Green Dot Roads

[Jerry]

Green Dot Roads

We have alluded to them in tour announcements and trip
reports, but here is the real low down skinny on Green
Dot roads as explained by Laura Applegate, Volunteer
and Outreach Coordinator, Department of Natural
Resources, and thanks to Clay at the Eastern
Washington Off Road Forum (
http://cegranch.com/phpBB/index.php ) for bringing
this explanation to our attention.

Green dot roads are a cooperative road management
program between public land management agencies and
private landowners. In the Green Dot Road Management
System all roads in an area are closed unless posted
open with a green dot. Roads identified as ?green dot
roads? on green dot maps and posted with a round green
reflector on white markers are open to public motor
vehicles. Green dot maps of most areas are free and
available at Washington Department of Fish and
Wildlife and Department of Natural Resources offices.
Some maps and agreements are being reformatted due to
current land exchanges and are out of print right now.


Except for roads open by green dot designation, all
roads and trails are closed to all motor vehicles
including ATVs and snowmobiles. Violators will be
subject to prosecution pursuant to W.A.C. 232.12.187.
Closing sensitive areas helps protect fish from
sediment running off of roads, migratory routes of big
game, wildlife habitat, and timber and road resources
while allowing for safe and fun recreation
opportunities. The green dot roads are meant to remain
at a net amount of miles, so when one section is
removed from the management agreement, another may be
added of equal length. Roads designated as green dot
can change as harvest or sites are identified, which
may need protection or rehabilitation. We appreciate
help from users in maintaining and educating about our
green dot system!

[Steve]

That's the best explanation I've heard yet.

Do you know if they use any other dot colors such as red?

If so, I'll be in trouble with my color blindness.

Steve

[Jerry]

Do you know if they use any other dot colors such as red? If so, I'll be in trouble with my color blindness.

LOL Maybe somebody else has had experience with colored dots other than green, but not me. There are frequently 2 green dots per post instead of just one, but I have never heard of red dots, blue dots, brown dots or pink dots - at least not on DNR posts. Hmmm, I wonder what 2 dots signifies? That, my friends, will be our unofficial homework study for the week.
Jerry

[Jerry]

Reply from Laura Applegate, DNR, re: colors and double dots

Good question! Only green dots are used on the system (no other colors), and when there are two dots it?s probably because one dot was in bad condition and another was placed on the post to replace the other. Posts with two dots don?t have any different meaning than posts with one dot.

[Steve]

Well thats good to know. Thanks for getting that info Jerry.

Steve

[Steve]

Here's another one. The Forest Service (at least in the Cle Elum district) has a Green Diamond system. The best I could determine was that the roads/trails marked with the green diamond are open to travel and/or orv use.

I wasn't able to find much information by doing a quick search on Google.

Steve