Recreational Trails Program - Overview

The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is an assistance program of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The RTP provides funds to the States to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities for motorized and nonmotorized recreational trail uses.

Each State:

• receives funds apportioned by statutory formula
• administers its own program, usually through a State resource or park agency (See State contact list)
• develops its own procedures to solicit and select projects for funding
• has a State Recreational Trail Advisory Committee to assist with the program that must meet at least one time each fiscal year
  
  • in some States, the committee selects the projects
  • in others, the committee is advisory only

On this page:

• Description
• Funding
• Legislation
• Interagency Agreements

Description

• Program Brochure
  Description of the Recreational Trails Program.

• Federal Transportation Funds Benefit Recreation
  A description of how FHWA programs can benefit recreational interests.

• TrailLink 2005, Federal Highway Administration Presentation
  Cynthia J Burbank, Associate Administrator for Planning, Environment, and Realty

Funding and Projects

• Recreational Trails Program Allocations and Apportionments: Funding Levels by State

• Recreational Trails Program: Report on State Trail Projects - www.funoutdoors.info/05-14-2004 Report revised.htm
  A report for FHWA by the Coalition for Recreational Trails, documents accomplishments of the Recreational Trails Program on projects from 1993 through September 2004.

• Recreational Trails Program Project Database - www.funoutdoors.info/rtphome.html
  This database of projects funded under the Recreational Trails Program has been compiled by the Coalition for Recreational Trails from reports supplied by State trail administrators.

• Annual Achievement Awards Presented by the Coalition for Recreational Trails - www.americantrails.org/awards/RTPawards.html
  The Coalition for Recreational Trails (CRT) recognizes outstanding RTP projects through its Annual Achievement Awards.

Legislation

• Program Legislation
  Funding and Program Authorization and other related legislative provisions.

Interagency Agreements

• Executive Order 13195: Trails for America in the 21st Century
  To achieve the common goal of better establishing and operating America's national system of trails.

• The National Trails System Memorandum of Understanding (2006)

• Memorandum of Understanding for the Administration and Management of National Historic and National Scenic Trails (in effect 2001 to 2006) [EXPIRED]
  • National Park Service, National Trails System. www.nps.gov/nts/
    
    

• Memorandum of Understanding to Promote Trails Training and Trails Resource Information Exchange (HTML / PDF 760 KB)

• Memorandum of Understanding to Promote Public Health and Recreation (HTML / PDF 147 KB)
  Secretaries representing the Departments of Health and Human Services, Agriculture, the Interior, the Army, and Transportation pledge to promote uses and benefits of the nation's public lands and water resources to enhance the physical and psychological health and well being of the American people. See http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/partnership.htm for more information.

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