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Forest engineer warns of road maintenance shortfalls as staffing lags
Summary
Manti-La Sal National Forest officials told the Emery County Public Lands Council they maintained about 224 miles of road last year but face staffing shortfalls (4 of 10 operator positions filled) and limited maintenance funding (~$500,000), with a ~$1.5 million Skyline Drive project planned.
Daniel Luke, forest engineer for the Manti-La Sal National Forest, told the Emery County Public Lands Council on May 5 that the forest manages roughly 2,230 miles of roads and faces a tight maintenance outlook because of staffing and funding constraints. Luke said about 290 miles of the system are gravel and that counties, including Emery, perform an estimated 90 miles of routine maintenance under Schedule A agreements.
Luke said the forest completed about 224 miles of maintenance last year but is operating with just four of 10 operator positions filled and that a hiring freeze over the past two to three years has limited federal hiring. He described the annual maintenance budget as roughly $500,000 and said most improvements rely on timber-sale revenues and external funding proposals.
Current and near-term projects include in-house reconstruction work in Spring City Canyon, post-fire repairs in Millport Canyon, and upgrades at Joe’s Valley Campground, which Luke said are expected to be completed in June. He said the forest is preparing for a roughly $1.5 million project on Skyline Drive that would include culvert replacements and road improvements tied to timber sales.
Council members asked about advocacy options as they expressed concern over the workforce gap. Luke said hiring limitations are tied to broader federal workforce constraints and emphasized the value of coordination between county agencies, the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to maximize limited resources.
Luke also warned of an early fire season driven by low snowpack: gates have opened earlier than typical, and he said prescribed burns are not planned for the summer due to current conditions and grazing impacts. The council did not take formal action on the forest’s requests at the meeting.
The council approved the April 7, 2026 meeting minutes at the start of the session; the motion was made by Varian Allen and seconded by Les Wilberg, and the vote was unanimous.
