The National Park Service (NPS) is hosting a virtual public meeting on June 2 to introduce the Vicksburg National Military Park-Wide Road System Study and to seek initial input.

The completed study will provide recommendations for options to manage the Park’s roadway structures more sustainably, explore new alignments for roadways and assess the reduction and addition of elements, according to a news release from the park.

The NPS is conducting this study following decades of erosion and hillside slope failures driven by the Park’s naturally vulnerable soils. Since November 2019, especially heavy rains have further eroded roads and hillsides in the park, causing earthen roadway structures to fail. As a result, vehicle access has become limited, with one-third of the Park’s roads closed.

“A comprehensive study of the Park’s roads is important to the Park’s operability. The 16-mile tour road is the primary means by which the public experiences the park,” said Carol Daniels, acting superintendent of Vicksburg National Military Park. “We hope that the public will take this opportunity to provide us with their ideas and feedback on ways we might improve safety, traffic flow, pedestrian and recreational access within the park.”

Initial public comments on the study will open from June 2 to July 2 and include opportunities to submit written comments and participate in a public meeting, which will be virtual.

The virtual public meeting session will be held on June 2 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. through the service Webex. Members of the public can access the meeting at this link: http://bit.ly/NPSvicksburg. The event password is VICKS1.

There is also an option to dial into the meeting by calling 1-408-418-9388. The access code is 187 520 8745.

The NPS will also accept written comments online or by postal mail for consideration starting on June 2. Comments may be submitted online through The National Park Service’s Planning, Environmental and Public Comments (PEPC) website at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/VicksburgRoadStudy.

Select “Open for Comment” on the left menu bar, open the “June 2, 2021, Public Meeting” folder and click on the green “Comment Now” button to access the online commenting form.

Postal mail comments will also be accepted at the following address:

Superintendent
Vicksburg National Military Park
3201 Clay Street
Vicksburg, MS 39180

Written comments must be submitted online or be postmarked by July 2 to be considered. Additional opportunities for commenting and public engagement will be offered during the course of the study project.

For more information about the Park-Wide Road Study including public meeting details, virtual log-in instructions and more, visit https://parkplanning.nps.gov/VicksburgRoadStudy.