Category Archives: Parks

Plan for daytime westbound Interstate 40 on-ramp closure at Parks through September 25

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PARKS – The Arizona Department of Transportation advises motorists that the Parks westbound on-ramp at Interstate 40 west of Flagstaff will be closed until 5 p.m. Monday, September 24, and from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, September 25.

Drivers should use the Bellemont on-ramp (milepost 185) instead.

The ramp closure is necessary while ADOT crews perform guardrail work. Drivers should prepare for delays, use caution when entering the work zone and watch for construction personnel and equipment.

Schedules are subject to change based on weather and other unforeseen factors. For more information, please call the ADOT Project Information Line at 855.712.8530 or email Projects@azdot.gov. For real-time highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT’s Traveler Information Site at www.az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511, except when driving.

Paving continues on Interstate 40 in northern Arizona; lane and ramp closures scheduled

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The Arizona Department of Transportation advises northern Arizona drivers on Interstate 40 to plan for travel delays because of traffic realignment and ramp closures at Parks, Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads. Crews are repairing 17 miles of pavement on I-40 between Parks and Williams. The project also includes making bridge deck repairs at Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads.

The westbound I-40 off-ramp at Parks (milepost 178) will be closed from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12. The eastbound on-ramp at Pittman Valley Road(milepost 171) will be temporarily re-opened as a traffic detour for this closure.

Crews are completing work to rebuild 5 eastbound miles between mileposts 167 and 172 with all traffic moved to the westbound lanes using a temporary crossover in that section. In August, crews began work on the eastbound section of the freeway and closed the eastbound on- and off-ramps at Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads for the next few months. Traffic is detoured onto the Parks and East Williams traffic interchanges. Please see the attached detour map.

For more information, please visit www.azdot.gov/I40CataractLakeRd2Parks

Kaibab National Forest implements forest restoration projects near Parks

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WILLIAMS/PARKS — The Kaibab National Forest is conducting preparatory work in anticipation of implementing timber sales in five project areas east of Williams near the community of Parks on the Williams Ranger District. These forest restoration efforts have resulted in increased activity that may be noticeable to residents and visitors in the area.

Preparatory work including tree marking and boundary layout operations are underway in each of the five project areas, which stretch from Brannigan Park near Bellemont west to Pittman Valley on the north side of Interstate 40. Once this work is completed, the Kaibab National Forest will be seeking to offer timber sales to local contractors and others who may be able to support the forest restoration effort. The tree marking and boundary layout work will ultimately serve as visual guidance to assist these contractors in ensuring Forest Service expectations for treatment are met.

As activity on these projects increases over the next few months, residents, land owners and visitors will likely notice more Forest Service personnel and vehicles in the area. Once timber sale contracts have been awarded, forest restoration work including timber removal and log hauling operations will also be noticeable to members of the public.

The ultimate goal of both the preparatory work and the eventual timber sales is to improve forest health and reduce the potential for high-intensity wildfires that could threaten lives, property and natural resources. These projects are planned for long-term implementation and may be ongoing for the next several years on an intermittent basis depending on weather and other conditions.

“We are pleased to be making progress on this important work, and we hope local residents continue to support our efforts in improving forest health and public safety,” said Josh Giles, silviculturist with the Kaibab National Forest. “Projects like this are critical to the long-term sustainability of our forests, watersheds and communities.”

The five projects, known as 49er, Saddle, Moonset, Parks West, and Sitgreaves, are all part of the overarching restoration work associated with the Four Forest Restoration Initiative, which is intended to treat more than 2.4 million acres of ponderosa pine forest across northern Arizona.

One goal of the Four Forest Restoration Initiative is to increase resilience in the fire-adapted ponderosa pine forest by reducing tree stand densities to a more historic level, which eventually reduces the potential for uncharacteristic wildfire. This work also offers greater protection for residents living in and adjacent to the wildland-urban interface, where developments and forested areas merge together.

Goals of treatments in the Four Forest Restoration Initiative footprint include:

  • Restoring pine forests across northern Arizona using mechanical harvesting and fire to thin dense stands of smaller trees and leave larger, mature trees.
  • Improving streams, springs, and wildlife habitat.
  • Reducing wildfire threats and impacts to communities, watersheds, and recreation areas.
  • As more forest is restored, allowing wildfires to be part of a suite of forest management efforts.
  • Engaging private industry to conduct treatments and provide jobs to rural communities.
  • Monitoring treatments to ensure a healthy forest for future generations.

For more specific information about these and other current restoration projects on the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest, contact Josh Giles at (928) 635-5616.

Information is also available through the following sources:

Kaibab National Forest Website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
Four Forest Restoration Initiative Website: www.fs.usda.gov/4fri
Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF

Interstate 40 ramp closures in place between Parks and Williams in northern Arizona

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Drivers in northern Arizona are advised to plan for travel delays on Interstate 40 because of traffic realignment and ramp closures at Parks, Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads. Crews are repairing 17 miles of pavement on I-40 between Parks and Williams. The project also includes making bridge deck repairs at Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads.

Beginning Monday, June 4, I-40 will be reduced to one lane in each direction between mileposts 178 and 179, near the Parks exit, while crews begin to reconstruct the travel lanes. The Parks exit will remain open throughout this work.

Through July, the westbound I-40 on- and off-ramps at Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads will be closed and traffic is being detoured to the Parks and Williams exits. In mid-July, the westbound on- and off-ramps at Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads will reopen and the westbound on- and off-ramp and eastbound on-ramp at the Parks exit will be close with traffic detoured to Pittman Valley Road through early August. Drivers must follow signed detour routes.

Crews are completing work on westbound I-40 between Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads first, then moving to eastbound I-40 in the same area in early summer.  Construction will pause for the winter season and is scheduled to resume in spring 2019 for additional paving, bridge and intersection work. The project is scheduled for completion in late 2019.

What to expect

  • Crews are scheduled to work Mondays through Fridays from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Lane closures and restrictions will be required
  • Ramp closures at Parks, Garland Prairie Road and Pittman Valley Road will be required
  • Drivers are advised to plan for slow traffic, follow the reduced speed limits and allow extra travel time
  • One lane will remain open in each direction throughout construction

Kaibab National Forest continues forest restoration project north of Parks

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WILLIAMS – With the return of spring weather, log trucks will again be able to access and remove trees, chips and other material from the 1,039-acre Community Tank Timber Sale area north of the Parks community where forest restoration work has been occurring since last fall.

The Community Tank project is located about 11 miles north of Parks just south of Forest Road 171 and west of Kendrick Mountain Wilderness near Pumpkin Center on the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest. Harvesting operations began last September, with about 800 acres having been treated to date. The forest restoration work is expected to continue through July, barring weather or other delays.

Residents of Parks and visitors recreating in the area can expect to see an increasing number of log trucks traveling along the haul route to and from the project beginning this month. Approximately 14 trucks per day may be visiting the site in order to remove downed trees and other restoration byproducts.

The major haul route is from Forest Road 151 and FR 194 to FR 141, which travels through the Parks community, and then on to Interstate 40. It is possible that there could be a significant number of trucks hauling timber through this area until project completion.

By May, foresters with the Kaibab National Forest anticipate an increase in tree felling operations at the site in order to complete the remaining acres of restoration work within the 1,039-acre project area. As this thinning work is implemented, residents and visitors can expect to see heavy, mechanized equipment and workers on site and a continued presence of log trucks along the haul route.

Members of the public are urged to use extreme caution near timber removal and hauling operations. Besides the presence of heavy equipment and log trucks, there will also be trees being felled and stacked into log decks, which can be unstable. Visitors to the area should not camp near nor climb on them, as they often shift and have the possibility of collapse. Motorists should be aware of the likelihood of encountering a log truck along haul routes and are encouraged to drive with safety in mind at all times.

The objectives of the Community Tank Timber Sale are to reduce fuel loading and the potential for future high-intensity wildfires and to improve forest health and watershed conditions. Another important component of the effort is to work toward restoration of historic grasslands and meadows, which support a variety of wildlife species including pronghorn antelope. As a result of historical livestock grazing, fire suppression, changes in wildlife populations, climate change, and other factors, grasslands and meadows have experienced substantial encroachment and infilling by woody species over the last century.“Much of this area was open meadow historically. The restoration work we are doing at Community Tank is improving habitat quality and connectivity,” said Tom Dauenhauer, timber sale administrator, Kaibab National Forest. “We are already seeing much more frequent visitation to and use of the area by pronghorn since we started this project. That is a great benefit to be added to all of the other community protection and forest health benefits of this work.”

The tree harvesting efforts occurring on the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest are part of the overarching restoration work associated with the Four Forest Restoration Initiative. The goal of the Four Forest Restoration Initiative is to accelerate the pace and scale of restoration within 2.4 million acres of ponderosa pine forest in northern Arizona to increase resilience and proper functioning. Restoring this fire-adapted ecosystem is accomplished with a suite of restoration activities, from watershed maintenance and habitat improvements to prescribed burning and thinning.

For additional information on the Four Forest Restoration Initiative, visit www.fs.usda.gov/4fri. Members of the public can find additional information on the Kaibab National Forest through the following sources:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF (Text ‘follow kaibabnf’ to 40404 to receive text messages.)
Kaibab website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
Kaibab Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF

Moonset Pit Renovations Begin But Will Remain Closed For Public Safety

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WILLIAMS – Officials on the Kaibab National Forest, are alerting local residents in and around the communities of Parks and Sherwood Forest Estates, that Moonset Pit will undergo an expansion project set to begin this month.

The purpose of the project is to open up the space within the pit which will allow for separation between the cinder operations and the woody debris piles ultimately providing for a much safer environment for all users. It will also provide for a larger capacity which in turn will accommodate more users for this popular site in the future.

The work will involve a Forest Service contractor who will clear timber from an additional 5 acres adjacent to the existing area. Once the timber has been safely removed, Coconino County Public Works will continue with the surface expansion creating a larger, safer area between the personal use cinder materials and the debris pit used for public disposal of natural woody materials.

Unfortunately, due to the hazardous nature of the site undergoing construction, the entire pit will remain closed for public use for the remainder of the year to ensure public safety. Kaibab National Forest and Coconino County officials hope to complete the entire project by spring of 2019 and expect the Moonset Pit to be fully operational and open for both uses by the summer of 2019.

In the interim, alternative locations have been designated to provide residents options to access personal use cinders and provide a location for dumping of herbaceous materials from cleanup of private properties.

The W-Triangle Cinder Pit just north of Spring Valley will be available to residents for personal use cinder collection. Personal mineral material permits are available at the William Ranger District office at 742 S Clover road during regular business hours Monday through Friday.

The alternative green waste disposal site will be at the old dump site off Buggy Wheel road on forest road 900 north of Pittman Valley off forest road 74. Scheduled days and hours of operation at this temporary location will be made available by early next week. Access will only be permitted during open hours of operation.

Residents are encouraged to take advantage of these services in order to make their private property more defensible against the threat of wildland fire. No garbage, household trash, building materials, lumber or other items will be allowed. Materials should not be bagged.The success of this community provision is largely attributed to the volunteers of the Parks Area Connection and Sherwood Forest Fire District who staff these pits during open hours of operation. This annual service is also supported by the Kaibab National Forest and the Rural Communities Fuels Management Partnership.

For more information on the about the Moonset Pit expansion project contact Deirdre McLaughlin at damclaughlin@fs.fed.us 928-635-5662
For additional information on creating defensible space, visit www.firewise.org or fireadapted.org/

Sheriff’s investigation reveals evidence of carbon monoxide in death of four

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PARKS – Yesterday investigators from the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office employed the assistance of a professional, licensed heating/cooling service provider to investigate the heating system of the cabin in which four people were found deceased yesterday.

The contractor found a significant failure in the heating system which would be consistent with carbon monoxide overcoming the residence. The heating unit was the only gas appliance in the home. This provides additional evidence regarding a possible carbon monoxide related event.

The manner and cause of death is still to be determined by the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The Sheriff’s Office would like to recommend that people install not only smoke detectors, but also carbon monoxide detectors in your home. These need to be tested and inspected at the manufacturer’s recommended intervals. The heating/cooling industry generally recommends that heaters are inspected yearly.

If you have questions regarding your heating/cooling system,
you are urged to contact a certified heating/cooling expert to check your system. If you use wood stoves, be sure these also are annually serviced and cleaned.

Family of four found deceased in Parks

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PARKS – The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in Parks, Arizona for a welfare check and discovered four deceased subjects inside the home.

On January 1st at 12:26 pm the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a phone call from a friend of a family that was staying at a residence in Parks. The caller said family members had been trying to contact them for a few days with no success and had become concerned. The Reporting Party requested a welfare check on the family.

At 1:17 pm, a Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputy from the Williams Substation arrived at the residence in Parks, AZ. The Deputy located a vehicle matching the description given by the caller in the driveway of the cabin reported to belong to the family.

After approaching the cabin, the Deputy reported a strong odor of gas coming from the home. Additional units were requested, and Ponderosa Fire Department was notified and asked to respond.

At 1:43 pm Ponderosa Fire units arrived on scene. Fire personnel put on protective breathing equipment to enter the residence. They located four deceased individuals inside the residence.

They are identified as 32-year-old Anthony Capitano, 32-year-old Meaghan Capitano, 4-year-old Lincoln Capitano, and 3-year-old Kingsley Capitano of El Mirage, AZ.

At this time, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident as possible carbon monoxide poisoning. The Medical Examiner’s Office will be conducting further investigation.

Work at Interstate 40 and Bellemont traffic interchange continues this week

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BELLEMONT – The Arizona Department of Transportation is scheduled to continue paving at the Bellemont traffic interchange next week as part of the improvement project on Interstate 40 from Parks to Riordan.

ADOT advises drivers to allow extra travel time while work occurs on the eastbound ramps (Exit 185) as follows:

· Tuesday, Sept. 26, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
· Thursday, Sept. 28, from noon to 6 p.m.
· Friday, Sept. 29, from 4:30 a.m. to noon.

Motorists can use the interchanges at Parks (milepost 178) and A-1 Mountain (milepost 190) to travel between eastbound I-40 and Bellemont. Signs will mark the detour routes. The Bellemont bridge over I-40 will remain open at all times, and no restrictions are scheduled on the westbound I-40 ramps.

For more information about this project, visit azdot.gov/I40Paving.

Drivers should use caution and watch for construction personnel and equipment.

Schedules are subject to change based on weather and other unforeseen factors. For more information, please call Coralie Cole, ADOT community relations project manager, at 602.501.4899 or ccole@azdot.gov. For real-time highway conditions statewide, visit the ADOT Traveler Information site at www.az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511, except while driving.

Forest Service completing thinning project north of Parks

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PARKS – Tree removal has begun on a 1,039-acre project on the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest associated with the Four Forest Restoration Initiative.

The Community Tank Timber Sale area is located about 11 miles north of Parks just south of Forest Road 171 and west of Kendrick Mountain Wilderness near Pumpkin Center. Harvesting operations recently began in the area and are expected to be completed by the end of this year, depending on weather conditions over the next few months.

As thinning work is implemented, residents and visitors can expect to see heavy, mechanized equipment and workers in the project area and an increasing number of log trucks traveling along the haul route. Because work is progressing quickly at the project site, it is expected that log trucks will begin hauling this week.

The major haul route will be from the project area south along Forest Road 141 through Parks to Interstate 40. It is possible that there could be a significant number of trucks hauling timber through this area until project completion.

Members of the public are urged to use extreme caution near timber removal and hauling operations. Besides the presence of heavy equipment and log trucks, there will also be trees being felled and stacked into log decks, which can be unstable. Visitors to the area should not camp near nor climb on them, as they often shift and have the possibility of collapse.

“It’s really important that local community members and visitors understand that they need to be careful when driving near a log truck or in areas where logging work is occurring. These are not areas to camp or play around in, and people need to be aware of what is happening around them,” said Tom Dauenhauer, a timber sale administrator for the Kaibab National Forest. “In the long run, the benefits of this work will be safer communities and healthier forests for all of us for years into the future. In the short term, though, it means being extra vigilant near project areas and haul routes so that this forest restoration work can be accomplished safely.”

The objectives of the Community Tank Timber Sale are to reduce fuel loading and the potential for future high-intensity wildfires and to improve forest health and watershed conditions. The thinning and logging work occurring on the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest is associated with the Four Forest Restoration Initiative.

The goal of the Four Forest Restoration Initiative is to accelerate the pace and scale of restoration within 2.4 million acres of ponderosa pine forest in northern Arizona to increase resilience and proper functioning. Restoring this fire-adapted ecosystem is accomplished with a suite of restoration activities – from watershed maintenance and habitat improvements to prescribed burning and thinning.

For additional information on the Four Forest Restoration Initiative, visit www.fs.usda.gov/4fri. Members of the public can find additional information on the Kaibab National Forest through the following sources:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF (Text ‘follow kaibabnf’ to 40404 to receive text messages.)
Kaibab website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
Kaibab Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF