Parks need investment for future

Simple intuition and common sense back the premise of a recent report commissioned by the National Parks Conservation Association.

The premise is that national parks generate substantial benefits to the local and state economies that surround them.

And the study goes on to assert that the federal government has failed to adequately address operational funding shortfalls and maintenance backlogs in the parks - to the detriment of dependent economies.

Indeed, it's kind of like General Motors or some other capital-intensive operation failing to invest in production capabilities while expecting continued economic returns in the future.

The conclusions of the report aren't terribly surprising to those who comprehend the value of Glacier National Park as a major economic engine for the Flathead Valley and other nearby communities.

People come by plane, train and automobile to visit Glacier, and in doing so they drop a lot of cash along the way in Whitefish, Kalispell, Columbia Falls and other communities across Western Montana.

So it's a wonder how there can be an estimated $7 million operational shortfall and a $388 million maintenance backlog at Glacier alone.

No responsible company would operate under those conditions, putting off investment in its assets for someday down the road.

That's exactly what's happened at Glacier for a long time: Take Going-to-the-Sun Road, the main transit artery through the park that has been held together only through annual patchwork repairs since it was opened in 1933.

It's a wonder that the historic highway hasn't been shut down for a protracted period due to a catastrophic failure. We got a glimpse of how vulnerable it is this fall when flood waters washed away chunks of road and buried other sections under debris slides.

A long-term closure on the road would have a major economic impact that would ripple across the region.

Fortunately, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., was instrumental in securing a $50 million appropriation that will pay for a good share of a long-planned Sun Road rehabilitation project, which accounts for a huge portion of the park's overall maintenance backlog.

But there are other infrastructure needs in Glacier and other parks across the country.

We realize that addressing the problem instantly is not likely, but it's time for Congress to develop a long-term strategic plan to invest in parks that are not only nice to visit but also are crucial cogs to economies such as ours.