Recreational Trails Program

 

The purpose of this program is to provide funds to the States to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both nonmotorized and motorized recreational trail uses. The funds represent a portion of the motor fuel excise tax collected from nonhighway recreational fuel use.

Active 20.219 Federal Highway Administration, Department of Transportation A - Formula Grants Fiscal Year 2016 States will obligate about $75-$85 million for about 1,200 projects. RTP-funded projects provide accessibility improvements, access to health and fitness, active transportation for safe and livable communities, youth employment, economic stimulus, and habitat conservation. Examples of RTP-funded projects include trails, trail bridges, and trail facilities for uses including hiking, bicycling, in-line skating, equestrian use, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, off-road motorcycling, all-terrain vehicle riding, four-wheel driving, or using other off-road motorized vehicles. States obligated about $69 million for about 1,000 projects. RTP-funded projects provide accessibility improvements, access to health and fitness, active transportation for safe and livable communities, youth employment, economic stimulus, and habitat conservation. Examples of RTP-funded projects include trails, trail bridges, and trail facilities for uses including hiking, bicycling, in-line skating, equestrian use, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, off-road motorcycling, all-terrain vehicle riding, four-wheel driving, or using other off-road motorized vehicles.
Fiscal Year 2017 States obligated about $83 million for about 1,200 projects. RTP-funded projects provide accessibility improvements, access to health and fitness, active transportation for safe and livable communities, youth employment, economic stimulus, habitat conservation, and enhance access to public lands. Examples of RTP-funded projects include trails, trail bridges, and trail facilities for uses including hiking, bicycling, in-line skating, equestrian use, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, off-road motorcycling, all-terrain vehicle riding, four-wheel driving, or using other off-road motorized vehicles. See the FY 2017-18 Recreational Trails Program Annual Report for more information: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/recreational_trails/
Fiscal Year 2018 States will obligate about $75-$85 million for about 1,200 projects. RTP-funded projects provide accessibility improvements, access to health and fitness, active transportation for safe and livable communities, youth employment, economic stimulus, habitat conservation, and enhance access to public lands. Examples of RTP-funded projects include trails, trail bridges, and trail facilities for uses including hiking, bicycling, in-line skating, equestrian use, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, off-road motorcycling, all-terrain vehicle riding, four-wheel driving, or using other off-road motorized vehicles.
Fiscal Year 2023 North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department is conducting a trail accessibility assessment to develop an inventory of all major public trails across the State. The assessment will provide a single digital public access point to reference trails locations, degree of accessibility, and general trail descriptions across the State. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Parks and Recreation Management Program partnered with the Wisconsin Horse Council, Outdoor Recreation Alliance Trails, and Chippewa Off Road Bicycle Association to offer three sustainable trail design and building educational courses. The funds helped cover the costs of hosting the course, including hiring a certified professional trail builder to lead the course instruction. Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act., Public Law 114-94, 23 U.S.C. 104, 133, 206
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Public Law 117-58, 23 U.S.C. 104, 133, 206 The FHWA may enter into contracts with for-profit organizations or contracts, partnerships, or cooperative agreements with other government agencies, institutions of higher learning, or nonprofit organizations using its administrative funds. For funds available to the States: the Governor of each State must designate the State agency or agencies responsible for administering this program. The State must have a State recreational trail advisory committee that represents both motorized and nonmotorized recreational trail users, which shall meet not less than once per fiscal year. If the State Recreational Trail Advisory Committee does not meet in a fiscal year, or does not have required representation, the State becomes ineligible for an apportionment. The State agency may accept project proposals from private organizations, or from municipal, county, State, or Federal government entities, and other government entities. The projects must satisfy one or more of the permissible uses. States may provide subgrants to Federal, State, and local government entities and to private entities, at the discretion of the State. The FHWA may enter into contracts with for-profit organizations or contracts, partnerships, or cooperative agreements with other government agencies, institutions of higher learning, or nonprofit organizations using its administrative funds. The State agency designated by the Governor. A State may opt out of the Recreational Trails Program if the Governor of the State notifies the Secretary not later than 30 days prior to apportionments being made for any fiscal year. Allowable costs will be determined in accordance with applicable cost principles listed in 2 CFR Part 200 for the kind of organization receiving the grant or subgrant. Preapplication coordination is required. An environmental impact statement is required for this listing. An environmental impact assessment is required for this listing. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. Most Recreational Trails Program (RTP) projects qualify as Categorical Exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). States may use programmatic agreements to establish streamlined processes for handling routine environmental requirements for commonly encountered project types. Some projects may require Environmental Assessments. Projects that may have a significant environmental impact may require Environmental Impact Statements. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. For funds available to the States: The States must submit project proposals to the FHWA division office located in each State for approval. The State may submit individual projects or consolidate similar projects for the purposes of program approval. FHWA approval constitutes a commitment to pay the Federal share of the project's cost. The State's projects also must be included in State transportation improvement programs and applicable metropolitan transportation improvement programs. For FHWA's administrative, research, technical assistance, and training expenses, FHWA may enter into contracts with for-profit organizations or contracts, partnerships, or cooperative agreements with other government agencies, institutions of higher learning, or nonprofit organizations to perform these tasks. Contracts are announced through www.fbo.gov. Cooperative agreements are announced through www.grants.gov. For funds available to the States: The State agency or agencies designated by the Governors decide which projects will be developed within funding levels, but the FHWA division office located in each State makes the final decision on the eligibility of specific projects for funding. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines From 5 days to 5 months. In some States, requirements for projects to be listed in statewide or metropolitan transportation improvement programs may add up to a year of delay. Not applicable. Not applicable. Each State (and the District of Columbia) solicits and selects projects for funding. To be eligible, projects must be selected on the basis of State priorities within the limit of the funds apportioned to each State. Funds from this program may be used for: (1) Maintenance and restoration of existing trails; (2) development and rehabilitation of trailside and trailhead facilities and trail linkages; (3) purchase and lease of trail construction and maintenance equipment; (4) construction of new trails (with restrictions for new trails on Federal lands); (5) acquisition of easements or property for trails or trail corridors; (6) assessment of trail conditions for accessibility and maintenance; (7) development and dissemination of publications and operation of educational programs to promote safety and environmental protection (as those objectives relate to one or more of the use of recreational trails, supporting non-law enforcement trail safety and trail use monitoring patrol programs, and providing trail-related training), (limited to 5 percent of a State's funds); and (8) State administrative costs related to this program (limited to 7 percent of a State's funds). Funds may not be used for: property condemnation; constructing new trails for motorized use on National Forest or Bureau of Land Management lands unless the project is consistent with resource management plans; or facilitating motorized access on otherwise nonmotorized trails. The USDOT encourages States to enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with qualified youth conservation or service corps to perform construction and maintenance of recreational trails under this program. Note: States must return 1 percent of the funds to the FHWA for administrative, research, technical assistance, and training expenses for the program. The FHWA may enter into contracts with for-profit organizations or contracts, partnerships, or cooperative agreements with other government agencies, institutions of higher learning, or nonprofit organizations to perform these tasks. Not applicable. Not applicable. Project records and documents must be retained by the State for 3 years following the final submission for Federal payment in accordance with 2 CFR 200. Statutory Formula: Title 23 U.S.C. Part 133(h), 206, and former 213(f) and (g) Public Law 114-94 23 U.S.C.

Matching is voluntary. 80%. The Federal share is subject to a sliding scale under 23 U.S.C. 120(b). Funds from any other Federal program may be used for the non-Federal match if the project also is eligible under the other program. Recreational Trails Program funds may be used to match other Federal funds if the project also is eligible under the other program. States also may allow a programmatic match: if some project sponsors in a State provide more match funds than required, other sponsors in the State may provide less. Some in-kind materials and services may be credited toward the project match. States may allow some pre-approval planning and environmental assessment costs toward the project match. See http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/recreational_trails/guidance/matchingfunds.cfm.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Funds generally become available at the beginning of the fiscal year for which they are authorized, and must be obligated within 3 years after the close of that fiscal year. The educational funds and State administrative funds are only available for the fiscal year in which they are apportioned. The method of money release varies case by case. State-level offices of the Federal Highway Administration (as listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog) or the State agency designated by the Governor to administer this program. Christopher B. Douwes
1200 New Jersey Ave SE
Washington, DC 20590 US
christopher.douwes@dot.gov
Phone: (202) 366-5013
Fax: (202) 366-3409 http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/recreational_trails/ 69-8083-0-7-401 (Formula Grants (Apportionments)) FY 22$73,593,308.00; FY 23 est $78,880,000.00; FY 24 est $84,160,000.00; FY 21$56,835,917.00; FY 20$59,974,528.00; - Apportionments to the States are based on statutory formula. All 50 States and the District of Columbia are eligible to receive apportionments. For FY 2023: $81,996,075 was potentially available (after the 1% return); $81,176,110 was apportioned (Connecticut and Indiana opted out for FY 2023). Awards ranged from $816,847 to $5,698,627; the average was $1,656,655. 23 CFR, Highways and 49 CFR, Transportation. There are no regulations specifically for the Recreational Trails Program. Program guidance was completed on April 1, 1999; and is posted at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/rectrails/guidance.htm along with program updates. Program guidance under the FAST Act is posted at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/transportation_alternatives/. Fiscal Year 2016 States will obligate approximately $75-$85 million for about 1,200 projects. RTP-funded projects provide accessibility improvements, access to health and fitness, active transportation for safe and livable communities, youth employment, economic stimulus, and habitat conservation. Examples of RTP-funded projects include trails, trail bridges, and trail facilities for uses including hiking, bicycling, in-line skating, equestrian use, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, off-road motorcycling, all-terrain vehicle riding, four-wheel driving, or using other off-road motorized vehicles. States obligated $69 million for about 1,000 projects. RTP-funded projects provide accessibility improvements, access to health and fitness, active transportation for safe and livable communities, youth employment, economic stimulus, and habitat conservation. Examples of RTP-funded projects include trails, trail bridges, and trail facilities for uses including hiking, bicycling, in-line skating, equestrian use, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, off-road motorcycling, all-terrain vehicle riding, four-wheel driving, or using other off-road motorized vehicles. See the Recreational Trails Program Annual Reports at https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/recreational_trails/. States obligate funds for similar projects each year.
Fiscal Year 2017 States obligated about $83 million for about 1,200 projects. Some examples of projects include: -Fort Thomas Ohio Riverfront Trail in Kentucky: This project will construct a 1.1-mile trail for walking, biking, and canoe access along the Ohio River next to the Mary Ingles Highway. The project includes signage, benches, and removal of invasive species. -Great Western Trail Gooseberry #14 in Utah: This project in the Fishlake National Forest will reroute and construction 0.25 miles of road and 1.2 miles of ATV trail, and install bridges and culverts. -Russian Jack Springs Park MTB Trail in Alaska: This project will design and build new, and improve existing trails within Russian Jack Springs Park as single-track mountain bike trails. The single-track trails will be appropriate for all levels of experience and will be open year-round for all types of use. See the report at the link below which includes a link to the RTP project database: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/recreational_trails/
Fiscal Year 2018 States will obligate about $75-$85 million for about 1,200 projects. RTP-funded projects provide accessibility improvements, access to health and fitness, active transportation for safe and livable communities, youth employment, economic stimulus, habitat conservation, and enhance access to public lands. Examples of RTP-funded projects include trails, trail bridges, and trail facilities for uses including hiking, bicycling, in-line skating, equestrian use, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, off-road motorcycling, all-terrain vehicle riding, four-wheel driving, or using other off-road motorized vehicles.
Fiscal Year 2023 South Carolina provided $100,000 for the Sullivan’s Island Beachfront Nature Trail in Charleston County that will add a 0.75-mile section of natural trail traversing the Town’s protected land to connect two National Park Service historic sites: Fort Moultrie’s campus of historical fortifications (and Visitor’s Center) and the Sullivan’s Island Lighthouse. South Carolina also provided $100,000 to enhance Renaissance Community Park (former site of the Carlisle-Santuc Elementary Negro School) in Union County by adding a 0.4-mile multiuse trail, improving parking, and installing interpretive signage referencing the site’s historical significance. Florida awarded $400,000 to Sarasota County to construct a 1.5 mile hard-surface trail and to install maps, directional, and educational signage. This is along the existing 20-mile Legacy Trail. The project improves the user experience and safety through decreasing user conflict and improves the access and use of trails by persons with disabilities. The Legacy Trail is Priority Trail within the Florida Greenways and Trails System.