Ouachita National Forest road 776 in Arkansas

[bugo]

Note: This was an MTR post from 11/18/97.  I never got an answer so I thought I'd repost it here and now.

In Scott and Yell Counties, AR, paralleling AR 28, there is Forest Service Road 776.  The strange thing about this road is it is paved, has a center stripe,  highway signing, and modern bridges.  It appears to have been built pre-1970.  It begins at 28 and goes about 10 miles or so.  Then, it comes to a "T" on a regular gravel forest service road.  About a mile before this terminus, FS road 776A turns off to the right.  This road goes about 2 or 3 miles, and crosses a typical Forest Service paved ford and turns into a very narrow gravel road.  There are no signs of civilization along this road, not even any visible houses.  This is the only road like this in the Ouachita National Forest that I am aware of.  On some older official AHTD highway maps (mid 80's), this road is marked.  I checked my collection of old maps, and it doesn't seem to ever have been a state highway.  This road is a real gem, as it is almost completely grown up with weeds at some points.  It obviously was built for a reason.  My question is why was it built?  It just seems strange for a road to parallel a state highway, branch off, and abruptly end.  It seems a bit fishy to me.  Any ideas???

Here is the beginning of the road at AR 28:  Head east to see the rest of the road.  Google shows it as CR 22 and CR 622 and the "Million Dollar Highway" and parts as CR 970.  FS 770A is shown as CR 610.  Next time I'm in Arkansas I'll drive this road again and maybe even get a video.

http://goo.gl/maps/tVkYk

[AHTD]

According to our records, State Highway 28 has been part of the system since 1929. We have not found any records of the Forest Service Road being a portion of the state highway system.

[bugo]

I knew it wasn't a state highway because it's built to different standards than AHTD uses.  It was built by the Forest Service...but why?  That is my question.

[AHTD]

Consult the Forestry Service.