Forest Service to 'grade' its roads

Roads across the Flathead National Forest will soon get a grade, the Forest Service announced last week. It’s part of an effort to analyze forest roads, figure out which are in good shape, which are in bad shape, and their risks and benefits.

The grades will be based on several factors, Flathead Forest spokesman Wade Muehlhof said, including access to timber, recreation and private lands, and impacts on watersheds like rivers and streams. When the Forest-wide analysis is complete, each road will receive a numerical grade.

The Flathead Forest currently has 3,388 miles of roads, of which 1,068 miles are open all year long and 360 are open seasonally. Most closed roads in the Flathead are closed for grizzly bear or wildlife security.

The overall goal is to create a travel analysis tool for future project planning — the grading project won’t result in management decisions about individual roads.

The public will also get a chance to weigh in on the grades. Once the grades have been established, they will be put online so the public can check a road’s grade and give input on its value, Muehlhof said.

Every national forest across the U.S. is expected to complete a travel analysis by 2015. Currently, the Flathead is working on roads in the Hungry Horse/Glacier View and Spotted Bear ranger districts.

“The agency expects to maintain an appropriately sized and environmentally sustainable road system that is responsive to ecological, economic and social concerns,” the Forest said in a press release.