Tse' Nikani Draft Corridor Management
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Tse'nikani Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan DRAFT August 2013 Introduction Purpose Tse’nikani Scenic Byway was established The purpose of a byway corridor as an Arizona Byway in 2005 and given the management plan is not to create more name Tse’nikani ‘Flat Mesa Rock’ Scenic regulations or taxes. Rather, a corridor Byway. management plan documents the goals, strategies, and responsibilities for preserving and enhancing the byway’s most Byway Description valuable qualities. Promoting tourism can Tse’nikani Scenic Byway, U.S. Highway be one target, but so are issues of safety or (US) 191 is located in northeast Arizona preserving historic or cultural structures. in Apache County and entirely within the 160 The Corridor Management Plan can: Navajo Nation. The portion of US 191 that 1 160 Tse’nikani is a designated Arizona Scenic Byway is Scenic Road ◊ document community interest from Milepost (MP) 467.0, south of Many ◊ document existing conditions and Farms, to MP 510.4, at the junction with history US 160, near Mexican Water. The highway ◊ guide enhancement and safety is the primary route to access Canyon de improvement projects ARIZONA Chelly National Monument, about 13 miles mexico new south of the south end of the byway. ◊ promote partnerships for conservation Chinle and enhancement activities US 191 is a two-lane asphalt paved road for ◊ suggest resources for project development almost its entire length with no median and programs and few left-turn lanes. The roadway is ◊ promote coordination between residents, managed by the Arizona Department communities, and agencies of Transportation (ADOT) through the 264 Ganado ◊ support application for National Scenic Navajo Nation. Four chapters adjoin the Byway designation road: Many Farms, Round Rock, Rock Point, and Mexican Water. Chapters are 191 ADOT sponsored the preparation of the the smallest political unit of the Navajo draft Tse’nikani Corridor Management Nation government system. Each of the 40 Plan. four chapters has a small community based on or near the byway. 77 191 40 61 DRAFT August 2013 Scenic Byways and the Corridor of local residents should be set up as part elsewhere. Additionally, the byway must of the plan. This committee will see that be considered a “destination unto itself” Management Process action items in the plan are carried out. - travelers will make the experience of Scenic byways may be many things - they driving along the byway a primary reason don’t have to be pristine, naturally beautiful for a trip. roads that stretch for miles. A byway may Obtaining National Scenic Byway have historic or cultural significance or be The national application process occurs a major recreation destination or a short, Designation every two years in the spring. Applications urban section with a rich history. What The National Scenic Byway program was are sent to the National Scenic Byway scenic byways share is being a special established in 1991 and reauthorized in committee for review. Those byways resource that a community wants to 1998. Since 1991, 125 byways in 44 states selected are announced in the fall. The preserve. Arizona has 27 scenic byways - 19 have been designated as a Scenic Byway or best of the best scenic roads are selected 2 roads, 4 parkways, and 4 historic roads. All-American Road. Arizona’s first national to be All-American Roads, which is a rare scenic byway was the Kaibab Plateau- designation. Local, state, tribal, and federal agencies or the North Rim Parkway. In 2005, Arizona private sector can request scenic designation received four more nationally designated The benefits of national designation can for their special road. However, to apply for roads – three byways (Historic Route 66, include: national designation, a byway must have Coronado Trail, and Sky Island) and one ◊ increased tourism dollars All-American Road (Red Rock). state or tribal designation. A byway must ◊ federal and state funding for projects in also have a corridor management plan. The the Corridor Management Plan corridor management plan is a written To obtain National ◊ protection for threatened resources document. It should be a plan for balancing Scenic Byway development, tourism, conservation, and designation a route ◊ increased highway maintenance budget economic development. The plan will not must, 1) be a state ◊ resources to help assist in managing the solve every problem or issue identified, but or tribal designated corridor it will suggest methods for solving some of byway, 2) have one or them. more of six intrinsic qualities (as defined Some communities go through the corridor by the National Scenic Byways Program management planning process and decide The corridor management planning and described later in this document), 3) that they don’t want to go for national process is a grass roots effort that comes show that there is community support designation. It may be that they are not from the community. There should be a for designation, and 4) have a corridor interested in promoting more tourism or public participation process that reaches management plan. To be considered for there is not enough local support to continue as many interested citizens as possible. All-American designation, a byway must the corridor planning process. This is also Long-time residents are a valuable source have multiple intrinsic qualities that are a viable outcome of preparing a corridor of information for the planning process. A nationally significant. They must also have management plan and the community still stakeholder or steering committee made up one-of-a-kind features that do not exist has a guiding plan for what they would like to have happen along the corridor. Tse'nikani Scenic Road Corridor Management Plan Existing Traffic and Safety between MP 471.6 and 472.2. The highway changes direction to the north towards Conditions Tse’nikani Scenic Byway is a highway in US 160 at MP 477.8 near Round Rock. Apache County, Arizona that runs from This junction is a T-intersection with stop MP 467.0, south of Many Farms, to its signs on the north bound Tse’nikani Scenic Facilities and Services junction with US 160 highway. It is a Byway traffic. The speed is reduced to 45 Tse’nikani Scenic Byway has limited visitor winding, primarily north-south road with mph and stop ahead warning signs are attractions and services. There are no hotels changing grades, with one west to east placed with transverse ground-in rumble or restaurants along the route. Restrooms, section from MP 469.0 to 478.0. strips to warn drivers as they approach gasoline, and snacks can be found at the stop controlled intersection. US 191 convenience stores in Rock Point and resumes the posted speed limit of 65 mph Many Farms. The closest visitor facilities Road Classification after MP 478.1. Tse’nikani Scenic Byway serves as a are in Kayenta, about 40 miles to the west 3 on US 160; these are listed below. rural major collector per the Federal There are pedestrian advance crossing Highway Administration (FHWA) and school advance warning signs along March 2005 Approved Federal Functional the byway in Rock Point. There are turn Lodging Classification. The highway passes through lanes in some sections of Tse’nikani Scenic Lodging in Kayenta includes: Round Rock, Rock Point, and provides Byway in Rock Point, between MP 494.0 access to Emmanuel Mission, Red Valley, ◊ Best Western Wetherill Inn, Kayenta; and MP 495.0. Sweetwater, and Cove. 54 rooms. ◊ Holiday Inn, Kayenta; 160 rooms. Tse’nikani Scenic Byway is a two-lane, ◊ Hampton Inn, Kayenta; 73 rooms. asphalt roadway from MP 467.0 to MP 510.4. The paved roadway is approximately 24 feet wide with roadway edge line Restaurants and center line pavement striping. The There are several small restaurants and pavement has crack sealing and small fast-food outlets in Kayenta. sections at multiple locations along the study segment have been resurfaced. Public Restrooms The roadway functions as free flow for There are no state highway rest areas along traffic with 65 mph posted speed limit The view from the pass near Milepost 472.0 Tse’nikani Scenic Byway. Travelers must and no traffic control from MP 467.0 go to Kayenta to find facilities. to MP 471.6 and from MP 472.2 to MP 477.8. The speed reduces to 55 mph as the highway traverses over winding curves DRAFT August 2013 Traffic Data The Florida DOT Quality Level of Service (LOS) data is obtained for the study period from Handbook defines LOS criteria based on June 2004 to February 2007. A summary In 2007, ADOT reported the average annual ADT on highways. Table 1 summarizes the of crash statistics along the byway for the daily traffic (AADT) along Tse’nikani LOS criteria from the 2002 FDOT Quality study period is as follows: Scenic Byway was 1,400 between MP LOS Handbook. Based on this LOS criterion, 461.7 to MP 477.9 and 1,000 between MP ◊ A total of 22 crashes were recorded Tse’nikani Scenic Byway experiences a LOS during the study period. 477.9 and MP 510.3. The projected average A for year 2007 and is LOS A approaching ◊ There were four (18 percent) fatal daily traffic (ADT) for the year 2030 is LOS B for year 2030 forecasted traffic crashes, six (27 percent) injury crashes, 4,100 per the ADOT Arizona Statewide volumes. Travel Demand Model (September 2008, and 12 (55 percent) property damage draft). According to Highway Performance only crashes. Managements Systems 2005, the highway Crash Data Table 2 summarizes the factors contributing presently has a daily truck percentage of Crash data for Tse’nikani Scenic Byway to the fatal crashes. 4 four percent single-unit trucks and five between MP 467.0 to MP 510.4 was obtained ◊ There were 15 single vehicle crashes, percent multiple-unit trucks.