Input being sought on new Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway plan

Mike Easterling, Farmington Daily Times
·2 min read

Members of an Albuquerque-based company that provides planning, surveying and civil engineering services will be in Farmington next week to collect public input for an economic development and transportation plan for the Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway that runs partly through San Juan County.

Paul Sittig, a senior planner for Bohannan Huston, said local residents will have the opportunity to provide their thoughts on the scenic byway during an event scheduled to take place from 1 p.m.to 3 p.m. Sunday, April 14 at the Animas Valley Mall, 4601 E. Main St. in Farmington. Bohannan Huston representatives also will be at the Grants-Milan Municipal Airport in Grants from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 13 and at the Gallup Arts Crawl in downtown Gallup from 7 to 9 p.m. that day.

The plan is being developed through the Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments through funding provided by the New Mexico Tourism Department and the U.S. Department of Transportation. The nearly 600-mile route runs through San Juan, McKinley and Cibola counties, covering parts of the Navajo Nation and Zuni Pueblo, as well as various prehistoric and archaeological sites such as Chaco Culture National Historic Park, the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness and El Morro National Monument.

Chaco Culture National Historic Park and other sites located along the Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway could draw increased exposure, thanks to a new economic development plan being crafted for the route.
Chaco Culture National Historic Park and other sites located along the Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway could draw increased exposure, thanks to a new economic development plan being crafted for the route.

Sittig said planners are hoping to hear from folks who have visited some of the attractions along the trail about what their experiences have been like.

“We’re looking for what they want to prioritize, how often they visit, whether they’ve experienced any parking issues and things they’d like to improve,” he said. “ … We’re looking to hear about the lived experiences of people from the area.”

One of the stated goals for planners is to reconstruct a Byway Council comprised of stakeholders from throughout the region. They also hope to update and expand the list of attractions in proximity to the trail.

Planners hope the development of the plan leads to increased visitation, but they also are looking to enhance visitors’ experiences, spur economic growth, improve New Mexico’s profile as a sustainable tourism destination and increase positive impacts on the local environment, according to the project website at https://engage.bhinc.com/TOTA.

Those who won’t be able to meet with planners at the mall on April 14 can complete an online survey through the website and see an interactive map of the trail.

Sittig said planners hope to have the plan presented to tourism officials by June, with implementation of elements of the plan taking place this summer and fall.

Input on the plan also can be provided by emailing TrailofAncients@bhinc.com.

Mike Easterling can be reached at 505-564-4610 or measterling@daily-times.com. Support local journalism with a digital subscription: http://bit.ly/2I6TU0e.

This article originally appeared on Farmington Daily Times: Plans for New Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway need public input