A proposal to create a multiple-use trail in Bryce Canyon National Park from Bryce Canyon City on the park's northern boundary is open for public comment.

The project is being planned in close coordination with Bryce Canyon City, Garfield County, Utah Department of Transportation and Dixie National Forest. The construction of the path is seeing as an aid in addressing traffic congestion within the park and the adjacent community of Bryce Canyon City. For those that choose to explore the park by non-motorized means, the path would provide visitors with a safe travel alternative from Bryce Canyon City, through adjacent portions of the Dixie National Forest and throughout the Bryce Amphitheater portion of the park.

An environmental assessment will be prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act to provide a decision-making framework that analyzes alternatives to meet objectives, to evaluate impacts to park and national forest resources, and to identify measures to lessen the degree or extent of any impacts.

The public is invited to provide input on the proposed multi-use path. Comments received during the scoping period will be used to help define the issues and concerns to be addressed in the environmental assessment.

The comment period begins today. Those wishing to provide comments should submit them in writing as soon as possible, but no later than May 16, 2013 to: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/brca, to [email protected], or to Bryce Canyon National Park, P.O. Box 640201, Bryce, Utah 84764.

Respondents should include their name, address and email to be added to the mailing list for more information about this project. Remember that unless requested otherwise, a list of all those that comment during public review periods, including their addresses, is available upon request.

A second opportunity for public comments will be available after preliminary alternatives have been developed, and a final public comment period will be available when the Multi-Use Path Environmental Assessment is released.