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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.