Recreational Trails

Recreational Trails Fact Sheet

Overview: The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) has been a highly successful and popular allocation of a portion of the gas taxes paid by off-road fuel users. SAFETEA-LU increases the portion of these taxes going to trails.  The final bill provides funding at $370 million over 5 years, starting with $60 million for the current year and increasing by $5 million each year until 2009, when funding reaches $85 million. Seventy percent of these trails must be designed for non-motorized use, meaning about $259 million will go to trails suitable for bicycling and walking. FHWA fact sheet

Location in law:  Section(s): 1101(a)(8), 1109 

What’s New: Federal Program Guidance  

This program is now receiving a higher percentage of revenue from off-road fuel taxes.   The requirement that states spend 30 percent of the funds on motorized uses and 30 percent on non-motorized uses has been tightened.  But otherwise, the program remains the same as in TEA-21 and new guidance is not expected.   

Who distributes the money?  

Recreational Trails projects are administered at the state level and are usually housed in the parks or natural resources department as opposed to the transportation department.  You can find your state’s administrator at the FHWA website.  The federal share of this program is on a sliding scale. 

Where can I learn more?  

• Coalition partner IMBA's webpage.
• The FHWA maintains a website about the program with lots of resources.  Be sure to look up your state administrator on their list.
• The Coalition for Recreational Trails monitors the program and gives awards.
• The Coalition for Recreation Trails maintains a database of trail projects and recently issued a very detailed report, Recreational Trails Program: Report on State Trail Projects  that analyzes program spending over the last decade.
• Be sure to visit the American Trails website.
• The America Bikes contact person for this program area: Jenn Dice at IMBA.

State by state funding chart 

The funding chart  gives the estimated funds going to each state for the Recreational Trails program. 

The funding actually distributed as a result of SAFETEA-LU will be higher than the authorized level in most states because of the distribution of an ‘equity bonus,’ formerly known as the ‘Minimum Guarantee.’  The Equity Bonus program is meant to ensure that each state receives a minimum rate of return on contributions to the Highway Trust Fund, among other considerations.  Most of the funds from the Equity Bonus program are distributed among many existing programs, and this distribution is reflected in the funding table.