A billion dollars for trails! Celebrating 25 years of the Recreational Trails Program

W

e are celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Recreational Trails Program. Is that

important? You bet. RTP is a key funding source for trail projects and programs across the country.

RTP funding has been an essen-

tial ingredient in creating and improving over 21,350 trail-related projects nationwide, including urban greenways, nature centers, and horse, hiking, mountain bike, and motorized trails, as well as snow and water routes. States continue to add miles of trails as well as needed maintenance and improvements through grants to local project sponsors each year. It leverages hundreds of millions of dollars of additional support from other sources for trails, encourages cooperation among trail users, and facilitates healthy outdoor activity, as well as economic activity in countless communities. The RTP is also the foundation for State trail programs. Every State has established its own initiatives with a designated administrator for assistance on trail issues and coordi- nation of trail planning.

To further illustrate the variety of trails and accomplishments, the RTP Database also includes a growing online Image Library. Hundreds of photos of examples of RTP-funded projects can be found from every State and the District of Columbia.

Visit the database of RTP- funded proj- ects at www.recreationaltrailsinfo. org. See more on the RTP, including funding for each State, at www. fhwa.dot.gov/ environment/recreational_ trails.

Celebrating Walk to School Day on the Kalispell to Kila Trail, Montana

Snowmobile trail maintenance equip- ment at work in North Dakota

Because the funds are distributed for both motorized and nonmotor- ized projects, all trail interests have incentives to cooperate and learn from each other. Equestrians and cyclists, hikers and snowmobilers, ATV enthu- siasts and paddlers, have joined in  to meet the trail needs of all users. RTP funding is highly leveraged by community and State funds, as well as contributions from organiza- tions and businesses. Of the projects completed between 1993 and 2015, total RTP funding was over $1 billion with additional funding of $774 mil- lion, showing that RTP dollars were matched by 74 percent of other funds. Projects using RTP funds illus- trate a variety of the ways that trails enhance public lands and communi- ties across America. Some important           corps

RTP annual report for 2016 now available The 2016 Recreational Trails

Program Annual Report highlights the many ways that States use funds to build and improve trails. It includes examples of projects across the country and documents some of  The report was produced by

American Trails in partnership with contractor KMS Enterprises, Inc. for the Federal Highway Administration.

The report is available at www.fhwa. dot.gov/environment/recreational_ trails/overview/report/2016.

Keep up to date on funding and legislation supporting trails: www.AmericanTrails.org/support.html