Daily Archives: March 29, 2019

Kaibab National Forest seeks public input on proposed expansion of Forest Service campground south of Tusayan

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TUSAYAN – The Kaibab National Forest is seeking public input and comments on a proposed project to remodel and expand the popular Ten X Campground located south of Tusayan about 5 miles south of the entrance to Grand Canyon National Park.

The Ten X Campground Expansion project is designed to increase overnight camping opportunities for visitors to the area and improve overall experience by upgrading aging facilities and adding amenities. Specifically, the proposed expansion would increase capacity from the current 70 individual campsites to a total of 300. Existing sites would undergo remodeling while new sites would be added, thereby expanding the overall campground footprint.

The proposed remodeling of existing sites and the addition of new sites would increase Ten X Campground’s ability to accommodate large RVs, which have become increasingly popular since the campground’s original construction in the early 1970s. The campground would also provide additional small group sites as well as individual tent sites. In order to facilitate the construction of the new camping loops, a new roadway would be established as a larger loop surrounding the current campground. Two egress routes are also being proposed in order to better facilitate any future emergency evacuation.

Proposed campground remodeling would include the installation of a new multilingual entrance station; the development of visitor common areas with ramada structures, grills, fire rings, and picnic tables; and, the addition of an amphitheater for campfire talks. Included with the proposed expansion is the possibility of modernizing the existing utilities.

In order to enhance the visitor experience and provide conservation education venues, the Kaibab National Forest is proposing the development of new nature and interpretive trails, including a trail connecting Ten X Campground to Tusayan and the Arizona National Scenic Trail, as well as an opportunity to site a future interagency visitor center at the location.

“Ten X Campground is frequently filled to capacity due to its popular location,” said Dutch Maatman, assistant recreation staff officer with the Kaibab National Forest. “We are excited about the opportunity to not only support the increased number of visitors to the area but also to provide them with a better overall camping experience.”

Ten X Campground on the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest was originally constructed in the early 1970s, and currently offers 70 individual sites, two large group sites, one host site, several vault toilets, paved roads, and a potable drinking water system. Since the development of Ten X Campground, there have been only minor expansions and updates, leaving it vulnerable to overcrowding and visitor use conflicts.

The Kaibab National Forest encourages public participation in the development of proposed projects and is seeking input and comments on the Ten X Campground Expansion project. Specific, written comments should be received no later than March 29.

Comments must be in writing and may be delivered electronically, in person, or by mail or facsimile. Electronic comments, including attachments, may be emailed to comments-southwestern-kaibab-williams@fs.fed.us. Comments may be submitted electronically in Word (.doc or .docx), rich text format (.rtf), text (.txt), Adobe portable document formats (PDF), or HyperText Markup Language (.html). Submit comments via hand delivery (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays) or mail to: Kaibab National Forest, Williams Ranger District, 742 South Clover Road, Williams, Arizona 86046. Please marks comments “Attention: Ten X Campground Expansion.”

To view the full proposed action and other information related to the Ten X Campground Expansion project, please visit www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=55626. For questions, please contact Dutch Maatman at (928) 635-5661 or jmaatman@fs.fed.us.

Kaibab National Forest information is also available through the following sources:

• Kaibab National Forest Website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF
• Flickr: http://bit.ly/KaibabNFPhotos

Sonoran Corridor report available for review

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PHOENIX ‒ A report describing how the Arizona Department of Transportation reduced the potential routes for the proposed Sonoran Corridor from dozens of options to three recommended for further study, along with the no-build alternative, is now available for review and comment.

The Sonoran Corridor Draft Corridor Selection Report explains how factors such as growth, economic benefits, environmental impacts and feasibility contributed to identifying these alternatives in the Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement.

Public comment on the report is invited through Monday, April 22. Public comment on a public meeting held March 7 in Tucson is invited through Sunday, April 7.

The Sonoran Corridor would connect Interstate 10 and Interstate 19 south of Tucson International Airport. The Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement, which started in May 2017, evaluates multiple 2,000-foot-wide corridors and the no-build option. A Tier 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement is expected in late 2019 with a preferred alternative for public review. A Tier 1 Final Environmental Impact Statement is expected by spring 2020.

The next phase would include a Tier 2 study to locate an approximately 400-foot-wide route within corridor identified as the preferred alternative. The timeline and funding for the Tier 2 study haven’t been identified.

ADOT has held four public meetings about the Sonoran Corridor over the past two years. Comments received at those meetings are included in the draft Corridor Selection Report and are being considered along with input from area businesses and governments, including Pima County and the cities of Tucson and Sahuarita.

To see the draft reports, visit azdot.gov/Sonoran Corridor. Click on the Documents tab to see the draft Corridor Selection Report, and click on the Alternatives tab to see a map of the three corridors that have been recommended for further study. A no-build option also remains under consideration.

The public can submit questions or comments in the following ways:

  • Email: SonoranCorridor@azdot.gov
  • Phone: The ADOT Bilingual Project Information Line: 855-712-8530
  • Mail: Sonoran Corridor Tier 1 EIS Study Team c/o Joanna Bradley, 1221 S. Second Ave., Mail Drop T100, Tucson, AZ 85713