c TA Arches iiii Travel in 1960 O Proves Proves' Vau of Development Plan Travel figures for the year 1960 just complied compiled at Arches I national monument headquarters prove that work programmed program mcd med under the Mission 66 program pro I gram has accomplished Its Us Intended In tended purpose Superintendent Bates nates E E. E Wilson Wil WU son stated Wednesday morning that persons visited the monument during 1900 1960 20 per percent percent percent cent more than the persons persons per per- sons song who xv Were ere tallied last year A high December travel figure I of 1946 contributed to the high annual visitation figure Estimates Estimates Esti Estl mates published by the National Park Service at the beginning of cf the Mission 66 development program pro pro- pro 1 I four showed gram years ago i that around 70 thousand I tors would see the Arches by i 1960 1000 This months month's figures prove I out the original estimates The Mission 66 program has seen development work at Arches Arches Arches Ar Ar- ches progress more rapidly during during dur dur- ing the past four years than during the entire period of ot time since the orca area was withdrawn as a scenic monument It was designed a ao a looking forward I program for the National Park Parl system Intended to so develop and staff these priceless possessions posses posses- along of the American people as asto asto asto to permit their wisest possible use maximum enjoyment for forI I those who use them and maxImum maximum maxi maxI- mum protection of the scientific ic wilderness and historic resources re resources re re- sources that give them distine- distine I I. I tion nn n Most Important Phase Phu I The most Important phase of the program has of course I been construction Modern l roads and amt welt well planned trails utilitIes utilities ies irs camp grounds and many marty kinds of structures n needed for Cor public use or administration have been deemed most necessary necessary sary In developing the areas to their maximum use Arches has profited tremendously from the up stepped construction program First on the agenda was a new entrance road built at a n cost of three- three quarters of a n million doUrs Th The 3 first paved road rond into the tho area the new entrance way opened up the seen little-seen Courthouse Towers area to tourist travel and since completion of the road two years ears ago Courthouse Towers Tow ers has become one of the most popular sections of the Arches Next on the program wasI was construction of a residence for fori forthe forthe I i the supervisory ranger and inter la later later la- la ter construction of a visitor center at n a cost of nearly a n quarter of a million dollars It includes an entrance station where a ranger can meet and orient au nil all visitors as they arrive arrive ar ar- ar rive and Just Installed an automatic auto auto- II matic maUc colored slide program with narration which gives the he viewer a twenty-minute twenty Insight to the scenic wonders found in Arches monument and in other areas near Moab Noab Construction Now I Now under construction is a scenic loop drive extending the entrance road through the Windows Windows Win Win- dows section of the Arches Being Being Be Be- ing built by W. W V. V W. W Clyde Clyd Construction Construction Construction Con Con- Co the road Is costIng costing cost cost- ing thousand and engineering engineering engineering engin engin- done by the Bureau of Public Roads cost another 34 thousand According to Superintendent Wilson final grading work Is Isnow Isnow isnow now under way and is expected to start on the road fOad within the next week week The end endor of or January will see the road ready for surface hard-surface asphalt but actual paving will be delayed until warmer wanner weather Thi ThiS construction will leave only two stretches of road left The rhe longest stretch will be built from Balanced Rock Into the Devils Devil's Garden area It win will willbe be approximately 9 miles In length The shorter three mile road will vuU be built to Cabin just under Delicate arch Although no definite date has baa been set for construction of these two roads they have been i programmed under unde the ro p g and d- d dah ah be made to appropriate funds prior to 1966 the Intended completion date for the building p program nm Other important Another important phase in development work In the national nation nation- al park system is that of adequately ade ade- staffing various As construction work InI Increases in increases In- In creases larger arger staffs are necesSarY neo nee I essary to operate the parks and an monuments Arches has been receiving increases in increases increases in- in creases to its staff during the past ast few years and will eventually even have a staff large enough to adequately handle handie the increasing Increasing in creasing number of visitor Superintendent Wilson now now has a staff of Supervisory Ranger Ran Ran- ger Administrative Assistant Assistant- Maln Maintenance Superintendent and authorization for a alist although that position has ha not yet been filled In addition temporary rangers are employed employ employ- ed during peak travel months and under Mission 66 the monument monument mama mama- ment will gain several other permanent and several more snore temporary personnel Addition of employees means of course more construction In housing ta facilities Arches will have under Mission 68 66 66 four residences and a unit four structure truc- truc ture built At the present time trailer houses are being used to hous how and their use will be discontinued 8 as in increases In creases are ml made de t tn to the headquarters head quarters quarten area Total Cost 22 Million The total cost of the Mission 66 60 program in Arches national monument was originally figured figur figur- ed at million So far well better than half that amount has been spent The program was scheduled to eliminate the most pressing problems first and that has been done with construction of the modern entrance en trance road and attractive visitors visitor's visitors visitor's tors tor's center When completed the monument monument monument ment will attract many mans more visitors t than ban are now seeing the attraction The visitor wilt will be met b. b by a IS representative of ot th the National Par Parl arI Service be he will find information about facUlties facilities ies lea inside the monument he will willbe willbe be assisted in planning his bis stay tay to obtain the th gre greatest test satisfaction tion from a visit he will be ho assured assured as as- of ot adequate information and interpretation concerning the story of 01 the area area and be he will wul b b. H able to better understand under under- stand the geology an and processes SeS of erosion which have made the what It h Is Js He lIe will wUl be ba assured as as- a safe sate pleasant and aU lat trip through h Uw tM he mon nor Q The rs of ha he Arches wilt will remain maln un unchanged hanged they wI wK wIg merely ly be made more accessible am understandable to th the tho tho thousands thousands thou thou- sands sandI of Americans Americana s seeking enJoyment en en- and Inspiration In nature na na- lures ture's splendid work