Presenter: Andy Goldbloom

Commission Agenda Item No. 7
Action
National Recreational Trail Fund Grants
August 1999

I. Discussion: In May 1998, Congress re-authorized the National Recreational Trails Fund (NRTF) through a provision in the Federal Highway Bill. This provision dictates that a portion of the federal gas tax generated by gasoline purchases to utilize off-road recreational vehicles, such as dirt bikes and four-wheelers, be diverted to a fund to create new and maintain existing recreational trails. At the federal level, this fund is administered by the Federal Highway Administration and distributed to states via a formula that takes into account state population and sales of fuel for off-road recreational vehicles. Nationwide, the program was appropriated $40 million for the current fiscal year (FY99), Texas’ share of these funds is $1,851,942.

A federal requirement of the NRTF is that 30% of the funds must be spent on motorized recreational trails, 30% on non-motorized trails, with the remaining 40% discretionary. Last year we did not receive enough requests for motorized funds to satisfy the 30% requirement and carried $287,519 of FY98 motorized funds into this fiscal year. In addition, a few previously funded project were completed under budget and two projects were withdrawn creating another $62,304 available for reallocation this year.

In March 1999, a 90 day call for proposals was issued in the Texas Register. Cities, counties, state and federal parks and trail related groups were directly notified by mail of the availability of the trail funds. Sixty-five projects were submitted for funding consideration requesting almost $3.8 million in funds.

The Act that created this fund stipulates that states must have a trails advisory board made up of various trail user group representatives to be eligible to receive the federal funds. The purpose of the trails advisory board is to provide guidance in the distribution of these funds. The twelve member, Texas Trails Advisory Board met at Bastrop State Park in June to review the submitted trail project proposals and develop a list of recommended projects for funding. Each project was reviewed by the advisory board and ranked based on the quality of the project, its cost effectiveness, and its impact on recreational trail opportunities. Exhibit A contains the list of submitted projects, with funds requested by each sponsor, funding recommended by the advisory board and a description of each project. As allowed by law, the Department may utilize up to 7% of the state's share to cover administrative costs associated with this program. The small amount remaining after budgeting for projects and administration will be used for the program next year.

II. Recommendation: The staff recommends the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopt the following motion:

"Funding for 41 projects recommended in Exhibit A in the amount of $2,072,130 is approved."

Attachments - 2

1. Exhibit A – Project Listing and Funding Recommendations
2. Exhibit B - Fiscal Note (Available Upon Request)


Commission Agenda Item No. 7
Exhibit A

National Recreational Trail Fund
Recommended Project Funding

Project Sponsor County Requested Funding Recommended Funding Use Description
High Ranking          
Amer. Inst. for Learning Travis $39,830 $39,830 W New 1.0 mile nature trail
Armand Bayou Nature Harris $16,840 $16,840 WD Renovate trail add 850', surfacing
Bastrop St. Park Bastrop $17,666 $17,666 W Erosion control, bridges, signing
Caddo Lake SP Harrison $9,000 $9,000 WD Surface trail for accessibility
Caprock Canyon SP Briscoe $20,266 $20,266 BWE New 3 miles natural surface trail
Denver City Yoakum $30,000 $20,000 BWDS Lighting, benches, signs, parking
Friends of Katy Dallas $40,000 $40,000 BWDS New 1000' concrete trail connector
Galveston Island SP Galveston $49,600 $49,600 BWD Surface trail for accessibility
Irving Dallas $40,000 $40,000 WD Resurface trail for accessibility
Killeen Bell $59,600 $51,600 BWD New 0.5 mile trail, bridge
Lago Vista Travis $9,638 $9,638 BWE New 1 mile trail, signs, tools
Lake Livingston SP Polk $3,789 $3,789 WD Renovate existing trail, inmate labor
Lake Meredith NRA Potter $2,500 $2,500 E Water for equestrians
Lavaca-Navidad River A. Jackson $61,724 $61,724 BWDE New 5.0 mile trail, renovate existing
Longview Gregg $99,504 $99,504 BWDS Overlay of 2.2 mile long rail-trail
Nature Center - TPWD Smith $36,688 $36,688 WD New 0.8 mile nature trail
Northtown MUD Travis $68,525 $68,525 BWD New 1.5 mile trail
Pampa Gray $21,736 $21,736 BWD Concrete overlay trail, prison labor
Parrie Haynes TPWD Bell $16,400 $16,400 BWE Improve 40 miles of natural surface tr.
Pearland Brazoria $29,800 $12,800 BWD Extension of existing trail
Rockport Aransas $40,000 $40,000 WD Renovate existing trail, new 0.5 miles
San Antonio Bexar $100,000 $100,000 BWD New 2.3 mile trail, restroom
Southlake Equest. Asso Tarrant $9,925 $6,317 WE Water, hitching posts at horse trail
The Colony Denton $7,585 $7,585 WD Wood chip surface, benches, signs
U.S. Corps of Engineers Bosque $43,125 $43,125 BWE New 11.4 mile trail, restrooms
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Calhoun $20,289 $20,289 WD Surface existing trail for accessibility
U.S. Forest Service San Jacinto $24,800 $24,800 WD Resurface 1.1 mile trail, repair bridge
U.S. Forest Service San Jacinto $9,190 $9,190 BW Renovate existing trail, add 1 mile
U.S. Forest Service Houston $84,999 $52,734 WE Restroom, erosion control
U.S. Forest Service Nacogdoches $40,000 $40,000 WD New trail link, singing, benches
U.S. Forest Service Houston $29,329 $28,130 W Bridges, erosion control, signing
UT Permian Basin Ector $100,000 $37,680 BWD 1.8 miles new trail, nature loop
Walnut Bend ISD Cooke $13,282 $13,282 WD New nature trail, benches, signs
Whitesboro ISD Grayson $16,000 $16,000 W Move/renovate metal bridge for trail
Wichita Falls Streams Wichita $12,800 $12,800 BWDE Improve 9 mile trail, surfacing, fence
Austin Travis $120,772 $100,000 MB Signing, restroom, parking, fencing
Texas Motorized Coal. Upshur $797,651 $767,882 M Acquire 1800 acres for motrized park
U.S. Forest Service Walker/Mont $169,692 $100,000 M Renovate 56 mile motorized trail
Winkler County Winkler $7,660 $7,660 M Restroom, water, for motorized trail
TETRA Statewide $3,052 $3,052 Educ. Clinic for youth on equestrain safety
TMBRA/TBC Statewide $3,498 $3,498 Educ. Mountain bike safety program for kids
    Recommended Funding $2,072,130    
Medium Ranking          
Alazan B. WMA Nacogdoches $35,440 $0 WD New accessible nature trail
Blanco Blanco $27,500 $0 WD Renovate 0.3 mile trail, erosion control
Block House MUD Wiliamson $77,175 $0 BWD New 1.4 mile trail, water crossings
Chambers County Chambers $40,177 $0 BWDS New 1 mile trail, restroom, parking
Cleburne Johnson $81,940 $0 BWDS New trails in 3 parks, 1.3 miles
College Station Brazos $100,000 $0 WE 3 bridges for trail, signing
Conroe Montgomery $96,000 $0 BWD Overlay 3100' trail w/ asphault, lighting
Lake Meredith NRA Hutchinson $8,100 $0 W Bridge repair, erosion control
League City Galveston $88,620 $0 BWD Concrete surface existing, 2500' new
Pecan Grove MUD Fort Bend $100,000 $0 BWD New 2.8 mile crushed granite trail
Trinity Trail Pres. Assoc. Collin $51,655 $0 WDE Parking improvements, fencing, signing
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Burnett $99,242 $0 WD Restroom, parking, 0.5 miles new tr.
U.S. Forest Service Walker/San $61,290 $0 W Erosion control, bridge repair, park lot
Wichita Falls Wichita $100,000 $0 BWDS 3600' concrete trail in park
Low Ranking          
Bryan Brazos $100,000 $0 WD 0.5 mile concrete trail
Frisco Collin $100,000 $0 BWDS 2000' access trail, 2000' interpretive tr.
Jamaica Beach Galveston $57,480 $0 BWD New 400' nature trail, bridges
La Grange Fayette $50,000 $0 WD New 2900' trail, restroom
Lubbock Lubbock $100,000 $0 WD New 0.6 mile trail, restroom
Nacogdoches Nacogdoches $78,976 $0 BWD New 1.3 mile trail, bridges
Odessa Ector $61,711 $0 BWDS New 0.5 mile concrete trail
Pecos County Pecos $70,000 $0 BWD Fitness stations, bridges, lighting
Tablerock Festival Bell $34,133 $0 WD Parking improvements, restroom
TETRA Statewide $2,847 $0 Educ. Clinic to teach women to ride alone

Uses: B = Bicycling; S = Skating; D = Disabled; W = Walking; E = Equestrian


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