Vehicular System

The term "roads", as used in this study, includes all roads which are available for the use of the public, regardless of administration, ownership or origin. Within the Pigeon River Country are county roads, others which were built by the Department of Natural Resources, and many drivable routes which have developed over the years through repeated use of trails created by loggers, fishermen, hunters and individuals for numerous other reasons. Many of these are not shown on maps.

There are presently well over 250 miles of roads which appear on maps and are available to the public in that they are not closed or posted against use. Just less than half are in the county road systems of Cheboygan and Otsego Counties.

Many of the mapped roads, both county and other, are in poor condition; some are completely impassable by vehicle; some are not recognizable as roads. Maintenance on the remainder varies from good to very poor, and in the spring, thawing and excess water create difficulties in many places.

Generally speaking, there is adequate road access to most places where access is needed or desirable. In many areas there are far more roads than are needed or are desirable for best use. Most unneeded roads and drivable trails are not county roads, but a few are.

Altering an established road system is difficult, may be costly, and has long lasting effects. Decisions, whether to close or abandon a road, improve it or to build a new route, should be the result of careful deliberation and consultation with people affected. In the case of closing county roads, a sequence of petitioning, public hearings and then action is needed. This, of course, requires the cooperation of the county road commission involved. Where other roads or trails are to be altered, an administrative decision is sufficient. It should have local approval and support.

Beginning in compartments scheduled for periodic management efforts under the Forest and Wildlife Management Plan of the area supervisor, roads included will be reviewed as to their status, conditions and need. Recommendations of the Advisory Council will be sought and an action program decided upon. Each year new compartments will be so reviewed.

Decisions may call for closing and abandonment; closing only to public use (retaining for service and work use); improving and adding stretches for public use, some to become part of the county system; or for improvement and maintenance. Within less than ten years, all roads now in existence will have been reviewed and decisions made.

Any roads to be permanently closed will be barricaded and allowed to return to natural conditions. Some tree planting, disking, seeding and fertilizing may be needed to hasten the process.

No through thoroughfares are planned. The counties will be asked to provide maintenance sufficient for needs but not to attract greater use or to encourage high speed. The Advisory Council will be asked to consider, recommend and gain support for all decisions regarding roads. Signs will be placed at points where roads enter the area, advising visitors that they are entering Pigeon River Country and the rules regarding the use of the area.

Proper decisions, area-by-area and road-by-road, will result in convenience of access where desirable and protection of seclusion where that is desirable. It will also distribute travel so as to avoid any tendency toward congestion. With this plan is a map of preliminary recommendations for a road system to serve the Pigeon River Country. Review and revision will very likely be needed.

Parking Areas: Narrow roads and many dispersed recreational activities such as hunting, hiking, and berry or mushroom picking creates the problem of roads blocked by parked cars. To alleviate this problem, parking spaces adequate for a few cars will be cleared and graded at convenient road and trail intersections for the use of visitors.

Service Roads: In addition to roads available year-around for public use, a network of service roads is needed to allow maintenance and work vehicles, as well as loggers, to enter almost all areas. Such a network will not cause vehicular disturbance in secluded areas, because of infrequency of use for these purposes.

Timber and cover management will require access at least once every 10 years. Where roads for public use are not desirable, these access routes will be designated as Service Roads. They will also be a part of the non-vehicular recreation system, providing routes for hikers and "grouse-walks" for hunters.

During periods of disuse, following each major use, these roads will be disked, seeded and fertilized to establish a sod cover for wildlife and to prevent closing by trees.

Haul roads for logging will be planned to become part of the permanent system of Service Roads, usable for recreational trail routes, fire control and hunter access. Oil and gas pipeline routes and access roads will be planned wherever possible to provide service roads needed for other uses also.

Roads in this category wild be closed to public vehicular traffic by the use of gates or other means and posted as to their status.

Landings: Service-Roads only lead workers and loggers into the forest areas. In many instances the work to be done then requires space for equipment, supplies, and possibly for certain tasks to be performed. Logging, of course, requires space for temporary piling of cut products, and more and more it requires preliminary processing at the woods site. Cleared work sites are needed at least every 10 years, in almost every forest stand. The term "landing" will be used to refer to these clearings. Landings will be created throughout the forest areas as each portion is scheduled for maintenance or logging. A typical landing will be approximately 100 by 200 feet in size, and will be on a Service Road, at least one-quarter mile from any road open for public use. They will be spaced as needed and it is anticipated that this will be done conservatively, additions being made as needs are indicated. Some may be smaller, others larger, as determined by the limitations of the terrain at each location.

Landings will also be useful for wildlife and recreation as small permanent openings with the usual variety of plants and shrubs of the forest edge. Those who use the Service Roads as hiking, skiing, or hunting trails will also find these small clearings very useful as secluded campsites, or as visibility clearings for hunting. Edges may be planted with occasional flowering or fruiting trees or shrubs and accent trees for variety.

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File:COMvehic.htm 11/27/2001