University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 1977 Public transportation in Glacier National Park Janet Allyce Eisner The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Eisner, Janet Allyce, "Public transportation in Glacier National Park" (1977). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 3334. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/3334 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN GLACIER NATIONAL PARK by Janet A. Eisner B.A., University of Wisconsin, 1973 Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA 1977 Approved by: Chairman, Board of Exami/ffrs De^j^^ Graduajw School UMI Number; EP36190 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMT DisMttition MiltoMng UMI EP36190 Published by ProQuest LLO (2012). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQuest* ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 -1346 ' 1 ' l ABSTRACT Eisner, Janet A., M.S., June, 1977 Environmental Studies Public Transportation in Glacier National Park (164 pp.) Director: Robert Eagle ^ Increased congestion due to heavy automobile travel within our national parks has, in recent years, caused park service personnel and park visitors to consider transportation alternatives for in-park travel. In various parks across the nation such alter^ natives are being studied and implemented with some success. Outside of a small, concession owned bus service. Glacier National Park in northwestern Montana offers no viable alternative to private vehicles. Not only does the park anticipate management problems as automobile-related impacts increase but visitors arriving without automobiles are unable to tour the park conveniently. This research proposes that public transportation options for Glacier be assessed in terms of their effectiveness in reducing private vehicle impact and in providing a convenient service for visitors. After summarizing Glacier's transportation history to date, public transit systems in other units of the National Park Service are described and evaluated. This not only provides a brief review of these systems but forms a basis for recommendations to be formulated for Glacier. It is suggested that a public transportation system in Glacier begin with a simple shuttle bus service. In conjunction with this service visitors would be surveyed both to evaluate the success of the shuttle bus and to determine its future and direction. The proposed alternative and associated study would not only address transportation needs in Glacier but would increase the interpretive contacts between park personnel and visitors. Finally, it is hoped that successful public transportation alternatives in our national parks may set a positive example for mass transit in the nation as a whole. n ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to thank the members of my committee for their patience and interest--Robert Eagle, Political Science; Chris Field, Geography; and George Stankey, Forest Research. A special thanks should also be extended to Bill Tomlinson of the Environmental Library for his continued support and valuable assistance. In addition, Don Hummel of Glacier Park Incorporated, has been quite helpful in providing the concessioner's perspective in this research. Finally, Phillip Iverson, Superintendent and Richard Munro, Manage­ ment Assistant for Glacier National Park have not only encouraged these efforts and provided information but have actively sought funds for alternative park transportation study. 111 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT.................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ..................................................................................... iii LIST OF TABLES . ............................................................................... vi Chapter I INTRODUCTION ............................................................................ 1 II OVERVIEW AND PROBLEM DESCRIPTION ............................ 12 Glacier National Park - Early History . 12 Concession History in Glacier ............................ 17 Visitor Accomodations ........................................... 17 Transportation .............................................................. 18 Concession-Government Relationship .... 19 Present Transportation Facilities ................... 21 R o a d s.......................................................................... 21 Regional Transportation Facilities .... 23 The Glacier Park Transportation Company. 24 Problem Description .................................................... 29 Current Public Transportation-Related Problems................................................................. 29 Congestion-Related Problems ............................ 32 Study Approach............................................................ 33 III REVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF RECENT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION DECISION MAKING IN GLACIER NATIONAL P A R K ............................................................ 35 i V V Chapter Page IV PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN OTHER NATIONAL PARKS..................................................................................... 47 Everglades National Park ........................................... 48 The Grand Canyon .............................................................. 52 Mesa Verde National P a rk ........................................... 55 Mount McKinley National P a r k ................................. 57 North Cascades National P a r k................................. 60 Yosemite National Park ............................................... 62 Conclusions....................................................................... 65 V VISITOR FLOW DATA FOR GLACIER NATIONAL PARK. 70 Method of Park A c c e s s............................................... 70 In-Park Travel .................................................................. 73 VI PROPOSED TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR GLACIER NATIONAL P A R K .................................................... 80 The S huttle ....................................................................... 81 Associated Research .................................................... 89 VII CONCLUSIONS............................................................................. 96 BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................... 102 APPENDIXES.....................................................................................................105 A Letter to the Park Service, October 7, 1974. 106 B Munro Letter, November 7, 1974 .................................. Ill C Outline of Study Approach for Glacier .... 112 D Task Directive-Transportation Study and M in u t e s .......................................................................................116 E Revised Task Directive ..................................................... 135 F Final Comments on Task Directive .............................. 157 G Recent Legislation ............................................................... 160 LIST OF TABLES Table Page 2-1 Routings for GPI B u s e s....................................................26 2-2 Regularly Scheduled R u n s ...............................................28 4-1 Contribution Made by the Park Service to Public Transportation Systems ............................ 66 4-2 Fuel Savings and Congestion Reduction Data for Public S y s te m s........................................................67 4-3 Use of Public Transportation Systems in National Parks ............................................................. 68 5-1 Entrance Station Vehicle Data .................................. 71 5-2 Passengers Arriving at Glacier Park via A m t r a k ...........................................................................73 5-3 Kali spell Passengers Aboard Frontier Flights for 1975 and 1976 ...................................... 75 5-4 Approximate Numbers of Visitors Arriving via Glacier Park L i n e s ..............................................75 6-1 Pilot Service Schedule ................................................ 84 VI CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION "...were it not for the Great Northern Railway, travel through Glacier Park would be practically impossible."' The history of public transportation to and within our national parks may very well begin with the nation's west­ ern railroads. It is certainly the decrease in rail passenger service in conjunction with the increase in private auto travel that has altered transportation pat­ terns in our many national parks