Stimulus money to fund improvements at Big Bend, Guadalupe Mountains NPs, Fort Davis NHS
WASHINGTON — Big Bend National Park is scheduled to receive $10.5 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (stimulus) funding for road and trail preservation.
The funding will allow for concurrent treatment of the park’s 123 miles of paved roads, rehabilitation of historic buildings and repair of infrastructure damaged by flooding.
In addition, the stimulus package includes $46,000 for preservation of a historic brick oven at Fort Davis National Historic Site and $309,000 for trail rehabilitation and upgrade to the Guadalupe Mountains Park Visitors Center.
Big Bend National Park Supt. William Wellman said the Stimulus Act has helped bridge the gap for maintenance at Big Bend, which is critical to allowing people to the resources found there.
“Big Bend is probably the most remote park in the lower 48 [states], and people come a long way to get here,” he said. “When they arrive, the only services they have are what the park can provide. They can only drive if the roads are in good shape. They can only hike if our trails are in good shape. And they can only enjoy a river trip if they can get in and out of the river.”