Roads

This page features completed roadwork projects and road improvement updates across Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. Here you can view highlights of recent roadwork improvements, stay informed of completed projects through our quarterly reports, and send us your feedback.

Road Reports

Please not that reports are of completed projects only and do not include work that is upcoming or currently in progress.

2025

2024

2023

2022

2020

Road maintenance requirements are outlined in the Area Management Plan.

Details about legal use for each road within Land Between the Lakes can be found in the Motor Vehicle Use Map.
Within the Motor Vehicle Use Map, you may notice that each road is assigned a Level, 1-5. The level of service provided by a specific road and the maintenance required for that road, consistent with road management objectives and maintenance criteria, is outlined below:

Level 5 – Assigned to roads that provide a high degree of user comfort and convenience. These roads are normally double lane, paved facilities. Some may be aggregate surfaced and dust abated. Manual or Uniform Traffic Control Devices is applicable. The appropriate traffic management strategy is “encourage”

Level 4 – Assigned to roads that provide a moderate degree of user comfort and convenience at moderate travel speeds. Most roads are double lane and aggregate surfaced. However, some roads may be single lane. Some roads may be paved and/or dust abated. Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices is applicable. The most appropriate traffic management strategy is “encourage.” However, the “prohibit” strategy may apply to specific classes of vehicles or users at certain times.

Level 3 – Assigned to roads open and maintained for travel by a prudent driver in a standard passenger car. User comfort and convenience are not considered priorities. The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) is applicable. Warning signs and traffic control devices are provided to alert motorists of situations that may violate expectations. Roads in this maintenance level are typically low speed with single lanes and turnouts. Appropriate traffic management strategies are either “encourage” or “accept.” “Discourage” or “prohibit” strategies may be employed for certain classes of vehicles or users.

Level 2 – Assigned to roads open for use by high clearance vehicles. Passenger car traffic, user comfort, and user convenience are not considerations. Warning signs and traffic control devices are not provided with the exception that some signing, such as W-18-1 “No Traffic Signs,” may be posted at intersections. Motorists should have no expectations of being alerted to potential hazards while driving these roads. Traffic is normally minor, usually consisting of one or a combination of administrative, permitted, dispersed recreation, or other specialized uses. Log haul may occur at this level. Appropriate traffic management strategies are either to:

Discourage or prohibit passenger cars, or
Accept or discourage high clearance vehicles.

Level 1 – These are roads that have been placed in storage between intermittent uses. The period of storage must exceed 1 year. Basic custodial maintenance is performed to prevent damage to adjacent resources and to perpetuate the road for future resource management needs. Emphasis is normally given to maintaining drainage facilities and runoff patterns. Planned road deterioration may occur at this level. Appropriate traffic management strategies are “prohibit” and “eliminate” all traffic. These roads are not shown on motor vehicle use maps. Roads receiving level 1 maintenance may be of any type, class, or construction standard, and may be managed at any other maintenance level during the time they are open for traffic. However, while being maintained at level 1, they are closed to vehicular traffic but may be available and suitable for non motorized uses.