Alpine Loop Visitor Use StudyPreliminary Data Analysis

Kendall CoxMEM Candidate

November 27, 2018

Outline Study Design

Overall Visitation

Types of Visitor Use

Historic Traffic Count Comparisons

Campsite Inventories

GPRA Survey Results

z

Study Design

• Visitor Use Level Estimation • TRAFx Counters• Direct Observation• Campsite

Monitoring• Visitor Use Survey

• Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) Survey

Observation Sites

Counter Sites

Survey Sites

Overall Visitation

•Minimum Daily Traffic:•5/30/18 – 197

Vehicle Count

•Maximum Daily Traffic:•7/21/18 – 2,194

Vehicle Count

MonthTotal Vehicle

CountTotal People

Count

May 9,037 18,566June 24,293 46,485July 55,687 112,194August 38,239 76,550

September 31,623 59,601

Season Total 158,879 313,396

Monthly Average

35,800 62,679

Daily Average 1,038 2,048

37%

46%

12%

5%

Silverton

Lake City

HWY 550

Stony Pass

Visitation by Entrance Zone

Silverton Entrance Visitation

Site Gladstone Howardsville Total for SilvertonMonth Traffic Count People Traffic Count People Vehicle Count People Count

May 533 1,052 - - 533 1,052

June 588 1,160 8,894 17,544 9,482 18,703

July 1,737 3,427 18,805 37,094 20,542 40,520

August 1,283 2,531 12,501 24,659 13,784 27,190

September 1,003 1,979 10,913 21,526 11,916 23,505

Season Total 5,145 10,148 51,113 100,822 56,257 110,970

Monthly Average 1,029 2,030 12,778 25,207 13,807 27,235

Daily Average 34 66 419 826 453 893

Lake City Entrance Visitation

Site Henson Creek Lake Fork Total for Lake City Month Traffic Count People Traffic Count People Vehicle Count People Count

May 3,553 7,008 3,819 7,534 7,372 14,541

June 5,222 10,301 6,090 12,013 11,312 22,313

July 10,859 21,420 11,792 23,260 22,651 44,680

August 7,544 14,881 8,390 16,550 15,934 31,431

September 6,196 12,222 6,663 13,143 12,859 25,365

Season Total 33,374 65,831 36,754 72,499 70,128 138,330

Monthly Average

6,675 13,166 7,351 14,500 14,026 27,666

Daily Average 218 430 240 474 458 904

Highway 550 Entrance Visitation

Site Corkscrew Poughkeepsie Mineral Point HWY 550 Total

MonthTraffic Count

PeopleTraffic Count

PeopleTraffic Count

PeopleVehicle Count

People Count

May - - - - 450 887 450 887

June 1,486 2,932 - - 1,203 2,373 2,689 5,304

July 3,500 6,904 3,627 7,154 2,773 5,470 9,900 19,528

August 2,646 5,219 2,171 4,282 1,911 3,769 6,728 13,271

September 2,243 4,424 1,515 2,988 1,637 3,229 5,395 10,642

Season Total

9,875 19,479 7,313 14,425 1,595 3,145 18,783 37,050

Monthly Average

2,469 4,870 2,438 4,808 7,973 15,727 12,880 25,405

Daily Average

81 160 80 157 52 103 213 419

Stony Pass Entrance VisitationMonth Traffic Count PeopleMay 682 1,345

June 810 1,599

July 2,594 5,119

August 1,793 3,537

September 1,453 2,866

Season Total 7,333 14,464

Monthly Average 1,467 2,893

Daily Average 48 95

Total Season Traffic

33,374 36,754

7,333

51,113

5,144

9,875 7,313 7,973

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

Henson Creek Lake Fork Stony Pass Howardsville Gladstone Corkscrew Poughkeepsie Mineral Point

Traf

fic

Co

un

t

Total Monthly Vehicle Count9,037.00, 6%

24,293.00,15%

55,687.00, 35%38,239.00, 24%

31,623.00, 20%

May

June

July

August

September

Average Traffic by Day of Week

15%

13%

14%

13%

14%

14%

17%SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday

Shoulder & Main Season Comparison

0

50

100

150

200

250

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Ave

rage

Dai

ly T

raff

ic C

ou

nt

May/Sept. June-Aug.

Daily Totals

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

5/2

5/2

018

6/1

/20

18

6/8

/20

18

6/1

5/2

018

6/2

2/2

018

6/2

9/2

018

7/6

/20

18

7/1

3/2

018

7/2

0/2

018

7/2

7/2

018

8/3

/20

18

8/1

0/2

018

8/1

7/2

018

8/2

4/2

018

8/3

1/2

018

9/7

/20

18

9/1

4/2

018

9/2

1/2

018

9/2

8/2

018

Dai

ly T

raff

ic C

ou

nt

Lake City Silverton HWY 550 Stony Pass Total Count

Memorial Day

Weekend & Packer Days

Labor Day Weekend & OHV Rally

SJNF Closure

FJ Summit & Hardrock 100

Hardrockers Holidays

Father’s Day

SJNF Reopens Peak Fall

Colors

July 4th

Ouray 100 Run

Types of Visitor Use

Visitor Mode of Travel1%

49%50%

Non-Motorized

OHV

Highway Vehicle

79,487, 78,375,

1,017,

Non-Motorized (0.64% of the Total)

0.28%

0.03%

0.33%

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Bikers Equestrian Hikers

Highway Vehicles (50.03% of the Total)

-

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

Jeeps Trucks SUVs Rentals CommercialTours

Campers PassengerCars

17.4%

12.9%

4.4%

7.8%

1.3%1.4%

5.6%

Off-Highway Vehicles (49.33% of the Total)

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

Rental UTVs Motorbikes UTVs ATVs

8.2%

1.9%

8.6%

30.7%

Historic Traffic Comparisons

2015 Traffic Count Comparison

Year June July August September Total AverageTotal Percent Change

Stony 2015 1,470 5,474 3,927 3,411 14,282 3,570.50 92.76%2018 1,605 5,172 3,577 2,894 13,248.00 3,312.00-

Eureka 2015 7,499 16,710 10,674 8,837 43,720.00 10,930.00 141.36%2018 9,206 23,320 16,346 12,932 61,804.00 15,451.00-

Corkscrew 2015 1,490 3,230 2,863 1,973 9,556.00 2,389.00 206.10%2018 2,956 6,978 5,287 4,474 19,695.00 4,923.75-

9,556

19,695

43,720

61,804

14,282 13,248

-

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

2015 2018 2015 2018 2015 2018

Corkscrew Eureka Stony

Tota

l Tra

ffic

Co

un

t

1997 Visitation by Entrance Zone Comparison

31.5%

54.1%

14.5%

0.5%

36.9%

46.0%

12.3%

4.8%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Silverton Lake City Ouray Stony Pass

1997 2018

1997 Vehicle Count Comparison

8,2704,560

9,48014,640

33,475

3,1805,144

9,875

33,374

51,113

36,754

7,973

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

Cement Creek Corkscrew Henson Creek Howardsville Lake Fork Mineral Point

Tota

l Tra

ffic

1997 2018

1997 Types of Visitor Use Comparison

1.5% 2.9% 0.0% 2.6% 2.1%10.6%

75.8%

17.1%

0.3%

8.2%

30.7%

8.6%0.6%

6.2%

38.0%

7.0%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Bicycle Motorbike UTV ATV CommercialTours

RentalVehicles

4WD (SUV,Jeep, Truck)

2WD(Passenger& Campers)

Perc

enta

ge o

f To

tal M

akeu

p

1997 2018

Campsite Inventories

MonthMonthly

CountDaily

Average

June 440 15

July 961 31

August 709 23

September 369 12

Total 620 20

Grand Total Count 2,478

Camper Types

42%

33%

7%

7%

3%8%

Tents

Camper Trailer

RV

Truck-Topper

Pop-Up

Van/car camper

Campers Per Month

440

961

709

369

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

June July August September

Tota

l Cam

per

s

Campsite Locations

18%

32%

50%

Engineer

Cinnamon

Silverton

GPRA Survey Results

31%

12%

1% 0%

53%

32%

50%

1% 1% 0%5%

47%

5%

51%

9%

19%

28%

11%

1% 1%

66%

26%

51%

1% 0% 2% 2%

48%

5%

55%

7%

18%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

2014 2018

Visitor Activities

41%44%

11%

38%43%

11%

36%

46%

15%

51%

39%

9%

41% 42%

17%

52%

34%

13%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Very Good Good Average Very Good Good Average Very Good Good Average

Useful Maps & Brochures Useful Information on the Internet Public Awareness of Rules &Regulations

2014 2018

Visitor Information Ratings

33%

45%

17%

38%

52%

9%

43%44%

11%

33%

41%

18%

52%

35%

12%

47%

41%

12%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Very Good Good Average Very Good Good Average Very Good Good Average

Conditions of Roads Condition of Trails Cleanliness of Restrooms & Facilities

2014 2018

Developed Facilities Ratings

34%

53%

11%

37%

49%

11%

39%46%

14%

39%

53%

7%

40%47%

13%

39%32%

22%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

VeryGood

Good Average VeryGood

Good Average VeryGood

Good Average

Managing the AppropriateUse of Vehicles

Managing Number of People Providing Sufficient LawEnforcement

2014 2018

Recreation Use Management Ratings

Resource Management & Education Ratings

40%

47%

13%

48%45%

6%

35%

56%

8%

49%44%

7%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Very Good Good Average Very Good Good Average

Providing Quality Education Materials Protection of Natural & Cultural Resources

2014 2018