Hoosier National Forest to receive $1.09 Million
Bedford, IN—The U.S. Forest Service–Hoosier National Forest, received $1.09 million funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for roads maintenance and decommissioning and associated watershed restoration that were first announced by U. S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on June 2, 2009. This project is among the 106 projects, funded at more than $228 million, located on Forest Service land in 31 states.
In his announcement earlier this month, Vilsack stated, “These road maintenance projects will provide for public health and safety, resource protection, and access to lands in the National Forests.”
A diverse set of road maintenance activities will be undertaken through ARRA-funded projects. Individuals hired under ARRA will complete this labor-intensive work through a number of approaches, depending on the specific project area and needs: installing physical barriers at road entrances; replanting road beds; limiting erosion; removing fills and culverts; reestablishing drainage-ways; stabilizing road shoulders; and totally obliterating roads and reshaping roadbeds to match the surrounding area.
The work will cover the nine county area of the Hoosier and be accomplished over the next two years primarily through contracting and summer students. “This is a great opportunity to improve our road system, protect forest resources, and make the Forest more easily accessible to the public,” said Brad Lidell, the Hoosier’s Forest Engineer.
Breakdown of ARRA road funding on the Hoosier:
- $750,000 for road maintenance, reconstruction, mowing, culvert replacement
- $250,000 for replacing road and gate signs
- $30,000 for sign replacement on county roads designated as a forest highway
- $60,000 for road maintenance and brushing, culvert, gate and sign replacement in the Paoli Experimental Forest
