Public speaks out against BLM road closure plan

Several dozen off-road enthusiasts packed the county’s board of supervisor auditorium to protest a federal plan to close some roads to off-road vehicles in areas near Lake Havasu City. The county supervisors heard from a number of people who oppose the Bureau of Land Management’s travel management program that would close off some of the desert roads to off-road, four-wheel-drive vehicles such a motorcycles, quads and Jeeps. Joe Caldwell, of the Havasu 4 Wheelers, said closing down the roads will cause an economic impact to the county with four-wheelers buying gas, food, vehicle parts and other expenses that bring much needed revenue to the county. Closing some of the roads would kill local businesses. One speaker said that the economic impact to Mohave County from off-roaders was about $182 million in 2003 and estimates today would put it close to a $1 billion. Bruce Speirs, the president of Havasu 4 Wheelers, said gold prospectors who use four-wheel-drive vehicles in the desert also will be impacted. Others spoke of the incomplete and insufficient maps used by BLM to mark the roads and that BLM’s website is not user friendly. Many roads are not clearly marked nor have posted signs...more

Not to worry, the Mexican Drug Cartels will open them back up.