A recent assessment rated 40 percent of the 8,000 miles of roads within the park system as poor to fair. While the budget increase is welcome, planners would like to see more funding directed toward fixing chronic congestion problems instead of patching potholes and rebuilding highways. In the coming weeks, federal officials plan to release findings that evaluate US park transportation needs. The Park Service expects overall visitation to set another record in 2001, reaching almost 300 million. Cast your vote here.
Parks already experimenting with mass transportation say they've met with positive feedback so far.
For generations it would have been sacrilege to talk about phasing out cars at national parks, but today the alternative of doing nothing is unacceptable, says David Barna, chief Park Service spokesman in Washington. The paradox of public-transportation systems, he adds, is that as auto congestion problems are alleviated, even more visitors will be able to enjoy the natural wonders and, cumulatively, have less of an impact. No one has wanted to talk about gridlock, but it's a reality. I see the course we're on now being part of a necessary transition that will occur over the next 20 to 30 years. We offer them for your additional research.