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County, BLM and others discuss fencing Coral Pink Sand Dunes Road amid tourism-driven traffic increases
Summary
Commissioners, BLM staff and county road officials discussed fencing options, NEPA requirements, and funding sources for Coral Pink Sand Dunes Road to reduce livestock-vehicle collisions as improved road capacity and rerouted park traffic increase risks; estimates ranged from roughly $450,000 to $1 million to fence both sides of an 18‑mile corridor.
KANAB — Kane County commissioners heard a lengthy multi-agency discussion on Oct. 15 about whether and how to fence county right-of-way along Coral Pink Sand Dunes Road to reduce collisions between motor vehicles and livestock.
Commissioner Celeste Myers said the issue is driven by expected traffic changes after Zion National Park plans to restrict oversized vehicles through the Zion-Mount Carmel tunnel in mid-2026, which will reroute large vehicles onto county routes. "We expect that there will be a significant amount of reroute traffic on Coral Pink Sand Dunes Road beginning mid 2026," Myers said.
John Reese of the Bureau of Land Management (on speaker) told the commission BLM has limited annual field-office budgets but is willing to partner and pursue grant funding where available. Commissioners and BLM staff identified potential funding sources including the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), grazing improvement programs, the State Park Access Fund, and other state or federal recreation grants. County estimates flagged during the meeting ranged from about $450,000 to $1 million to fence both sides of the roughly 18-mile corridor; commissioners said a multi-party funding strategy will likely be needed.
Participants discussed whether NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) review will apply and which federal office should lead the environmental review; BLM said the NEPA path could vary depending on whether the fence is treated as a right-of-way action or as a grazing-related action. Commissioners emphasized balancing public-safety needs, rancher impacts, and equity across other county roads that also cross open range.
No binding county appropriation was approved at the meeting; commissioners asked staff to pursue interagency coordination, funding options, and data (collision reports) from the sheriff to better quantify need and prioritize segments.
