Sawtooth National Forest Supervisor Jane Kollmeyer announced this week that her office has received $1.2 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to improve safety and access at National Forest facilities.
"Many of our recreation facilities are decades old and long overdue for maintenance or reconstruction and needed visitor-safety improvements," said Kollmeyer. "Maintenance needs were identified through extensive studies of specific public facilities needed to support the outdoor activities that are provided by the forest."
Specific projects that will be funded include the Frank and Bethine Church Overlook (formally known as Galena Overlook) and the Elk Creek Boat Ramp in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. Work on the projects will begin within the next few months.
Other work on the Sawtooth will include improvements to the Baumgartner Nature Trail in the forest's Fairfield Ranger District. Projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act across the forest will leverage additional funds received by the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, Sawtooth Society, Backcountry Horsemen and the Federal Highway Administration, a forest news release states.
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The work on the Galena overlook will mostly focus on safety issues at the roadside attraction on state Highway 75 north of Ketchum. The project includes the removal of the site's toilets, potable water system and water lines, which are more than a mile long, and closure of the sewer lagoons. The Forest Service also plans to improve access and retain or enhance parking at the site. Additional work is planned to improve the interpretive facilities.
The Forest Service has not determined yet how much of the work will be completed with the stimulus funds, said Alicia Bennett, spokeswoman for the Sawtooth National Forest. One thing that will not be funded is the reconstruction of the overlook's toilets. The forest's decision to leave that project for a later date has been controversial. Officials have previously said that additional funding will be needed to complete that work.
"The design that will be installed includes the possibility of toilets in the future," Bennett said.
Up to 13 projects have been identified on the forest's three districts that could be paid for with the stimulus funds.
Jason Kauffman: jkauffman@mtexpress.com
