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COALITION

FOR

RECREATIONAL

TRAILS

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Recreational Trails Program:

 

Report on State Trail Projects

 

Country Trail Scene

For the Federal Highway Administration by the

Coalition for Recreational Trails

 

 

 

Recreational Trails Programs
Report on State Trail Projects

October 30, 2002

 

 

For the Federal Highway Administration by the

Coalition for Recreational Trails

(Order No. DTFH61-02-C-00024, Requisition No. 67-01-1051)

 

 

This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the Department of Transportation in the interest in information exchange.  The United States Government assumes no liability for its contents or use thereof. The contents of this report reflect the views of the contractor, who is responsible for the accuracy of the data presented herein.  The contents do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the Department of Transportation.  This report does not constitute a standard, specification or regulation.

 

 

 

Recreational Trails Program

Report on State Trail Projects

October 30, 2002

 

 

Table of Contents

 

Executive Summary                                                                            

 

Background                                                                                    

 

Database Findings                                                                        

 

Trail Projects and Funding Statistics:  1993-2001

Trail Project Work Descriptions

Maintenance Project Funding Summary

Construction Project Funding Summary
Trail User Category Summary
Nonmotorized Trail Project Funding Summary
Motorized Trail Project Funding Summary
Education Project Funding Summary

 

RECREATIONAL TRAILS PROGRAM DATABASE PROJECT

 

Executive Summary

 

In 1999, the Coalition for Recreational Trails (CRT), working in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), developed a database of State trail projects that had received funding from the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) since the RTP’s inception as part of, first, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) and, then, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) in 1998.  In July 2000, again in cooperation with the FHWA, CRT initiated an update of the database.  By late December 2000, reports had been received from 47 States showing that the number of RTP projects had increased 58% to 3,983 while total RTP funding had increased more than 97% to $103.6 million.  The States also reported that more than $112 million in additional funding – a 109% increase over the previous total – had been obtained from other sources, including other Federal agencies, as well as State and local governments and trails group.  In October 2001, FHWA and CRT entered into a three-year agreement, with the American Recreation Coalition acting as CRT’s agent, to continue the database project on a more systematic basis.  As part of this most recent effort, a preliminary report was prepared for the FHWA in March 2002, adding 797 projects from 29 States and bringing the total number of projects to 4,780.  This October 2002 report updates that information – adding 792 projects in 22 States for a total of 5,572 – and marks the completion of the first year of the three-year agreement.  The total RTP funding now reported has reached $160,228,492 and has been matched by $150,555,382 in other funding.  The information contained in this latest report has also been compiled into a searchable database that will be accessible on the Internet through the FHWA’s Web site (www.fhwa.dot.gov).

 

According to this latest report, the leading use of RTP funds – 38% – is trail construction or development, which continues the trend observed in earlier reports.  The gap between RTP spending on trail construction or development and spending on trail maintenance has widened slightly as 90% more in RTP funds – a difference of $35.5 million – has been directed toward those types of projects, up from 86% in December 2000.  Hiking and walking trails continue to attract more funds than other trails, with hiking’s share now at 63% (up slightly from 61% in 2000) and walking at 51% (up from 48%).  Three quarters of projects can be clearly identified as benefiting motorized and/or nonmotorized trail uses.  The ratio of nonmotorized to motorized projects has increased slightly and is now at 2.7:1 versus the 2.6:1 of two years ago.

 

Each State is allowed to use up to 5% of its RTP funds for educational programs that promote trail-related safety and environmental protection.  However, the States continue to focus on other priorities, reporting that less than 2% (90) of their projects were educational.  Two years ago, the percentage was similarly low when 56 projects were reported from a total of 3,983.

 

 

Background

 

A Federal assistance program for recreational trail construction, renovation and maintenance was created under the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA).  Under the program, known initially as the National Recreational Trails Funding Program, funds were allocated to all States and the District of Columbia during only three of the legislation’s initial six years (a total of $37.5 million) as well as during the transitional period of October 1997 to June 1998.

 

The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) amended the program – now known as the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) – most notably by significantly increasing funds apportioned to the States (reaching $50 million annually for the last four of the legislation’s six years) and providing contract authority for the program.

 

The legislation establishes requirements for project eligibility but provides substantial flexibility to the States on project selection.  Presently, there is no unified reporting process from the States to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), which administers the program, on use of the funds.  It should be noted, however, that most States have substantial, though not uniform, information available to the public on use of RTP funds.

 

The Coalition for Recreational Trails (CRT), representing all major national trail interests, has taken an active role in the RTP since its inception and shares FHWA’s interest in ensuring that the program is efficient, operates in full compliance with the law, and is understood by all interests.  CRT regards it as essential that RTP projects can be identified and evaluated by the Administration, the Congress, and program advocates.  The increase in funding for RTP approved as part of TEA-21 demonstrated Congressional support for trails programs, but this support will be sustained only if sufficient accomplishments can be demonstrated.  Moreover, FHWA has a need to monitor projects for compliance with statutory direction.

 

For these reasons, in 1999, CRT worked cooperatively with FHWA and the States to collect initial information on projects funded under RTP since the program’s beginning.  The data requested included project date, location and description, contact name, amount of RTP funding and other funding, types of trail uses, the Congressional district involved, and project highlights.  All the States and the District of Columbia reported information, in varying levels of detail.  CRT compiled this information into a database, which it made available to FHWA, trail administrators, and major national trail organizations.  A report highlighting key information from the database was prepared and submitted to FHWA.  As part of that report, CRT recommended that the data-collection effort be continued. 

 

In July 2000, again in cooperation with FHWA, CRT contacted the States to obtain information on RTP trail projects undertaken since the initial request for data in 1999.  By December, 47 states had responded with data on new 1999 and 2000 projects and 16 States provided updated information regarding earlier projects.  Arizona, Florida, Ohio and the District of Columbia did not submit information because they had not allocated funding in those years.  In October 2001, a new three-year effort to update the database was initiated by CRT under a contract between the FHWA and the American Recreation Coalition.  An interim report published in March 2002 included 4,780 projects.  That report has been updated and now includes 5,572 projects.  As part of the contract, the data from this newest summary report have also been compiled into a searchable database that will be accessible on the Internet through the FHWA’s Web site.  In addition to reviewing the basic findings summarized in the following tables, those accessing the database on the Internet will be able to search for projects by specific criteria, including State, type of project, type of trail activity and level of project funding.


Database Findings

 

By October 30, 2002, all the States had updated the data that had been reported in December 2000 regarding their use of Recreational Trails Program (RTP) funds.  Total trail project funding reported now includes 2001 projects and totals $160,228,492, an increase of $56,617,990 – or nearly 55% over the total reported previously for the first eight years of the program.  The number of projects reported increased 40% from 3,983 to 5,572.  In addition, the States reported that an amount equivalent to almost 94% of the RTP funding level $150,555,382 – had been provided by other sources, including Federal agencies like the USDA Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, as well as States, towns, counties, and trail clubs like mountain biking groups, equestrian councils, and snowmobiler associations.  This total represents an increase of $38,509,391 – 34% – over the amount of other funding reported previously.  The projects identified as new in the chart below reflect data that have been updated since the December 2000 report.

 

 

RTP Database Projects and Funding Statistics 1993 - 2001

 

State

New

Projects

Total

Projects

RTP Funding

Other Funding

AK

32

111

$1,616,819

$1,647,628

 

AL

   28 

105

$3,874,999

$1,495,525

 

AR

 40

106

$3,455,183

$1,865,418

 

AZ

 2

7

$429,982

$1,287,284

 

CA

 38

140

$10,176,945

$6,476,270

 

CO

48

$3,292,379

$9,965,153

 

CT

 23

102

$1,986,062

$1,269,251

 

DC

 9

10

$1,924,402

$579,575

 

DE

 11

33

$1,320,100

$2,477,865

 

FL

 21

60

$2,697,653

$2,419,138

 

GA

 17 

61

$4,276,815

$5,130,265

 

HI

 193

380

$2,301,525

$828,812

 

IA

30

$2,855,222

$2,040,168

 

ID

73 

173

$3,114,457

$8,040,978

 

IL

41 

75

$4,808,888

$3,376,162

 

IN

28

$2,591,444

$1,084,734

 

KS

 55

187

$4,589,762

$3,966,783

 

KY

 88

147

$3,372,150

$4,233,436

 

LA

23 

76

$2,500,248

$1,177,835

 

MA

74

$727,889

$948,137

 

MD

 25

173

$3,665,174

$3,585,174

 

ME

22 

131

$2,195,228

$1,489,895

 

MI

12 

67

$4,541,544

$2,001,042

 

MN

13 

96

$2,800,841

$6,906,214

 

MO

 20

81

$3,253,779

$6,503,608

 

MS

 25

63

$3,257,479

$609,764

 

MT

 41 

166

$2,011,460

$1,165,683

 

NC

31 

164

$4,852,368

$7,225,495

 

ND

 12

81

$2,196,770

$616,909

 

NE

22

$1,216,984

$87,500

 

NH

46 

165

$1,549,167

$1,688,886

 

NJ

47 

223

$2,655,399

$3,291,472

 

NM

 7

45

$2,315,374

$1,003,293

 

NV

19 

72

$1,607,841

$1,416,226

 

NY

43 

139

$4,254,231

$3,365,565

 

OH

34 

67

$3,580,089

$1,490,849

 

OK

11 

77

$2,165,926

$1,981,821

 

OR

17 

130

$2,537,712

$4,102,219

 

PA

19 

160

$5,961,903

$5,101,714

 

RI

 17

52

$1,452,560

$3,293,261

 

SC

15 

103

$2,053,325

$828,125

 

SD

 46

83

$2,625,267

$1,448,154

 

TN

 15

61

$3,001,701

$1,304,597

 

TX

 35

229

$8,916,460

$5,663,768

 

UT

29 

110

$3,764,484

$3,555,004

 

VA

43 

134

$4,818,975

$3,147,124

 

VT

 61

247

$2,208,267

$5,604,518

 

WA

37 

107

$4,033,399

$4,993,892

 

WI

87