The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is a federal assistance program of the

United States Department of Transportation The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT or DOT) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It is headed by the secretary of transportation, who reports directly to the President of the United States a ...

Federal Highway Administration The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two programs, the Federal-aid Highway Program ...

(FHWA). It provides funds to the States to develop and maintain recreational

trails A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. ...

and trail-related facilities for both nonmotorized and motorized recreational trail uses.http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/rectrails/index.htm The RTP funds come from the Federal Highway Trust Fund, and represent a portion of the motor fuel excise tax collected from nonhighway recreational fuel use: fuel used for off-highway recreation by

snowmobile A snowmobile, also known as a Ski-Doo, snowmachine, sled, motor sled, motor sledge, skimobile, or snow scooter, is a motorized vehicle designed for winter travel and recreation on snow. It is designed to be operated on snow and ice and does not ...

all-terrain vehicle An all-terrain vehicle (ATV), also known as a light utility vehicle (LUV), a quad bike, or simply a quad, as defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI); is a vehicle that travels on low-pressure tires, with a seat that is stra ...

s, off-highway

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...

s, and off-highway light trucks. The Congress authorized the RTP for $60 million in 2005, $70 million in 2006, $75 million in 2007, $80 million in 2008, and $85 million 2009.

Background

On July 6, 2012 a two-year surface transportation agreement, called MAP-21, was signed into law. The Recreational Trails Program is continued intact with funding set at $85 million a year for Fiscal Years 2013 and 2014. The RTP funds are distributed to the States by legislative formula: half of the funds are distributed equally among all States, and half are distributed in proportion to the estimated amount of nonhighway recreational fuel use in each State. Each State administers its own program, usually through a State resource or park agency. Each State develops its own procedures to solicit and select projects for funding. Recreational Trails Program funds may be used for: * Maintenance and restoration of existing trails. * Development and rehabilitation of trailside and trailhead facilities and trail linkages. * Purchase and lease of trail construction and maintenance equipment. * Construction of new trails (with restrictions for new trails on

Federal lands Federal lands are lands in the United States owned by the federal government. Pursuant to the Property Clause of the United States Constitution ( Article 4, section 3, clause 2), Congress has the power to retain, buy, sell, and regulate federal l ...

). * Acquisition of

easement An easement is a nonpossessory right to use and/or enter onto the real property of another without possessing it. It is "best typified in the right of way which one landowner, A, may enjoy over the land of another, B". An easement is a propert ...

s or property for trails. * Assessment of trail conditions for accessibility and maintenance. Recreational Trails Program funds may not be used for: * Property condemnation (

eminent domain Eminent domain (United States, Philippines), land acquisition (India, Malaysia, Singapore), compulsory purchase/acquisition (Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, United Kingdom), resumption (Hong Kong, Uganda), resumption/compulsory acquisition (Austr ...

) * Constructing new trails for motorized use on National Forest or Bureau of Land Management lands unless the project is consistent with resource management plans * Facilitating motorized access on otherwise nonmotorized trails. States must use 30% of their funds for motorized trail uses, 30% for nonmotorized trail uses, and 40% for diverse trail uses. Diverse motorized projects (such as snowmobile and motorcycle) or diverse nonmotorized projects (such as pedestrian and equestrian) may satisfy two of these categories at the same time. States are encouraged to consider projects that benefit both motorized and nonmotorized users, such as common trailhead facilities. Other uses of funds specifically allowed are: * Development and dissemination of publications and operation of educational programs to promote safety and environmental protection related to trails (including supporting non-law enforcement trail safety and trail use monitoring patrol programs, and providing trail-related training) (limited to 5% of a State's funds). *State administrative costs related to this program (limited to 7% of a State's funds).

References

{{Reflist

External links

The Recreational Trails Program of the Federal Highway Administration

RTP Project Database

National Trails Training Partnership

2019 Recreational Trails Program Annual Report
United States Department of Transportation Federal assistance in the United States Year of establishment missing