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Show PAGE 30 THE ZEPHYR JUNE 89 feedback the readers respond Editor: The BLMs proposal to pave and extend the Kane Springs Road Is presented as a benefit to the areas economy yet theyve Ignored basic questions that demand answers. Namely: WIN the proposed road bring more dollars Into the area? Win additional tourists come to the area because the road's been paved (as opposed to the current upward trend in tourist traffic continuing due to causes outside Grand County)? Will tourism slacken If the road Isnt built? Win tourists stay longer In the area because the roads been paved or will It simply offer an alternate route out of town? Aside from the obvious economic boost that will be generated by the construction phase Itself, what additional economic benefits do they see? During construction, how much money does the BLM estimate will be added to the local economy? Are their assumptions based on local companies successfully bidding the Jobs and that locals will be hired by contractors and that materials will be supplied by local companies? How much money will be pumped Into the economy through meals, gasoline, lodging, etc. purchased by the work force? Over how long a period of time will this happen? Once those answers are available, a balance sheet for the project can be created with those projected numbers all on the Income side. But what about the debit side? Evidently Grand County will be responsible for Improving the Egg Ranch Road, a sizeable cost In and of itself at a time when moneys are tight Wheres that money going to come from? The city In turn will probably have to Improve Its share of the route also. Where will those moneys come from in a community already strapped for funds and with a backlog of work to be done? A paved Kane Springs road will also require regular patrolling by the Will the department Sheriffs department yet another sizeable expense. reduce their patrols In other areas or will they hire more people and buy more dty coundl and county commissioners should immediately withdraw their support for the BLMs proposed project The project Is purely so the BLM can try to salvage something out of a previous bad decision. There are for better projects for the agency to spend Its dollars on (toilets at the SDckrock Trail for example, something the BLM says they cant afford, yet they have the money to build a road). If rejecting their proposal means well once Better that than to lose one of again be on their dirt-b- ag Hst, so be tt. Moabs prime assets. Hank Barlow Moab cars? But the most Important question of all Is: will a paved Kane Springs Road, an economy that Is healthy adversely affect the existing tourist economy and growing Impressively and how will it affect Moab's future as a recreational tourist based economy? Moab has deserved a reputation as one of the nations finest mountain Last year, Moab did well over 20,000 mountain biker days biking centers. (one mountain biker riding for one day). 1989 Is well on Its way to exceeding Yet only four years ago, mountain bikes were virtually 1988s numbers. unknown to the area. The growth In biking has been explosive and shows no sign of slowing, particularly given the unprecedented publicity Moab receives In national outdoor periodicals. Translated Into dollars (since were attempting to put all this Into perspective via a balance sheet for the proposed project), those 20,000 mountain biker days In 1988 pumped over a quarter million dollars Into the local economy (based on a conservative assumption of $12.50 having been spent on food, gas lodging, etc. per rider per day). 1989 will no doubt double those numbers, pumping from half a million to a million dollars Into Moab. At the rate the sport is growing, In five years, mountain biking could be Moab's single most Important recreation In terms of Its economic Impact (In the last three years, over 30 million were half which of were the mountain bike genre.) sold, bicycles In its current condition, the Kane Springs road Is, along with the Gemini Bridges route, one of the areas most popular mountain bike rides. It's easy enough that four years ago I pulled a bicycle trailer with my son In It over Hurrah Pass and down to the Colorado River then back over the pass to town and never once did I have to push the bike. The road is also blessed with a superb sense of getting away from the trappings of modern civilization precisely the reason most people come here on vacation. Ive seen cyclists in the '50s and 60s, parents with kids, novices on their first ride, and pro racers out for a training ride on the Kane Springs Road and all, without exception, consider It one of the best they've ever pedalled. Pave It and all that Is lost True It would be even easier to ride, but mountain bikers arent Interested In riding on paved highways. The objective Is to get away from cars, RVs and trucks. Plus the silence that floods the And during the construcwould like fine be shattered crystaL canyon today tion phase, the entire road to Hurrah Pass would effectively be closed to mountain biking because of the noise, dust and construction traffic. To what extent that would turn visitors off to Moab as a destination mountain biking resort Is hard to determine, but given the roads Importance In what we have to offer mountain bikers, the losses could be disastrous. The road Is also a wonderful walking and running route with nothing but the sound of feet slapping the roadbed and an occasional bird singing. During the past winter, I frequently ran up the canyon and almost always I saw people of all ages strolflng through the sublime setting. Almost all were locals out enjoying the land they Hve In the middle of. Conversely, I never see people walking along the main Highway 191, the Colorado River road, or the Potash road and for obvious reasons. Kane Springs provides a unique opportunity to enjoy a clastic desert canyon without the need of a four-wh- eel drive. Paving It would destroy the serenity that attracts people there In the first place. Windshield tourists on their way south following, the white Ine would no doubt be duly Impressed during the ten or fifteen minutes It would take them to drive through the narrows, but It would all be as quickly forgotten, lost in the Jumble of views accumulated Hke bugs on grills during National Park auto tour. a 3000-mi- le If Moab wants a healthy economy, leaving the road alone Is one way to get It Why? Because anyone who takes the time to drive, walk or ride the canyon In Its current condition Is somebody who obviously appreciates what we have here and those are the people who are likely to consider Moab a wonderful time or even a stood place to Hve. Instead of ptoft to visit time afteranother exit out of town, we should consider the paving It and creating Hke the golf course, dty park, swimming pool, our assets, canyon another of that make living here worthwhile. treasures and the National Parks It and becomes clear that paving Kane Springs Add up the balance sheet would be a disaster - for the canyon, for people, for Moabs economy. The To the People of Moab: Its great to be In Moab! At least we think so, but do Moabians wonder. We have been coming to Moab every spring (and sometimes foil) for three years now and we enjoy the camping and mountain biking a lot (And, not to mention the beautiful scenery.) But this time around weve noticed quite a few unhappy and unfriendly locals do you wish that we would go home and leave Moab to yourselves? If so, its a shame you feel that way. We are only here for a short while and we respect the land and Its environment! We work hard all year long and look forward to visiting such a wonderful place, but we would enjoy our stay even more If there were smiles on your faces. It makes a difference. So Smile!! It can make Ife a little more We wont be here for long. for pleasant everyone! Boy, think so? I Jill and Dave BreckenrkJge, Colorado |