work, 

the National Park Service is committed to innovating and strengthening 

its transportation systems by better utilizing renewable energy sources, 

green infrastructure, and other means to protect resources and adapt to 

environmental changes. 

Resource protection will always be a primary goal of the National Park Service, 

and transportation plays a significant role in those efforts. The National Park 

Service will work to manage transportation impacts on natural and cultural 

resources, reduce transportation emissions, and develop more resilient 

transportation systems that anticipate and adapt to the changing climate. 

Objectives: 

1. Manage Transportation 

Impacts on 

Natural Resources

2. Protect and Preserve 

Cultural Resources 

in Harmony with 

Transportation Assets

3. Decrease Transportation 

Emissions Related 

to Visitation 

and Operations

4. Adapt Transportation 

Systems to be Resilient 

to the Impacts 

of Climate Change 
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Protect the Climate and Advance Resource Protection 34

Objective: 

Manage Transportation Impacts on Natural Resources 

The National Park Service works to avoid and minimize 

transportation-related resource impacts whenever 

possible, prioritizing sustainability in infrastructure 

investments while also honoring the core mission of 

protecting and preserving natural resources in harmony 

with nature. 

A substantial portion of the National Park Service’s 

transportation infrastructure was constructed prior to 

the modern environmental conservation and historic 

preservation movements, and resource impacts may 

have been managed differently at that time than they are 

today. Understanding how transportation infrastructure 

impacts natural resources is essential, and the National 

Park Service will continue to work to reduce impacts 

from both new and legacy infrastructure. 

Natural Resource Stewardship 

With more than 84 million acres of land and water in 

its stewardship, National Park Service lands encompass 

a diverse range of ecosystems and habitats. From air 

pollutants emitted by tailpipes to stormwater runoff 

and channelization caused by impervious surfaces, 

transportation systems directly and indirectly impact 

ecosystems and other natural resources in a variety of 

ways. The National Park Service actively considers these 

and other transportation impacts and strives to balance 

resource protection and visitor access goals. 

The NPS Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 

Directorate (NRSS), provides scientific, technical, 

and administrative support to NPS units systemwide. 

Natural resources are not always visible to the human 

eye, and transportation assets could potentially harm 

those resources if not maintained properly. When 

the National Park Service engages in transportation 

projects, it uses management policies to protect existing 

resources. These policies are derived from the National 

Environmental Policy Act and other planning activities 

involving park construction and transportation 

projects. An example is how the Paleontological 

Resources Preservation Act (PRPA), which mandates 

the management of non-renewable fossils on NPS and 

other federal lands, is implemented. Since the passing 

of PRPA, the National Park Service has established an 

increasingly formal process for assessing paleontological 

resources in planning for park transportation projects 

by elevating them to the same level as archaeological 

resources in the Planning, Environment, and Public 

Comment (PEPC) process, therefore providing an 

essential safeguard. 

To help transportation project managers design and 

implement projects with improved environmental 

impacts, the National Park Service uses scoring tools 

and detailed resource inventories to assess landscapeand project-level natural resource impacts. The 

Innovative and Sustainable Transportation Evaluation 

Process (INSTEP) rating system is used to develop 

transportation projects to assess potential impacts 

across a wide variety of factors. The INSTEP checklist 

measures sustainable transportation practices and 

increases transparency across the National Park Service, 

thereby incentivizing the use of context-sensitive, 

sustainable ideas and techniques.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Protect the Climate and Advance Resource Protection 35

Strategies

Manage Impacts on Terrestrial and Aquatic 

Species: The National Park Service will improve 

its understanding and prioritize reduction of 

transportation impacts on terrestrial and aquatic 

species in NPS units by using habitat maps, species 

movement patterns, established wildlife corridors, 

threatened and endangered species “take” information, 

carcass data, and crash report data.

Prioritize Context-Sensitive Design: The National 

Park Service will prioritize context-sensitive design to 

incorporate technologies such as quieter pavement, 

permeable paving, and bioswales. 

Design Roads for Lower Operating Speeds:

The National Park Service will design roads for 

relatively lower operating speeds. A design speed 

of 25 mph should be the goal, which will likely 

lessen transportation impacts on cultural and 

natural resources. 

Protect Natural Night Lighting Environment: The 

National Park Service will consider the need for 

lighting on new transportation projects more critically 

and when possible, use streetlights that have controls 

such as timers, dimmers, and are lower in intensity, and 

warmer in color (less than 3,000 Kelvin). Remove or 

retrofit existing lighting that deteriorates the natural 

night environment in order to reduce impacts on 

wildlife and improve visitor experience.

Emphasize Broader Planning Tools: The National 

Park Service will emphasize comprehensive 

planning processes that help park managers better 

understand the potential impacts of an entire suite 

of transportation related actions on park resources, 

rather than case-by-case decisions for portions of the 

transportation system.

Examples

Death Valley Quieter Pavement 

A study in Death Valley National Park in southeastern California examined 

alternative surface pavement treatment types with the goal of mitigating 

roadway noise. For roads with speed limits over 45 mph, use of alternative 

pavement surfaces could result in significantly less human and wildlife 

perception of traffic noise.

Credit: blewulis - stock.adobe.com

Big Cypress National Preserve Culvert Design 

Through stakeholder engagement, Big Cypress National Preserve, located 

adjacent to the Everglades National Park in southern Florida, has developed a 

hydrologic restoration management plan, enabling the natural topography to 

dictate water flow in the swamp landscape. This includes installing plugs and 

flow management through culverts to improve hydrology, as demonstrated on 

Turner River Road.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Protect the Climate and Advance Resource Protection 36

Objective:

Protect and Preserve Cultural Resources in

Harmony with Transportation Assets 

Cultural Resource Stewardship

The National Park Service works to protect significant cultural resources by 

preserving the history of this land, the content within, and all associated people. 

Under the Cultural Resource Management Guideline, also known as Director’s 

Order 28, the National Park Service defines cultural resources as archaeological 

resources, cultural landscapes, culturally significant structures, museum objects, 

and ethnographic resources.

Cultural resources can be affected by transportation projects when they interfere 

with historic viewsheds or cultural landscapes, or when construction activities 

have the potential to cause adverse effects to cultural resources. However, many 

NPS transportation assets are themselves cultural resources for park visitors to 

enjoy since they are nationally significant and retain integrity, meaning their value 

is accurately reflected through their material attributes. Examples include the 

Blue Ridge Parkway, the longest road planned as a single unit in the United States; 

the Edmund Pettus Bridge, part of the Selma to Montgomery National Historic 

Trail and the site of a turning point in the American Civil Rights Movement; and 

the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, a preservation of the nation’s early transportation 

history. 

Transportation systems in park units both provide access to cultural landscapes 

and can be contributing features of the cultural landscapes themselves. Most park 

units contain cultural landscapes, so it is essential that the National Park Service 

continues to provide an appropriate level of public accessibility to those historically 

significant spaces. When transportation assets are, of themselves, listed or eligible 

for listing in the National Register, or contributing features within a landscape or 

a district, any maintenance or design plans shall be informed by the Secretary of 

the Interior Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. These standards 

will help ensure the preservation of the integrity of the resources while meeting 

modern expectations for safety and overall achievement of the NPS transportation 

goals.

Cultural resources often show up in the forms of historical assets, as displayed 

in Table 5. Many cultural resources are also listed in or eligible for listing in the 

National Register of Historic Places and are therefore considered “historic,” 

which indicates the National Park Service’s compliance with the National Historic 

Preservation Act and related regulations and policies into agency planning. The 

National Park Service also works with stakeholders to avoid, minimize, and 

mitigate effects to those resources, which comprise approximately 20 percent of 

the NPS transportation asset portfolio.

Several cultural resource

types both affect, and 

are affected by, the 

NPS transportation

system. These cultural

resource types include

ethnographic resources,

archeological resources,

historic and prehistoric

structures, cultural

landscapes, and United

Nations Educational,

Scientific and Cultural 

Organization World

Heritage Sites, some of 

which are also listed in 

or eligible for listing in 

the National Register of 

Historic Places.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Protect the Climate and Advance Resource Protection 37

Strategies

Conduct Cultural Resource Assessments: The National Park Service will 

conduct cultural resource assessments prior to transportation construction 

projects in sensitive areas.

Recognize Historical Significance of Underserved Communities: The 

National Park Service will continue to locate and identify cultural resources 

within the park system, with consideration for communities who have been 

underserved and their histories.

Preserve Transportation Assets that are Cultural Resources: The National 

Park Service will balance preservation of transportation assets that are cultural 

resources with other needs such as safety issues.

Continue to Work with Tribal Governments: The National Park Service will 

continue to engage and consult with Tribal governments to preserve prehistoric 

and historic resources that help tell the story of indigenous communities. 

Table 5: 2022 NPS Historic Transportation Asset Summary Table

Annually, Facility Management Software System (FMSS) data is reported through the U.S. Department of the Interior to the government-wide 

Federal Real Property Profile Management System (FRPP MS), which includes these categories: (1) National Historic Landmarks (NHL), (2) National 

Register (NR) Listed, (3) National Register Eligible, (4) Non-Contributing Element of a NHL/NR Listed Historic District, (5) Not Evaluated, (6) Not 

Historic Note that the majority of these resources have not yet been evaluated for eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, 

which is accomplished via this process.

FMSS Data is reported by federal real property historic status, which includes four resource tiers: (1) National Historic

Landmarks (NHL), (2) National Register Listed (NRL), (3) National Register Eligible, and (4) contributing to NHL or NRL asset. 

Category FRP Historic Status

Road 1,488 

Parking Area 967

Road Bridges and Tunnels 966

Trail 976

Trail Bridges and Tunnels 298

Transit System Assets 676

Total 5,371
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Protect the Climate and Advance Resource Protection 38

Examples

Examples

Rehabilitation of Carriage Roads at Acadia National Park

Over several years, the National Park Service rehabilitated the 45-mile network 

of historic carriage roads at Acadia National Park on the coast of Maine, dating 

back to the early 20th Century. Improvements to the carriage road network

that successfully preserved their culturally significant features ensure cultural 

and transportation value to visitors, who use the paths to access the interior of 

Mount Desert Island on foot, bicycle, horse carriage, or on horseback. 

Rehabilitation of the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park 

Rehabilitation of Carriage Roads at Acadia National Park

Over several years, the National Park Service rehabilitated the 45-mile network 

of historic carriage roads at Acadia National Park on the coast of Maine, dating 

back to the early 20th Century. Improvements to the carriage road network 

that successfully preserved their culturally significant features ensure cultural 

and transportation value to visitors, who use the paths to access the interior of 

Mount Desert Island on foot, bicycle, horse carriage, or on horseback.

Rehabilitation of the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park

In 2020, the National Park Service completed a more than $160 million 

rehabilitation of Glacier National Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road, which 

provides spectacular views of the continental divide. Designed in 1918, it is 

among the earliest examples of context-sensitive roadway design. Rehab work 

began in 2007 and included retaining walls, arches, bridges, tunnels, guard walls, 

and removable guardrails, among other improvements. Aside from adding new 

transit stops, project engineers prioritized preservation of the road’s historical 

character, including matching original materials.

Credit: vermontalm - stock.adobe.com
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Protect the Climate and Advance Resource Protection 39

Objective: 

Decrease Transportation Emissions Related 

to Visitation and Operations 

The transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions 

and non-point source pollutants in the United States. Emissions generated 

by visitor travel and park operations contribute to climate change and other 

negative impacts that affect natural and cultural resources. Responding to the 

generational challenge of climate change and protecting the resources the 

National Park Service was created to preserve is of the utmost importance. 

In January 2023, the National Park Service released an update of the Green 

Parks Plan which outlines the necessary steps it will take to achieve net-zero 

greenhouse gas emissions. To combat the climate crisis, the Green Parks 

Plan focuses on both utilizing existing natural resources as carbon sequestration 

sinks and reducing fossil fuels by investing in a net-zero building portfolio 

and a zero-emission vehicle facility inventory. New accessible and right-sized 

infrastructure will be built that supports both electric and alternative fuel 

types, which will produce maximum performance at the lowest possible cost 

(Figure 16).

By the Numbers: Environmental Impact1

179,000 Metric tons of carbon dioxide 

equivalent (CO2e) generated from direct NPS emissions 

(Scope 1) and purchased electricity (Scope 2). The CO2e 

equates to nearly 40 thousand gasoline-powered passenger 

vehicles driven for one year.

3,900,000 Gallons of fuel consumed in NPS 

fleet vehicles, equivalent to filling 141 fuel tanker rail cars

1 Environmental Impact Data from FY 21. Source: NPS Green Parks Plan.

Green Parks Plan Goals:

1. Reduce Scope 1 and 2 

GHG emissions from 

NPS operations by 

65 percent by 2030 from 

a FY 2008 baseline. 

2. Reduce emissions across 

the NPS portfolio of 

buildings, campuses, and 

installations by 50 percent 

by 2032 from a FY 2008 

baseline and achieve netzero emissions by 2045.

3. Maintain or increase net 

carbon storage through 

constructed or maintained 

asset rehabilitation 

and natural restoration 

projects. 

4. Increase resiliency of 

NPS operations and 

constructed or maintained 

assets. 
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Protect the Climate and Advance Resource Protection 40

Figure 16: What Will a Net-Zero Park Look Like?

Of the four elements that make up a net-zero park, Greenhouse Gas reduction as close to zero as possible, and energy consumed not exceeding 

energy produced are most relevant to strategies in the NTS. Source: NPS Green Parks Plan: Third Edition

NPS Transit Systems

The National Park Service will continue to invest in transit fleet electrification 

to both alleviate overcrowding at parks and lower emissions occurring onsite. 

A net-zero carbon future depends on this work, and these investments continue 

to strengthen NPS’s connections to gateway communities by providing visitor 

access. Partnerships with gateway communities are essential, especially given 

that most transit systems that serve park units are operated by non-NPS entities 

or are under an agreement or contract. To identify transit systems, and to track 

operational performance and its inventory fleet, the National Park Service 

produces annual reports on National Transit Inventory and Performance 

Report, which includes data on annual carbon dioxide emissions.

Micromobility

In addition to expanding and electrifying transit systems, to achieve the goals 

of the Green Parks Plan, the National Park Service will continue to support 

micromobility options. This includes small-scale electric and human-powered 

transportation that can substitute vehicle trips, ultimately producing zero 

emissions. Micromobility options are also an opportunity to provide firstand last-mile access to transit systems, and closing this gap expands network 

connectivity to traditionally underserved communities. A bike on the side of a trail in Yosemite 

National Park. Credit: JACOBO LOSASA - 

stock.adobe.com
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Protect the Climate and Advance Resource Protection 41

Strategies

Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles: The National 

Park Service will electrify transit fleets with zeroemission vehicles and build sustainability into contracts 

as they are renewed.

Invest in Transit and Micromobility: The National 

Park Service will support car-free trips to and within 

parks by investing in alternative transportation options 

such as micromobility programs and expanding 

transit connections.

Expand Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure: 

The National Park Service will continue to increase 

access to electric vehicle charging infrastructure and 

implement the National Park Service EV Plan. The 

National Park Service will also explore alternative 

options for parks with utility capacities too small to 

support sufficient EV charging infrastructure.

Restore Transportation-Impacted Ecosystems: The 

National Park Service will restore transportationimpacted ecosystems that store carbon, such as 

roadside vegetation and wetlands, as well as utilize the 

Land Use and Carbon Scenario Simulator (LUCAS) 

Model from the USGS to model wetland carbon 

sequestration in park units.

Examples

Grand Canyon National Park Shuttle Bus Fleet Replacement

In 2023, the National Park Service was awarded a $27.5 million federal grant

to replace 30 buses. The replaced fleet will include ten new battery electric 

vehicles and 20 new compressed natural gas buses. The funds will also support 

installation of charging infrastructure in the park for the electric buses. The new 

greener, quieter transit buses will replace an aging fleet that carries an estimated 

6 million people annually, providing access throughout the Park. 

Bike Share Partnership in the Mississippi National River and 

Recreation Area

At the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA) in the 

Minneapolis/St. Paul (Twin Cities) Metropolitan Area, a National Park Service 

partnership with a local nonprofit titled ‘Nice Ride Minnesota’ created a bike 

share system that is interconnected with the region’s transit network, providing 

opportunities for car-free trips in and around the MNRRA.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Protect the Climate and Advance Resource Protection 42

Objective: 

Adapt Transportation Systems to Become 

Resilient to the Impacts of Climate Change 

Even as the National Park Service works to mitigate the intensification of climate 

change in the future, transportation systems are experiencing climate impacts 

today. Many NPS units are located in vulnerable locations such as coastal areas, 

river valleys, islands, deserts, and mountains. Climate change creates increased 

risks of heavy precipitation, coastal flooding, heat, wildfires, and changes in 

average temperature which will drive more frequent disruption and damage to 

transportation systems.2

The National Park Service incorporates climate adaptation strategies into 

transportation projects throughout the development process including routine 

maintenance, recapitalization, and when new facilities are designed.

Figure 17: Vulnerability Assessments

Map of Park Units in which Vulnerability Assessments have taken 

place. Each circle on the map represents the location of a unit 

with a completed vulnerability assessment. Note that they are 

coastal, often low-lying, and are mainly concentrated on the 

East Coast. Source: Coastal Facilities Vulnerability Assessments - 

Climate Change

The 5 Assessed Hazards

Flooding Potential 

Shoreline Change

Sea-level Rise (by 2050)

Extreme Event Flooding 

Reported Coastal Hazards

(Observed in history)

Guam

U.S. Virgin Islands

2 2018 National Climate Assessment, Chapter 14: Transportation, Key Message 1
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Protect the Climate and Advance Resource Protection 43

The agency’s Climate Change Response Program (CCRP), established in 

2010, provides expertise and project funding to support climate projections 

and adaptation strategies to parks. The program works with other agencies, 

organizations, and stakeholder groups, nationally and internationally, to 

maximize information sharing, support, learning, and project effectiveness.

Climate change presents a wide array of consequences that affect National 

Park Service units differently. For example, rising global temperatures drive sea 

level rise, a significant issue at coastal park units. In response, the National Park 

Service has conducted vulnerability assessments at several of these units (Figure 

17). These assessments consider factors related to sea level rise such as storm 

surge and shoreline erosion, each presenting its own unique hazards. Roads, 

visitor centers, historic structures, and other park facilities are of particular 

concern, as they are often fixed in place, provide important services, and 

represent significant investments. Additional vulnerability assessment studies 

are underway, but there is much work to be done to fully understand the scope 

and scale of potential climate risks to NPS transportation infrastructure, and to 

identify adaptation options.

Beach Erosion at Cape Cod National 

Seashore. Credit: AlienCat - stock.adobe.

com
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Protect the Climate and Advance Resource Protection 44

Strategies

Create Long-Term Strategies for at-Risk Infrastructure: The 

National Park Service will identify at-risk transportation infrastructure and 

create long-term strategies to address climate vulnerabilities. The National Park 

Service will also update access plans to include resiliency strategies for park 

units with identified transportation infrastructure vulnerabilities. 

Incorporate Climate Adaptation into Transportation Projects: The National 

Park Service will incorporate climate adaptation into transportation projects 

at all levels, including routine maintenance, recapitalization, and when new 

facilities are designed. 

Collect and Share Knowledge: The National Park Service will collect and 

share knowledge of adaptation and resilience strategies used in transportation 

projects and their outcomes. 

Protect Infrastructure from Flooding: The National Park Service will identify 

and pursue opportunities to reduce infrastructure risk from flooding while also 

restoring or improving hydrologic conditions. 

Manage Unstable Slopes: The National Park Service will identify 

transportation corridors that are at-risk of damage from unstable slopes and 

study how climate change will affect these risks. 
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Protect the Climate and Advance Resource Protection 45

Examples

Flood Recovery at Yellowstone National Park

In June 2022, Yellowstone National Park experienced the worst flood in the 

history of the park. Extraordinarily heavy precipitation combined with rapid 

snowmelt resulted in riverine flooding that damaged several roads, bridges, and 

trails, in addition to other critical infrastructure. In partnership with FHWA, the 

National Park Service responded with emergency repairs that restored access to 

the park within four months, but long-term recovery will take years.

Gulf Islands National Seashore Ferry System

The Gulf Islands National Seashore in Florida utilizes a ferry system to transport 

visitors from the city of Pensacola to Fort Pickens as a transportation alternative. 

The ferry system was put in place as a result of sea level rise and weather-related 

erosion along the roadway that connects the automobile bridge to the fort.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Enhance Visitor Experience and Connect Diverse Communities 46

Acadia National Park
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Enhance Visitor Experience and Connect Diverse Communities 47

Enhance Visitor 

Experience and 

Connect Diverse 

Communities

The National Park Service provides access for hundreds of millions of 

visits every year and is committed to ensuring future visitors experience an 

equitable, safe, and innovative transportation system when visiting one of the 

nation’s many national parks. The National Park Service is also committed to 

being a good neighbor to surrounding communities.

This chapter outlines objectives for supporting a diverse range of visitors 

and ensuring visitors’ needs and barriers are understood and addressed. 

Barriers to visitation, especially for low-income, minority, Tribal, and other 

communities historically underrepresented in visitor demographics are of 

particular concern. Gaining a better understanding of visitation barriers 

will lead to appropriate actions to address them. Understanding needs and 

barriers and addressing those issues will enable the National Park Service 

to strategically enhance safety, expand access, and strengthen community 

connections for current visitors and non-visitors alike.

Objectives: 

1. Improve Connections to 

Neighboring Communities

2. Eliminate Fatalities and 

Minimize Serious Injuries 

on the NPS Transportation 

System

3. Create a Secure, 

Accessible, and Welcoming 

Transportation System

4. Strategically Enhance 

Transportation Systems to 

Address Visitor Needs

5. Prepare for the Future of 

Transportation
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Enhance Visitor Experience and Connect Diverse Communities 48

Objective: 

Improve Connections to 

Neighboring Communities 

NPS transportation systems do not begin and end at park boundaries; they 

connect to, rely on, and integrate with state and local transportation systems 

to provide visitor access. Similarly, a visitor’s transportation experience often 

begins at home with trip planning. The National Park Service is working to 

better understand the ways that an integrated, regional transportation network 

that connects across park boundaries benefits visitors and local stakeholders 

alike. Improving equitable and accessible connections to neighboring 

communities involves working cooperatively with gateway community 

stakeholders, state DOTs, transit authorities, non-profit organizations, and Tribal 

Nations. Creating equitable and accessible transportation systems requires 

recognizing these systems’ physical and non-physical connections which create 

important links to natural, cultural, and historic resources.

NPS transportation systems transcend unit boundaries and make vital 

connections in and outside of parks. Transit is an especially prominent example 

of such a network. There are nearly 100 transit systems serving 60 parks, with 

as many as 45.9 million annual passenger boardings. Many of these systems 

are not operated by the National Park Service but by service providers, local 

transit agencies, or concessioners through cooperative agreements or contracts. 

In urban and suburban settings, bicycle and pedestrian trails serve as another 

means to connect NPS units with local communities. The rich variety of types 

A shuttle bus at Zion National Park.

Figure 18: NPS Transit Systems by Purpose, Mode, and Business Model (NTI, 2)

Critical

Access

44%

Shuttle, 

Bus, Van, 

Tram

53%

Concession 

Contract

58%

Transportation

Feature

2%

Aircraft

5%

Interpretive

44%

Ferry 

Boat

40%

Mobility to 

or from 

Park

9%

Train,

Trolley

5%

Purpose

(by % of transit systems)

Mode

(by % of transit systems)

Business Model

(by % of transit systems)

Service 

Contract

13%

Cooperative 

Agreement 

16%

NPS Owned 

and 

Operated 

13%
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Enhance Visitor Experience and Connect Diverse Communities 49

and contexts of transportation systems illustrates 

the necessity for the National Park Service to work 

alongside a range of stakeholders to support these 

systems and enhance visitor and community access 

(Figure 18).

When integrated with local and regional transportation 

networks, NPS transportation systems enhance quality 

of life and provide economic benefits to neighboring 

communities. However, visitation demands can also 

impose negative impacts on local communities. NPS 

units engage with partners to understand these impacts 

and find solutions through integrated planning, 

including actively engaging with communities to 

address negative impacts. Engaging with neighboring 

communities provides opportunities for the National 

Park Service to learn from experts on innovative 

approaches and solve problems together. In the best 

cases, these conversations lead to ongoing relationships 

where park staff strategically work with community 

partners to minimize negative impacts and provide the 

best traveling experience, inside, and outside of the 

park.

NPS visitation has increased in recent years, but 

underserved communities such as low-income 

individuals, racial minorities, Tribal members, and 

persons with disabilities remain underrepresented. 

The Department of the Interior’s Equity Action Plan

identifies barriers to park access, diversity, and equity 

for such underrepresented visitor groups. Particularly, 

Action 4 of the plan, “Increase Opportunities to Access 

Public Lands, Prioritizing Access to Recreation Areas 

and Services in Urban Communities,” offers strategies 

that are aligned with this objective, highlighting 

actions that will reduce transportation related barriers, 

like increasing bus routes, expanding shuttle fleets, 

strengthening partnerships, and supporting close-tohome recreation opportunities. The National Park 

Service is committed to working with local and state 

partners to address these barriers so that everyone has 

an opportunity to experience the parks in their own 

backyard and around the country.

In addition, DOI and DOT entered a Memorandum 

of Understanding in November 2021 to improve 

transportation to and within NPS units and public lands 

through innovation efforts and related issues of mutual 

interest. This exemplifies the opportunities created by 

national partnerships to build integrated transportation 

networks that increase access.

Strategies

Provide and Promote Transportation Options: The 

National Park Service will continue to emphasize 

transit and trail connections to neighboring 

communities to provide alternatives to private vehicle 

travel, reduce congestion and environmental impact, 

and give visitors greater choice in how they access and 

experience parks.

Work with Partners on Funding Opportunities: 

The National Park Service will work with state and 

local partners to pursue grants, donations, and 

other available funding opportunities that improve 

connections to neighboring communities and reduce 

negative impacts of visitation.

Partner with FHWA to Develop an Integrated 

Transportation Planning Approach: FHWA and 

the National Park Service will continue to improve 

the integration of NPS transportation planning with 

state and local transportation planning in a way that 

considers the situation of park units within larger 

community contexts, recognizes the unique needs and 

behaviors of different traveler segments, and creates 

opportunities for all parties to better understand 

transportation challenges that park units and 

neighboring communities face, and work together to 

address them.

Collaborate with Local Partners to Pilot Information 

on Transportation Options: The National Park Service 

will collaborate with state and local governments 
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Enhance Visitor Experience and Connect Diverse Communities 50

Examples

Pullman National Historical Park Transportation and Access Plan

The Pullman National Historical Park Transportation and Access Plan

emphasizes access to transit, walking, and bicycling to the park from 

surrounding neighborhoods. The plan was made possible by partnering with the 

Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, the National Parks Conservation 

Association, the City of Chicago, and many others. Local residents and 

stakeholder groups were engaged throughout the planning process to 

ensure their perspectives on appropriate access for this new NPS unit were 

incorporated.

Credit: Positioning Pullman

Acadia Island Explorer Shuttle Bus

The Island Explorer Shuttle Bus at Acadia National Park was implemented in 

response to increasing congestion at the park and in nearby towns. The Island 

Explorer is operated by local transportation service Downeast Transportation 

and made possible by a partnership between the park, seven local communities, 

the state of Maine, philanthropic partners, commercial sponsors, and visitor 

fees and donations. Since starting operations in 1999, the system has expanded 

multiple times, congestion and pollution in and around Acadia and its 

neighboring communities have declined, and the Island Explorer has provided 

more than 7.7 million trips to visitors and local residents alike.

to pilot approaches that will provide visitors with important transportation 

information, such as parking lot status, bus arrival estimates, and road closures, 

including potential pilots related to improving the NPS app and providing data 

services that common trip planning applications can incorporate.

Improve Guidance for Partnering with Local and State Transportation 

Planning Entities: The National Park Service will continue to improve and 

develop clear guidance, tools, resources, and education for NPS units on 

engaging with community stakeholders on transportation planning efforts.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Enhance Visitor Experience and Connect Diverse Communities 51

Objective: 

Eliminate Fatalities and Minimize Serious 

Injuries on the NPS Transportation System 

Motor vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of unintentional deaths in 

NPS units. The NPS Servicewide Mortality Dashboard identified 163 deaths 

in motor vehicle crashes on roads within NPS units from 2014 – 2016 (Figure 

19).1 On average, one person dies in a motor vehicle crash every week on NPS 

roadways.2 In line with sentiments in U.S. DOT’s National Roadway Safety 

Strategy that “zero is the only acceptable number of deaths and serious injuries 

on our roadways,” NPS Management Policies 2006 and NPS Director’s Order 

50C address visitor safety in stating that the NPS “strives to protect human 

life and provide for injury-free visits” and “It is the intent of the National Park 

Service that all visitors have an injury-free park experience” respectively.

Opportunities exist to improve roadway safety using the 4 Es: Engineering, 

Enforcement, Education, and Emergency Response strategies, which should 

be defined during the roadway planning, design construction, operation, 

and maintenance phases of a transportation project. 4E strategies should be 

developed by multidisciplinary teams, be data driven to target high priority 

causal factors and crash locations, and integrate context sensitive solutions to 

align with natural and cultural resource values. Strategies from all 4-E’s should 

be implemented to reduce crashes at high priority locations across parks. 

Figure 19: Causes of Unintentional Deaths in National Parks (2014-2016)

Source: NPS Servicewide Mortality Dashboard

Transportation (other)

Other

Poisoning

Wildlife/Animal

Environmental

Fall/Slips

Motor Vehicle Crash

Drowning

Cause Number of Unintentional Deaths in Parks (2014-2016)

1 This number excludes on-duty NPS staff, volunteers, contractors, and concessioners.

2 NPS Mortality Dashboard Key Statistics CY2014 - CY2016: https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1336/

upload/CY14-CY16-Mortality-Dashboard-Key-Statistics.pdf

A road winds through Yosemite National 

Park. Credit: Tom Nevesely - stock.

adobe.com
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Enhance Visitor Experience and Connect Diverse Communities 52

An enjoyable visitor experience that is free from transportation-related fatalities 

and serious injuries and protects NPS natural and cultural resources 

requires collaboration between stakeholders, internal and external to the 

National Park Service, with expertise in natural resources, cultural resources, 

and the 4Es.

The NPS Transportation Safety Team ensures continued involvement and 

collaboration within the National Park Service and with U.S. DOT. Annual 

regional transportation safety briefings highlight recent analyses, completed 

projects, emerging technologies, and low-cost safety improvements, among 

other information. NPS regions reference these resources when making 

programming and project development decisions.

Strategies

Proactively Identify Opportunities to Incorporate Safety: Planning tools 

and strategies, which incorporate risk management approaches such as Road 

Safety Audits, Park Road Safety Plans, and Safety Assessments, are proactive 

and multidisciplinary data driven safety decision-making tools to identify 

opportunities to reduce fatalities and serious injuries.

Implement a Context Sensitive Approach to Safety: A context sensitive 

approach to safety incorporates natural and cultural resources needs (night 

skies, terrestrial and aquatic organisms, native plants, natural soundscapes, 

archaeological resources, historic and prehistoric structures, cultural 

landscapes, etc.), into the safety decision making process to minimize impacts. 

Where substantial engineering strategies may impact natural and cultural 

resources, combinations of behavioral safety strategies alongside less 

impactful engineering strategies can together contribute to reducing risk of 

severe crashes.

Pursue Multidisciplinary Safety Partnerships and Strategies: Partnerships 

focused on planning and operations, education, enforcement, and emergency 

services will create collaborative opportunities and further NPS interests 

with external partners and help parks, and local, regional, and Tribal partners 

identify and implement effective safety strategies.

The 4-E’s of roadway safety include 

considerations for engineering, 

enforcement, education, and emergency 

response strategies. Source: NPS 

Transportation Safety Factsheet
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Enhance Visitor Experience and Connect Diverse Communities 53

Develop a Transportation Safety Management 

Toolkit for NPS Parks and Regions: The National 

Park Service is developing a Transportation Safety 

Management Toolkit, comparable to the NPS 

Congestion Management Toolkit, as a multidisciplinary 

resource to include guidance, examples, and templates 

of the technical assistance available to NPS units 

and regions. Some additional tools to be developed 

include Park Road Safety Action Plans and Safety 

Implementation Plans. 

Develop and Implement Complete Streets Policies 

and Programs: The National Park Service will develop 

and implement policies, programs, and projects that 

improve safety for all road users. These complete 

streets approaches will seek to create safe, connected, 

integrated, and equitable park and community 

transportation systems such as those described in the 

NPS Active Transportation Guidebook.

Examples

Coordinated Education and Enforcement at Mojave 

National Preserve

Carrying out recommendations from a multidisciplinary transportation safety 

implementation plan, Mojave National Preserve coordinated short-term 

education and enforcement strategies, in an attention-grabbing “Drive Like 

A Tortoise” campaign. The campaign sought to reduce fatalities and serious 

injuries associated with excessive speed and roadway departure while educating 

the public about the associated risks for the iconic, charismatic, and federally 

protected desert tortoise.

Context Sensitive Safety Design at George Washington 

Memorial Parkway

The George Washington memorial Parkway implemented a context sensitive, 

multidisciplinary approach to address roadway departure crashes in the 

plan for the rehabilitation of the north section of the parkway. Objectively 

based on a Wall Safety Risk Assessment, a Visual Resource Inventory and 

Assessment, and a Cultural Landscape Inventory report, the plan reduces the 

likelihood and severity of crashes when a vehicle leaves the roadway, while 

preserving the historical stone walls and other natural and cultural resources 

along the parkway.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Enhance Visitor Experience and Connect Diverse Communities 54

Objective: 

Create a Secure, Accessible, and 

Welcoming Transportation System 

Recognizing the diverse needs of visitors is key to creating a welcoming and 

secure environment. For example, not all visitors drive or own a personal 

vehicle, and many have disabilities that limit the places they can safely access. 

Perceptions of being unwelcome can hinder transportation access and create 

a feeling of insecurity for some visitor groups. Improving feelings of belonging 

and security when accessing parks is essential for enhancing the connections to 

parks for diverse communities and visitor groups.

According to data from the 2018 NPS Comprehensive Survey of the American 

Public two of the greatest barriers to park visitation are concerns about crime 

and vandalism in parks as well as accessibility. The survey documents racial and 

ethnic composition and the relative attitudes of both visitors and non-visitors 

of national parks (Table 6). The differences in perspectives among social groups 

studied in this survey highlights the need for transportation planners to consider 

various perspectives while planning and designing transportation infrastructure 

and facilities to ensure all feel welcomed, safe, and secure in all national parks.

Table 6: Transportation and Access-Related Barriers to Accessing NPS Units - NonVisitors

Source: NPS Comprehensive Survey of the American Public, 2018

Transportation Equity

Barriers to Accessing Parks

All 

Non-Visitor 

Responses

Hisp. White Afr.

Am.

Asian Am.

Ind.

Other

Travel distance is too far 68% 70% 71% 56% 25% 87% 46%

It costs too much money to travel to a national park 46% 62% 39% 53% 21% 54% 29%

There aren’t good transportation options 

for me to get to a park

37% 65% 24% 62% 69% 72% 69%

National parks aren’t accessible to 

people with disabilities

23% 38% 17% 31% 0% 12% 18%

The risk of crime or vandalism makes me feel unsafe 14% 25% 12% 12% 22% 1% 51%

National parks are unpleasant places for me to be 10% 21% 4% 15% 0% 23% 19%

I don’t like being out of touch with family and 

friends due to a lack of connectivity in parks

10% 13% 8% 11% 0% 1% 26%

People who work in parks are of a very different 

racial/ ethnic background than mine

5% 14% 5% 0% 0% 0% 12%
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Enhance Visitor Experience and Connect Diverse Communities 55

Strategies

Improve Visitor Information on Transportation 

System Accessibility: The National Park Service 

will improve the information available to persons 

with disabilities on the accessibility of transportation 

systems, especially for trails. 

Ensure Transit and Trail Systems are Accessible and 

Connect to Accessible Destinations: The National 

Park Service will create transit and trail systems that are 

linked and designed to provide multimodal, accessible 

visits.

Include Multiple Languages and Diverse Imagery in 

Transportation Materials: NPS units will incorporate 

park context- and community context-specific 

transportation materials with multiple languages 

and diverse imagery where appropriate to increase 

opportunities of inclusion. To create a sense of 

welcome and inclusion, NPS units will also encourage 

a diverse range of applicants to staff transportation 

systems within units.

Improve Understanding of Security, Accessibility, 

and Welcoming Needs of Visitors: The National 

Park Service will continue to conduct research and 

outreach to diverse and underrepresented communities 

and visitor groups to better understand barriers to 

accessing units of the national park system. Transit 

and trail systems will implement context-sensitive 

environmental design elements to address accessibility, 

safety, and security concerns.

Examples

Accessible Track Chairs at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore track chair is a first-of-itskind accessibility program for the National Park Service. Track chairs can be 

reserved for track chair hikes for persons with disabilities to visit park areas 

that are inaccessible by regular wheelchairs. The program is made possible by a 

partnership between the park unit and the Friends of Sleeping Bear group.

Credit: Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes

Accessible Link to Transit at Muir Beach

Located at Golden Gate National Recreation Area, an accessible multiuse path 

links a new Muir Woods Shuttle stop to Muir Beach. The shuttle system and 

path are both accessible. The multiuse path serves bicyclists and pedestrians 

and is designed with universal access standards to provide equitable use by 

persons with disabilities.

Credit: Go Muir Woods
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Enhance Visitor Experience and Connect Diverse Communities 56

Objective: 

Strategically Enhance Transportation Systems 

to Address Visitor Needs 

Over the last several years, NPS visitation has reached 

new heights. The National Park System has also 

grown, with the designation of several new units since 

2017. Despite this growth, many barriers to visitation 

remain, for underserved communities. Funding for 

NPS transportation is limited, but with collaborative 

partnerships and an emphasis on understanding 

diverse visitor safety and accessibility needs, the NPS 

transportation system can be strategically expanded 

to address gaps and provide a range of affordable, 

accessible, and multi-modal transportation options.

Hundreds of millions of people visit NPS units 

each year. Even with declines due to the COVID-19 

pandemic, the National Park Service has averaged over 

300 million visits per year over the past several years 

(2017-2022). Preliminary 2023 statistics suggest visitation 

continues to increase. As visitation numbers rise, 

existing park infrastructure can be overwhelmed.

Unfortunately, many NPS visitors experience 

congestion or crowding in some of the most popular 

areas. Some visitors engage in unsafe or damaging 

behaviors when they find areas at capacity or access 

is restricted, such as unintentional trail widening or 

parking on road shoulders that are not wide enough, 

harming threatened and endangered species. Balancing 

transportation systems with visitation demand is not 

always straightforward; expanding roads and parking 

lots is not always financially and operationally feasible, 

or aligned with the NPS’s mission to protect and 

preserve natural and cultural resources. In some cases, 

expanding the of NPS transportation system may be 

needed to enhance visitor experience, improve safety, 

protect resources, and improve equity.

Lack of transportation options is a barrier to equitable 

park access. Visitors access the majority of NPS units 

via a personal motor vehicle.3 In addition to vehicle 

expense, visitors may not be able to drive due to age, 

disability, or lack of a valid license. In the 2018 NPS 

Comprehensive Survey of the American Public, more 

than one-third of non-visitor respondents cited lack 

of alternatives to driving as a barrier to accessing NPS 

units, with higher percentages among racial and ethnic 

minority groups (Figure 20).

The National Park Service is seeking to better 

understand where existing transportation options 

are lacking for visitors and providing alternative 

transportation options when possible. For example, 

developing front country trails may be effective in 

some locations to create new ways to access NPS units 

while reducing automobile travel, promoting resource 

protection, and supporting economic development. 

Partnering with local public transportation systems has 

also proven to be successful in others. Coordinating 

integrated transportation systems with neighboring 

communities so that visitors have options for car-free 

visits both to and within park boundaries is a challenge, 

but one that may enhance transportation options for all 

modes and users. 

Finally, the National Park Service seeks to be a good 

neighbor and work effectively alongside other partners 

in a community. Integrated planning and implementation 

activities between the National Park Service, local, 

and state partners requires being sensitive to the 

concerns and transportation needs and trends of local, 

underserved communities, and understanding the 

impacts that transportation improvement projects could 

have on these communities.

3 Approximately 8.5% of U.S. households do not own a vehicle. The average U.S. household spends nearly $10,000 per year on transportation, 

with personal vehicles accounting for almost 90% of these costs.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Enhance Visitor Experience and Connect Diverse Communities 57

Figure 20: Visitation Rates by Race/Ethnicity and Income, and Summary of Visitor 

Perception of Park Accessibility

Source: NPS Comprehensive Survey of the American Public National Technical Report, 2018

Race/Ethnic

Hispanic, any race 

White only, non-Hispanic 

Black only, non-Hispanic 

Other only, non-Hispanic 

Two or more, non-Hispanic

Total:

11.8%

Visitor 

71.4%

6.0%

5.7%

5.2%

Income

Less than $25,000

$25,000 – $49,999

$50,000 – $74,999

$75,000 – $99,999

$100,000 – $150,000

Over $150,000

Total:

Visitor 

11.2%

20.9%

23.0%

13.2%

18.3%

13.3%

100%

100%

Response

Strongly agree

Somewhat agree

Neither agree nor disagree

Somewhat disagree

Strongly disagree

Total:

Weighted percent

13.6%

10.2%

15.1%

21.6%

39.6%

100%

“National parks are not accessible to people with disabilities.”
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Enhance Visitor Experience and Connect Diverse Communities 58

Strategies

Identify Opportunities to Expand Public Transit and 

Trails Connections to NPS Units: The NPS Alternative 

Transportation Program will evaluate potential new or 

expanded transit services and trails connecting NPS 

units to historically underserved communities, helping 

urban and rural parks better understand and address 

transportation gaps.

Expand Affordable Transportation Options: The 

National Park Service will expand affordable access 

to parks, focusing on units in or near traditionally 

underserved communities. This may include 

agreements or partnerships with transportation 

providers to charge reduced rates for low-income 

individuals and local residents.

Assist Local Communities in Planning Connections 

to Parks: NPS park units will assist local communities 

in planning for and connecting communities to parks.

Collaborate with Recreational, Tourism, and 

Community Partners to Address Demographic 

Disparities in Visitation: The National Park Service 

will collaborate with recreational, tourism, and 

community partners to use community analytics 

to inform and address demographic disparities in 

visitation and identify transportation-related barriers 

that make travel to parks unaffordable or inaccessible 

for certain groups.

Examples

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park Multiuse Trail

A 1.69-mile-long multiuse trail at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield 

Park creates alternative transportation access to, from, and within the park to 

enhance visitor experience and improve commuting options in the region, as it 

links to the larger regional trail network. A park road restriped to accommodate 

pedestrians and bus service offers additional transportation options.

The National Mall and Memorial Parks Multimodal 

Improvements Plan

The National Mall and Memorial Parks Multimodal Strategic Plan proposes 

design recommendations for selected NPS and District of Columbia roadways 

to improve safety. Hains Point is one location that has been improved to create 

safer access to the park for visitors and local residents, with several others 

proposed. Additional affordable transportation options include bikeshare and 

the D.C. Circulator bus.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Enhance Visitor Experience and Connect Diverse Communities 59

Objective: 

Prepare for the Future of Transportation 

The transportation industry is evolving rapidly, aided by advancements in 

mobile communications and battery technology, new shared mobility business 

models, and vehicle electrification and automation. These emerging mobility

trends present opportunities and challenges for the National Park Service 

and its resources. Keeping pace with the changing transportation landscape 

will be necessary to ensure the future of transportation in parks remains safe, 

accessible, and equitable. As an active participant in developing and testing new 

mobility technologies and services through pilot projects, partnerships, and 

information sharing, the National Park Service can help parks enhance visitor 

experience and connect diverse communities by encouraging car-free trips, 

protecting natural and cultural resources, and developing a more efficient and 

nimble transportation system.

DOI and DOT signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 2021 to 

continue working together to proactively address emerging transportation 

trends and innovations. Through this partnership, the National Park Service 

showcases new transportation innovations to the public with the potential 

to enhance equitable access, support car-free trips, and improve the visitor 

experience. Emerging technologies and innovations may be key to finding 

solutions to these areas of emphasis.

A park ranger plugs an electric vehicle into a charging station.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Enhance Visitor Experience and Connect Diverse Communities 60

Transit and emerging mobility technologies are changing the transportation 

expectations of visitors. The National Park Service has an opportunity to 

pilot, regulate, and promote appropriate new technologies to meet the needs 

and expectations of visitors for available mobility services, such as bikeshare 

or electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment. Through planning for potential 

emerging mobility initiatives, the National Park Service can further the DOTDOI MOU’s emphasis to provide affordable alternatives to personal vehicles.

While new technologies may expand affordable and accessible transportation 

options, there are several challenges. First, many emerging mobility services 

are provided by private-sector companies. Partnering with these companies 

is necessary to find appropriate park solutions but could result in the 

National Park Service reevaluating existing protocols, like Commercial Use 

Authorizations. Second, many services rely on the Internet and GPS, which 

is not available in all NPS park units. Third, adding new technologies and 

services competes with other park priorities for funding and staff support. 

Finally, the future of park transportation should continue to be accessible to 

underrepresented visitor groups. As emerging mobility technologies and service 

impacts are further understood in parks, accessibility needs should continue to 

be at the forefront of planning and implementing new transportation services.

A parking lot at Yosemite National Park begins to fill up.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Enhance Visitor Experience and Connect Diverse Communities 61

Strategies

Continue Emerging Mobility Initiative: The National 

Park Service will continue to pilot new transportation 

technologies that include, but are not limited to, 

automated shuttle demonstrations, micromobility and 

ridehailing partnerships, and technologies that provide 

real-time and predictive transportation information to 

visitors.

Understand Visitor Travel Patterns and 

Demographics to Inform Transportation Planning 

and Management: The National Park Service will 

pursue partnerships to better understand visitor travel 

patterns and demographics to inform park planning 

and operations.

Expand Electric Vehicle Charging Options Within 

and Near NPS Units: The National Park Service 

will work with federal, state, and local partners to 

strategically expand visitor access to electric vehicle 

charging where capacity is needed most.

Improve and Expand Trip Planning Tools: The 

National Park Service will explore integrating traveler 

information into NPS digital products and coordinate 

with third-party apps and services commonly used 

by the public, to display accurate information and 

empower visitors to make more informed travel 

choices.

Evaluate Next Generation Automated Transit 

Systems: The National Park Service will continue to 

monitor and explore next generation automated driving 

technologies which may enhance the visitor experience, 

lower long-term operating costs, improve accessibility, 

or improve car-free access, where appropriate.

Examples

Parking Space Availability Tracking at Indiana Dunes National Park

Parks often have more visitation demand than available parking spaces during 

peak seasons. To help the public understand parking availability prior to arriving 

and make informed transportation decisions, Indiana Dunes National Park 

installed sensors that monitor parking lot usage.

Automated Shuttle Pilots at Yellowstone National Park and Wright 

Brothers National Memorial

The National Park Service conducted automated shuttle pilots in 2021 at two 

units: Yellowstone National Park and Wright Brothers National Memorial. 

These pilots provided the National Park Service and industry with information 

about how automated shuttles perform in park settings and helped evaluate 

the infrastructure requirements, costs, and benefits of integrating automated 

shuttles into parks. 

Credit: MelissaMN - stock.adobe.com
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Reinvest in the System and Make Legacy Investments 62

New River Gorge National 

Park & Preserve

Credit: steheap - stock.adobe.com
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Reinvest in the System and Make Legacy Investments 63

Reinvest in the 

System and Make 

Legacy Investments

To provide visitors with access to enjoy all the parks have to offer, the National 

Park Service maintains an extensive transportation system. With 6,600 

miles of paved roads, 7,300 miles of unpaved roads, 1,800 road bridges and 

tunnels, 6,300 paved parking areas, 1,000 miles of transportation trails, 200 

transportation trail bridges and tunnels, and 100 transit systems, the NPS 

transportation system is similar in scope and scale to a small state DOT. 

With limited maintenance staff and a constrained budget, the National Park 

Service must strategically approach transportation investments and asset 

management. The National Park Service utilizes industry-standard processes 

for asset management, with a focus on preserving assets, realizing their full 

useful lifespan, and allocates funds to the most mission-critical assets. To 

make major investments, rehabilitation, or replacements that require large 

funding amounts, the National Park Service increasingly seeks grants and 

partnerships for projects that outpace annual funding it typically receives. 

Objectives: 

1. Leverage Grants and 

Donations for 

Major Projects

2. Maintain Condition of 

Existing Assets

3. Prioritize Preventive 

Maintenance and 

Preservation to 

Maximize Value
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Reinvest in the System and Make Legacy Investments 64

Objective:

Leverage Grants and Donations for

Major Projects

Over the past decade, changes in federal surface transportation legislation have 

increasingly emphasized the role of competitive, discretionary grants in funding 

transportation capital investments for local, regional, and state governments, as 

well as FLMAs. NPS annual transportation funding is needed to maintain the 

existing transportation system and is insufficient to finance system expansion 

or other major projects, such as large bridge replacements or transit fleet 

modernization and electrification. Therefore, discretionary grants, partnerships, 

and donations are increasingly necessary to fund major NPS transportation 

projects.

By increasing the available funding for many discretionary and formula grant 

programs, and expanding NPS eligibility for some programs, the Infrastructure 

Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021, also known as the Bipartisan 

Infrastructure Law (BIL), created unprecedented funding opportunities for the 

National Park Service to make legacy investments in its transportation system. 

The National Park Service will continue to apply for grant funding for large and 

complex projects and will invest in integrated transportation planning with local 

and state partners to build support for competitive applications.

Given the high level of engagement needed to develop the grant application 

packages, the National Park Service developed the BIL Transportation (BIL-T) 

Grants Strategic Plan to prioritize the highest-value programs and projects, to 

work with partners to leverage funding opportunities for transportation 

priorities, and to build internal and external capacity to advance NPS’s 

transportation goals. The National Park Service focused mainly on the 

opportunities in the U.S. DOT’s portion of BIL Transportation Grants.

When developing the BIL-T Grants Strategic Plan, NPS Parks and Regions 

submitted over 350 candidate projects for the Washington Support Office to 

review. These candidate projects align with NTS goal areas and are beyond 

the capacity of annual transportation programs to address. The most common 

project types included road, bridge, electrification, and resiliency. From those 

submissions, the National Park Service identified priority projects across 

regions and goal areas for which to pursue BIL applications.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Reinvest in the System and Make Legacy Investments 65

Strategies

Pursue Grant and Partnership Opportunities in 

the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: The National 

Park Service will continue to use its BIL-T Grants 

Strategic Plan to guide its approach to grant funding 

opportunities.

Prioritize Planning and Compliance to Position 

Projects to Compete for Grants: The National 

Park Service will conduct integrated transportation 

planning activities at the park unit scale, to identify 

and scope projects, develop cost estimates, conduct 

feasibility studies, and complete compliance and 

engagement activities. 

Work with Partners to Develop Grant Applications 

That Address Shared Needs and Goals: The National 

Park Service will continue to collaborate with state, 

local, and philanthropic partners to develop grant 

applications that address shared transportation 

priorities, expand the number of grants they 

are eligible for, and increase the competitiveness of 

those applications.

Examples

Foothills Parkway Completion in Great Smoky Mountains National 

Park

In 2018, the National Park Service, in collaboration with the Tennessee 

Department of Transportation and FHWA completed a “missing link” in the 

western section of the Foothills Parkway. This project opened 16 miles of 

parkway and provided a 33-mile continuous visitor experience through the 

foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, offering scenic views and expanding 

travel access. The capstone project cost $32 million, including a $10 million 

Federal grant and $15 million from the State of Tennessee.

Credit: Lane Construction

Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

The National Park Service partnered with the D.C. Department of 

Transportation (DDOT) to create the Anacostia River Trail. By creating and 

maintaining the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail, the National Park Service has 

improved multimodal access to Anacostia Park and areas in our nation’s 

capital. The trail reduces traffic congestion around the site and provides active 

transportation options for local visitors and residents, thereby improving equity 

for underserved communities. Funding sources have included a $10 million 

TIGER grant (2012), a $6.5 million RAISE Grant (2023) and $7.7 million in FLAP 

grants (2013 and 2022), in addition to a $50 million investment by DDOT.

Credit: Christian Hinkle - stock.adobe.com
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Reinvest in the System and Make Legacy Investments 66

Objective: 

Maintain Condition of 

Existing Assets 

Maintaining the condition of existing transportation 

assets is central to supporting a financially sustainable 

transportation system and ensuring a safe and quality 

visitor experience. The National Park Service will 

strategically prioritize assets for investments to reduce 

long-term maintenance costs and maximize asset 

lifespans (Figure 21). When possible, it is also important 

to decommission lower priority assets to remove 

maintenance liabilities when transportation assets no 

longer serve an important function, are unsustainable 

due to climate change and other hazards, and to return 

lands and critical habitat to a more natural state.

The National Park Service uses a performance-based 

approach to asset management. Ongoing condition 

inspections and industry-standard modeling software 

are used to identify maintenance treatments and to 

prioritize projects which maximize asset lifespan and 

provide the best value for money. The Federal Highway 

Administration’s Office of Federal Lands Highways 

is a key partner in the NPS transportation asset 

management process.

Asset Conditions

Maintaining a large and diverse transportation system 

requires a data driven approach. The National Park 

Service works with FHWA and other partners to 

continuously monitor pavement and bridge conditions, 

model future conditions, and develop maintenance 

and rehabilitation work schedules that optimize 

system conditions over the long term. The condition 

of other transportation assets is monitored by park 

maintenance staff and similarly managed using NPS 

facility management software and models. The goal of 

these systems is to maximize long-term system health at 

the lowest cost to the government (Figure 22). 

Large Fleet Replacement Needs Over the Next 

10 Years 

NPS-owned transit vehicles have an estimated $202 

million in recapitalization needs between 2023 and 2032. 

Parks with estimated transit vehicle replacement costs 

over $5 million during the next 10 years include Acadia, 

Glacier, Grand Canyon, Harpers Ferry, Isle Royale, 

Yosemite, and Zion. As the fleet vehicles continue to 

be replaced, the National Park Service will evaluate 

and pursue electrification of the transit fleet whenever 

feasible in line with Executive Order 14057 (Figure 23).

Figure 21: Optimally Managed Asset Life Cycle

Timely maintenance keeps an asset in good condition longer.

Maintenance

Reconstruction

Need

05

1015202530

Years

Condition

It pushes back 

the need 

for full 

reconstruction

Timely maintenance keeps 

an asset in good condition longer.

Preventative maintenance keeps 

an asset in good condition longer
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Reinvest in the System and Make Legacy Investments 67

Figure 22: Transportation Assets Condition by Type

The National Park Service’s transportation asset conditions vary based on asset type. Condition Year for Paved Roads, Paved Parking, Bridges, and 

Tunnels, and Transit Fleet is FY22; Condition Year for Unpaved Roads and Parking and Transportation Trails is FY20. Source: NPS, FHWA

P

P

Paved 

Roads

Asset Type Percent Good Fair Poor/Serious Condition

62% 27% 11%

Paved 

Parking

Bridges & 

Tunnels

Unpaved Roads 

& Parking

Transportation 

Trails

16% 53% 31%

32% 65%

87% 11%

68% 29%

Figure 23: Transit Fleet Age, Type, and Expected Vehicle Replacement Need N/A

Source: NPS Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2022 

Type of Vehicle

Ferry

Transit

Shuttle

Van

Other

(Snowmobile,

Golf Car, etc.)

5

6

35

0

1

Estimated Replacement Need

2022 Vehicle Count/ 2022 Number of Electric Vehicles 

18

107

61 

24 

31 

5 Years (2023-2027)

153 Vehicles

5 – 10 Years (2028-2032)

64 Vehicles

10 – 20 Years (2033-2042)

45 Vehicles
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Reinvest in the System and Make Legacy Investments 68

Strategies

Maintain Road and Trail Bridges in Good or Fair Condition: To ensure a safe 

visitor experience and to maximize the useful life of transportation assets, the 

National Park Service will prioritize maintenance expenditures to maintain 

roadway and trail bridges in good or fair condition.

Maintain Pavement Conditions of High-Priority Assets at the Current 

Level: The National Park Service will prioritize maintaining high-priority 

assets at their current condition level to optimize their lifespan and increase 

the financial sustainability of the transportation asset portfolio.

Develop Management Systems for Transit System: The National Park 

Service will establish consistent condition assessment tools and inventories 

of NPS-owned transit fleet vehicles, real property assets that support transit 

system operations, and transportation trails. Per Executive Order 14057, the 

National Park Service will explore how to integrate telematics into condition 

assessments to collect objective, consistent data.

Right-Size the Transportation Asset Portfolio: 

The National Park Service will decommission lower-priority assets to 

remove maintenance liabilities when transportation assets no longer serve an 

important function.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Reinvest in the System and Make Legacy Investments 69

Examples

Denali Park Road Repaving

The paved portion of the Denali Park Road was last re-surfaced in 1989, and 

many sections were failing due to year-round use and Alaska’s extreme freezethaw activity. The resulting rutting and heaving caused vehicles to avoid these 

rough conditions by moving into the opposite lane, creating unsafe driving 

conditions. To maintain this critical asset, the National Park Service replaced all 

failing asphalt pavement on the Denali Park Road from 2017-2020. Resurfacing 

the Denali Park Road improved safety for all park road users, reduced the 

backlog of deferred maintenance projects, and enhanced visitor experiences.

Mount Vernon Trail Rehabilitation 

The Mount Vernon Trail is an 18-mile paved multiuse trail that winds along the 

Potomac River and the George Washington Memorial Parkway. In recent years, 

the National Park Service has strategically replaced and widened major trail 

bridges including Bridge 12 and 23 and 24 while planning for the rehabilitation 

and widening of the rest of the trail and other deteriorated bridges. These 

projects are improving trail condition and correcting safety deficiencies, while 

addressing significant deferred maintenance.

Credit: Joe - stock.adobe.com
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Reinvest in the System and Make Legacy Investments 70

Objective: 

Prioritize Preventive Maintenance and 

Preservation to Maximize Value

Preventive maintenance—maintenance tasks performed on an annual or more 

frequent basis such as cleaning culverts, inspections, and vegetation control—

are key to ensuring transportation assets last as long as they should. Preventive 

maintenance can keep assets in better condition longer and at lower cost than 

repairing damage after it has occurred. Similarly, preservation activities (e.g., 

lighter pavement and bridge construction work) are important to long-term 

asset management for the same reasons. The National Park Service should 

prioritize preventive maintenance and preservation work to keep transportation 

systems in good condition for visitors and to be responsible stewards of public 

funding.

Park unit staff are often in the best position to perform preventive maintenance 

work. The National Park Service uses park asset management plans and facility 

management software to help park staff know when and which activities are 

needed. Through a partnership with FHWA, maintenance and preservation 

activities are also identified using pavement and bridge management systems.

However, park staff are often challenged by the routine and preventative 

maintenance needs of their whole asset inventory, including transportation 

and other asset types. Tracking when preventative maintenance activities 

are or are not completed is also a challenge, because these tasks tend to be 

completed during a busy day of work that spans dozens of activities in a variety 

of locations. Flat or declining park base operations budgets further complicates 

this situation, as staff positions funded by base operations funding have declined 

by 20 percent since 2008.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Goal: Reinvest in the System and Make Legacy Investments 71

Strategies

Communicate the Importance of Preventative Maintenance: Provide better 

information about the importance and benefits of preventive maintenance 

tasks, effectively communicating the most important activities and when they 

are due.

Bundle Preventative Maintenance Projects at a Regional Level: Continue 

and expand the practice of regional offices bundling and contracting preventive 

maintenance and preservation work for multiple park units.

Evaluate the Maintenance Needs of New Transportation Technologies:

Better understand long-term costs associated with new technologies and their 

deployment throughout the NPS transportation network. 

Examples

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Pavement Preservation 

The Cades Cove Loop Road is a 10-mile, paved, one-way scenic drive that was 

last rehabilitated in 2010. To extend the useful life of the roadway, the park 

applied a preventive maintenance action to the roadway surface, pullouts, and 

parking areas that included minor spot repairs (patching), crack sealing, and the 

application of an ultrathin bonded wearing course overlay.

Credit: Katie Lamoureux

Preventive Maintenance and Preservation Bundling by 

Regional Offices 

Project efficiencies can often be realized by bundling and contracting preventive 

maintenance and preservation work for two or more park units in the same state 

or general area. Some NPS regional offices have used this strategy to reduce 

overall costs and to help take the burden of contracting off individual park 

units, whose maintenance staff may be stretched thin and have many competing 

demands for their time. Bundling preventive maintenance and preservation 

work can also help ensure these annual maintenance activities happen at the 

right time to provide the greatest benefit to asset condition 

and lifespan.

Credit: Luis - stock.adobe.com
Arches National Park 

Credit: S Quintans - stock.adobe.com
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Summary and Conclusion 73

Summary of Goals, 

Objectives and 

Performance Measures

This section summarizes the goals and objectives of the NTS, including 

performance measures and indicators that the National Park Service will use to 

monitor progress towards the goals.

For this document, performance measures are data-based metrics of intended 

outcomes with an established baseline and target. Performance indicators are 

additional ways that the National Park Service is monitoring progress, but for 

which an outcome-based performance measure is not yet available.

GOAL: Protect the Climate and 

Advance Resource Protection

Performance Measures

Transit Fleet Transition to Zero-emission Vehicles

Baseline: 3% (2022)

Target: 100% of New Purchases

0 50 100%

Performance Indicators

• Flat or increasing trend in number of transportation projects that involve 

restoration of wildlife corridors and habitats in NPS units.

• Increase in the proportion of visitors using transit, trails, micromobility, or 

other transportation modes to visit parks.

• Decrease in access restrictions due to extreme weather and climate impacts 

to transportation infrastructure.

Objectives: 

1. Manage Transportation 

Impacts on 

Natural Resources

2. Protect and Preserve Cultural 

Resources in Harmony with 

Transportation Assets

3. Decrease Transportation 

Emissions Related 

to Visitation 

and Operations

4. Adapt Transportation 

Systems to be Resilient 

to the Impacts 

of Climate Change
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Summary and Conclusion 74

GOAL: Enhance Visitor Experience 

and Connect Diverse Communities

Performance Measures

Number of Motor Vehicle Fatalities (5 year rolling average)

Baseline: 60.8 (2015-2019)

Target: Declining Annual Trend

Performance Indicators

• Increase in number of park units with active partnerships to reduce access 

barriers for underserved communities.

• Future CSAP responses indicate fewer barriers and higher rates of visitation 

from traditionally underrepresented groups.

• Increase in the number of emerging mobility strategies being implemented 

in and around NPS units. 

Objectives: 

1. Improve Connections to 

Neighboring Communities

2. Eliminate Fatalities and 

Minimize Serious Injuries 

on the NPS Transportation 

System

3. Create a Secure, 

Accessible, and Welcoming 

Transportation System

4. Strategically Enhance 

Transportation Systems to 

Address Visitor Needs

5. Prepare for the Future of 

Transportation

Bus shuttles at Zion National Park. Credit: Norman Q/Wirestock Creators - stock.adobe.com
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Summary and Conclusion 75

GOAL: Reinvest in the System and 

Make Legacy Investments

Performance Measures

Bridge Condition

Baseline: 97% Good or Fair (2022)

Target: 100% Good or Fair while maintaining 

current network conditions

0 50 100%

Paved Roads and Parking Condition

Baseline: 85% Good or Fair (2022)

Target: Maintain Current Condition 0 50 100%

Unpaved Roads and Parking Condition

Baseline: 89% Good or Fair (2022)

Target: Maintain Current Condition 0 50 100%

Transportation Trails Condition

Baseline: 71% Good or Fair (2020)

Target: Maintain Current Condition 0 50 100%

Transit Vehicles Beyond Planned Replacement Year

Baseline: 92 (2022)

Target: 0 (2028) 0 50 100

Competitive Discretionary Grant Applications

Baseline: 7 (2023)

Target: 30 (2028) 0 25 50

Performance Indicators

• Increase in the use of project bundling approaches to pavement and bridge 

project management.

• Amount of funding leveraged from external grants and partnerships.

Objectives: 

1. Leverage Grants 

and Donations for 

Major Projects

2. Maintain Condition of 

Existing Assets

3. Prioritize Preventive 

Maintenance and 

Preservation to 

Maximize Value

A bison in a parking lot at Yellowstone 

National Park. Credit: Cavan - stock.

adobe.com
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Summary and Conclusion 76

Conclusion 

As the National Park Service moves forward, the NTS 

will guide NPS transportation decision making in 

support of its vision to provide safe and equitable access 

to the nation’s most special places. The NTS provides 

updated goals, objectives and strategies that are key 

to advancing this vision, which will be implemented 

through our transportation programs, affecting every 

NPS park unit. 

As all agencies must, the National Park Service will 

operate within the fiscal constraints of its transportation 

funding to deliver a transportation system that 

addresses the substantial maintenance needs of the 

system while also making progress on new challenges 

and opportunities. The NTS defines a path for the 

National Park Service to have a stronger focus on safety, 

climate resiliency, reducing transportation emissions, 

and access for underserved communities. 

This NTS demonstrates the National Park Service’s 

efforts to lead by example in promoting environmental 

sustainability, accessibility, and equity in its 

transportation system assets, services, and investments. 

While many of the details in the NTS focus on the 

next five years, the goals and objectives look out over 

a longer time-horizon, setting an agenda for achieving 

ambitious changes in NPS transportation over the long 

term.

The National Park Service is committed to making an 

ongoing effort related to transportation planning to 

ensure safe, equitable, and sustainable access to our 

nation’s greatest treasures for future generations to 

enjoy. The future of NPS transportation depends on 

everyone’s commitment, creativity, and enthusiasm 

for realizing the vision of a sustainable transportation 

system that is safe, accessible, and effectively managed 

to accommodate changing environmental, social, and 

financial conditions. As such, we will take decisive 

action to achieve the plan’s goals and performance 

targets through continuous work across the agency and 

with our partners to put NTS strategies into practice.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Summary and Conclusion 77

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Credit: Kevin McCoy
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Appendix A: Transportation Legacy Investment Project Needs A-1

Appendix A: Transportation Legacy Investment Project Needs

NPS Transportation Legacy Investment Projects NPS Transportation 

Priorities

State Park Project Estimated 

Cost

Alabama Natchez Trace 

PKWY TN River Bridge Reconstruction $$$$   

Alaska Denali NP and 

NPRES Replace Ghiglione Bridge $ 

Alaska Denali NP and 

NPRES

Restore Denali Park Road Deferred Maintenance - 

Mile 43 to 92 $ 

Alaska Denali NP and 

NPRES Reconstruct Toklat Bridges & Causeway $$$ 

Arizona Lake Mead NRA Rehabilitate and Realign Willow Beach Road* $$ 

Arkansas Buffalo NR Improve Resiliency of Gravel Roads through Paving $$ 

California Golden Gate NRA Improve Multimodal Connectivity Across Golden 

Gate $$ 

California Joshua Tree NP Enhance Non-Motorized Connectivity Between 

Primary Park Destinations $$ 

California Mojave NPRES Convert Morningstar Mine Road to Native Surface 

to Protect Desert Tortoise $ 

California Mojave NPRES Rehabilitate South Kelbaker and Kelso-Cima Road* $$$ 

California Sequoia and Kings 

Canyon NP

Rehabilitate Mineral King Road to Improve 

Resiliency and Protect Sequoias* $$ 

California Yosemite NP Electrify Valley Shuttles through Fleet Replacement 

and Construction of Charging Infrastructure $$ 

California Yosemite NP Rehabilitate Big Oak Flat Road* $$ 

Colorado Great Sand Dunes 

NP and NPRES

Improve Multimodal Transportation Infrastructure to 

Enhance Visitor Access* $$ 

Colorado Rocky Mountain NP Repair Trail Ridge Road Scenic Byway $$ 

Maine Acadia NP Improve Hulls Cove Transportation Center & 

Electrify Fleet $ 

Maryland Clara Barton

PKWY Reconstruct Cantilever Bridge* $$$ 

Massachusetts Boston NHP Boston Harbor Blue Infrastructure - Island/Boston 

Gateway Dock and Pier Improvements $$$ 

Michigan Isle Royale NP Replace Ranger IV Ferry Vessel $$$ 

Mississippi Natchez Trace 

PKWY

Reconstruct Ridgeland Parkway Motorroad from 

Milepost 86 to 114.6 $$$ 

North Carolina Blue Ridge PKWY Rehabilitate Sections 2U, 2V, 2X, 2Y & 2Z $$$ 

North Carolina, 

Virginia Blue Ridge PKWY Rehabilitate Deficiencies on 33 Bridges $$ 

* Project is partially funded through existing appropriations.
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Appendix A: Transportation Legacy Investment Project Needs A-2

NPS Transportation Legacy Investment Projects NPS Transportation 

Priorities

State Park Project Estimated 

Cost

Tennessee Great Smoky 

Mountains NP Improve Safety on Gatlinburg Spur Road $$ 

Utah Zion NP Repair SR9 from Canyon Junction to East Entrance $$$ 

Virginia Colonial NHP Rehabilitate Colonial National Historical 

Parkway $$$ 

Virginia George Washington 

Memorial PKWY

GWMP South Section (Mount Vernon Parkway) 

Rehabilitation and Bridges and Mount Vernon Trail 

South Rehabilitation

$$$$ 

Virginia George Washington 

Memorial PKWY

Improve South GWMP (Old Town Alexandria to 

Mount Vernon Estate) and Mount Vernon Trail 

South

$$ 

Virginia George Washington 

Memorial PKWY

Rehabilitate Mid-GWMP and Reconstruct Boundary 

Channel Bridge $$$ 

Washington Mount Rainier NP Replace Fryingpan Creek Bridge* $ 

Washington Mount Rainier NP Maintain Visitor Access and Increase Resiliency on 

SR410 $$ 

Washington Mount Rainier NP Replace and Repair Four Bridges to Maintain 

Access and Increase Resiliency $$ 

Washington Olympic NP Restore Visitor Access and Increase Resiliency of 

Elwha/Olympic Hot Springs Road $$ 

Washington Olympic NP Rehabilitate Route Sol Duc Road $$ 

Washington, 

D.C.

National Mall and 

Memorial Parks

Rehabilitate Lincoln Circle, Jefferson and Madison 

Dr., Maine Ave. and 12th Street $ 

West Virginia Chesapeake and 

Ohio Canal NHP Improve Paw Paw Bends Trail $$ 

West Virginia New River Gorge 

NP and NPRES

Conduct Critical Repairs and Improvements to Rend 

Trail and Bridges $ 

Wyoming Grand Teton NP Replace Buffalo Fork Bridge to Improve Wildlife 

Crossings and Resiliency $$ 

Wyoming Grand Teton NP Repair and Widen Gros Ventre Road for Resiliency $ 

Wyoming Yellowstone NP Reconstruct Norris to Golden Gate Road Phase 3* $$$ 

Wyoming Yellowstone NP Reconstruct the Old Faithful Roads to Protect 

Thermal Features $$$ 

Wyoming Yellowstone NP Rehabilitate Gardner River High Bridge $$ 

Estimated Costs Key

$12.5M - $25M

NPS Transportation Priorities Key

Protect the Climate 

and Advance 

Resource Protection

Enhance Visitor 

Experience and 

Connect Diverse 

Communities

Reinvest in the System 

and Make Legacy 

Investments

$ $$ $25M - $50M $$$ $50M - $150M $$$$ $150M+
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Appendix A: Transportation Legacy Investment Project Needs A-3

Tennessee River Bridge. 

Credit: NPS

Colonial National Parkway. Credit: Sean 

Xu - stock.adobe.com

Five Future Near-Term NPS Transportation Projects

Tennessee River Bridge Replacement: Natchez Trace Parkway, Very 

Large (> $150M)

The bridge is beyond its designed 50 years lifespan and will need to be replaced 

by 2031. Funding is needed within the next five years to allow construction of a 

replacement bridge crossing while the current bridge is still functional. Without 

the existing crossing, road users would be subjected to a 40-mile, 50-minute 

detour to reach the next nearest bridge. If not on track to be replaced by 2031, 

intermediate, high-cost maintenance measures will need to begin by 2025 to 

temporarily extend the bridge’s functional service life.

Colonial National Historical Parkway: Colonial National Historical 

Park, Large ($50-150M) 

The 23-mile Parkway offers access and views of shorelines and forests for over 

3 million park visitors annually. It has far exceeded its 50-year design life and 87 

percent of the road mileage is in poor or fair condition. The Parkway’s advanced 

age poses numerous safety concerns including broken slabs, failing joints, and 

concrete spalling. Many bridges along the Parkway suffer from structural loss 

and are high priorities for replacement. Additionally, its old drainage systems 

are increasingly overloaded by runoff from surrounding development and 

intensifying storm events and must be replaced.

Ranger III Ferry Boat Replacement: Isle Royale National Park, Large

($50-150M)

The Ranger III ferry is the largest piece of moving equipment owned by the 

National Park Service and has been in continuous service for over 65 years. It 

serves as a lifeline of the park’s operations by transporting park and concessions 

staff, passengers, and cargo like food, fuel, luggage, materials, equipment, small 

boats, and backhaul of trash from the park’s mainland headquarters. The vessel 

had electronic upgrades and was repowered in 1999, however much of the 

remaining original equipment cannot be easily repaired. Failure of any given 

component or system would negatively affect vital park operations. Ranger III Ferry at Isle Royale National 

Park. Credit: Bonniemarie - stock.adobe.

com
NPS 2024 National Transportation Strategy / Appendix A: Transportation Legacy Investment Project Needs A-4

Willow Beach Road Realignment and Reconstruction: Lake Mead 

National Recreation Area, Medium ($25-50M)

This 4.6 mile road in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area provides access 

from US-93 to the Willow Beach Marina on the Colorado River in Mohave 

County, Arizona. The road is located in a narrow canyon that is prone to flash 

flooding and had badly deteriorated. The project will rehabilitate, reconstruct, 

and resurface the roadway along a new alignment to reduce hazards associated 

with flash flooding and frequent flood damage.

Lake Mead National Recreation Area. 

Credit: Laurens - stock.adobe.com

Multimodal Improvements at Great Sand Dunes: Great Sand Dunes 

National Park and Preserve, Medium ($25-50M)

This project will expand and improve transportation infrastructure to meet 

visitor demand. Parking capacity will nearly double as a new entrance station 

and rest stop with overlook and trails will be constructed. A multi-use trail 

will connect the park’s campground to all creek access points and parking 

areas, which will provide a new, more accessible recreational opportunity not 

currently available in the park. The new entrance station will be developed with 

additional booths and lanes to increase capacity and reduce wait times. A new 

rest area and overlook with restrooms, information kiosk, and interpretive trail 

will be constructed near the park entrance.

Great Sand Dunes National Park and 

Preserve. Credit: Jens Bernard - stock.

adobe.com
National Park Service

Washington Support Office

Park Planning, Facilities and Lands Directorate

For more information, please visit the NPS Transportation website

All photos NPS property, unless otherwise noted.

 April 2024

As the nation’s principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has responsibility for most of our nationally owned 

public lands and natural resources. This includes fostering sound use of our land and water resources; protecting our fish, wildlife, 

and biological diversity; preserving the environmental and cultural values of our national parks and historic places; and providing for 

the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The department assesses our energy and mineral resources and works to ensure 

that their development is in the best interests of all our people by encouraging stewardship and citizen participation in their care. The 

department also has a major responsibility for American Indian reservation communities and for people who live in island territories 

under US administration.

NPSG 192730