RTP Grant Program Expires in 2009

RTP Overview

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

Federal transportation funds benefit recreation including hiking, bicycling, in-line skating, equestrian use, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, off-road motorcycling, all-terrain vehicle riding, four-wheel driving, or using other off-road motorized vehicles.

The RTP funds come from the Federal Highway Trust Fund, and represent a portion of the motor fuel excise tax collected from non-highway recreational fuel use: fuel used for off-highway recreation by snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, off-highway motorcycles, and off-highway light trucks.

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 non-highway recreational fuel use in each State. Each State administers its own program and over $700,000 in grant funding was approved for trail projects in New Hampshire 2008. 

RTP Program Expires This Year

The program is due to expire after it finishes distributing its funding in 2009.  Legislative action is required to reauthorize the program. The Federal RTP website lists current recommendations regarding reauthorization of the RTP program, but there are no guarantees the program will be renewed.  For more information, check out the Federal RTP site at:

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/rectrails/

Your Help Is Needed

It is very important that our legislators in Washington be aware of the importance of this program for our trails and our clubs.  Please take a few minutes to write a letter to your legislators.  Mailed letters have far more impact than email.  With everything going on in Washington, legislators need to be reminded about the impact of this program.  Things you can mention in your letter are:

• RTP grants require 20% matching funds or labor to get projects done, so every RTP dollar leverages an additional 20% more money.
• Projects compete for funding and only the best projects get picked.  (In New Hampshire, every application is scored and only the highest scoring projects are considered for funding.)
• Projects funded with RTP grants benefit thousands of motorized and non-motorized trail users over the course of many years, creating a multi-year impact.
• RTP funds come from a portion of fuel taxes paid by off-highway vehicles making it a self-funded program.

To help in your letter writing, we have listed RTP eligible projects below. Chances are that your club has purchased grooming equipment, improved trails or built bridges using funds from the RTP program.  If you can, please include example projects from your area and explain how those projects have helped improve the rider experience in your area.

RTP Eligible Projects

• Maintenance and restoration of existing trails.
• Purchase and lease of trail construction and maintenance equipment (Example: purchase of new grooming equipment).
• Construction of new trails (with restrictions for new trails on Federal lands).
• Acquisition of easements or property for trails.
• Assessment of trail conditions for accessibility and maintenance.
• 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 percent of a State's funds). (Example: Purchase of 911 signs in Coos County).
• State administrative costs related to this program (limited to 7 percent of a State's funds).

Who to Contact

Please address your letters individually to the following legislators:

Washington Address	Local Address
Senator Judd Greg 393 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC  20510 Phone: 202-224-3324	Senator Judd Greg 125 North Main Street Concord, NH  03301 Phone: 603-622-7979
Senator Jeanne Shaheen G55 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC  20510 Phone: 202-224-2841	Senator Jeanne Shaheen 1589 Elm Street Manchester, NH  03101 Phone: 603-647-7500
Congresswoman Carolyn Shea-Porter 1330 Longworth HOB Washington, DC  20515 Phone: 202-225-5456	Congresswoman Carolyn Shea-Porter 33 Lowell Street Manchester, NH  03101 Phone: 603-641-9536
Congressman Paul Hodes 1317 Longworth HOB Washington, DC  20515 Phone: 202-225-5206	Congressman Paul Hodes 18 North Main Street Suite 400 Concord, NH  03301 Phone: 603-223-9814