[Birdtalk] Bear River Road Closure Update

[Betsy_Beneke at fws.gov]

Hi All - an update for you:

The county road that provides access to the Bear River Migratory Bird
Refuge auto tour route will be closed from approximately Monday, July 14
through mid September.  The road will be open from I-15 (exit #363) west
for about 8 miles.  The closure will begin at the major canal that is just
east of the Bear River Club (the dark red buildings).  This first phase of
construction will include installation of culverts, widening and raising of
the road, and an asphalt top.  The construction company has until July 2009
to complete this phase of the work, although they're hoping to be done by
September.  Work on the next section of road - from the canal to the
Canadian Goose Club - will not begin until Spring 2010.

During the closure this summer and fall, guided tours will be provided on
Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. and Saturdays at 10:30 a.m.  These tours will be
"behind the gates."   For more detailed information on tours, check out the
"Visiting" section of our web site.  You may make reservations for the
tours by calling (435) 723-5887, but walk-ins are welcome to come along
too, until the tours are full.

There will also be some construction activity around the wildlife education
center, as they'll be putting in a turn lane at the end of the driveway,
and building a bike trail from the north side of Forest Street running at
an angle across the grassland, up to our accessible parking lot, where
there is a bike rack.  We don't know when this work will be done, but
sometime this summer.  The wildlife education center will be open it's
normal business hours.

If you have any questions, please call our office at (435) 723-5887.


Betsy Beneke
Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge