DOT ANNOUNCES INITIAL RECREATIONAL TRAILS PROGRAM ALLOCATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1998

Federal Highway Administration
January 29, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, January 29, 1998
Contact: Karen Whitney
Telephone: 202-366-0660
FHWA 5-98

Secretary of Transportation Rodney E. Slater today announced awards of $7.3 million in initial allocations to the 50 states and the District of Columbia through the National Recreational Trails Funding Program.

"Recreational trails provide unique access to our nation’s scenic and historic areas," Secretary Slater said. "They are an important part of our intermodal transportation system and underscore how transportation is much more than concrete, asphalt and steel. These funds will help states implement projects that meet their recreation and tourism needs."

The National Recreational Trails Funding Program provides funds to states to construct and maintain recreational trails for motorized and non-motorized recreational trail users. Recreational Trails Program funds may be used to develop urban trails; maintain existing recreational trails, including grooming and maintenance of trails across snow; restore areas damaged by trail use; develop trailside and trailhead facilities; provide features that facilitate the access and use of trails by people with disabilities; acquire easements for trails; acquire property from a willing seller; and construct new trails. The states develop procedures to select projects for funding.

The National Recreational Trails Funding Program is administered by the department’s Federal Highway Administration. To be eligible to receive a trails program allocation, a state must have a recreational trail advisory board with both motorized and nonmotorized trail user representation. Half of the funds are allocated equally among all eligible states. The remaining funds are distributed to eligible states in direct proportion to their non-highway recreational fuel use.

The accompanying table lists the fiscal 1998 National Recreational Trails Funding Program allocations released today.

State and Amount

Alabama $ 149,049

Alaska 83,853

Arizona 133,696

Arkansas 137,081

California 510,774

Colorado 126,089

Connecticut 89,749

Delaware 79,340

District of Columbia 71,325

Florida 290,715

Georgia 198,590

Hawaii 83,048

Idaho 108,128

Illinois 187,696

Indiana 131,469

Iowa 111,036

Kansas 130,647

Kentucky 126,516

Louisiana 171,849

Maine 101,131

Maryland 113,806

Massachusetts 112,828

Michigan 192,140

Minnesota 147,350

Mississippi 130,240

Missouri 161,096

Montana 95,665

Nebraska 90,526

Nevada 93,965

New Hampshire 86,681

New Jersey 158,161

New Mexico 135,339

New York 168,530

North Carolina 173,073

North Dakota 82,563

Ohio 194,692

Oklahoma 122,633

Oregon 121,110

Pennsylvania 194,982

Rhode Island 81,614

South Carolina 132,388

South Dakota 85,831

Tennessee 138,206

Texas 342,721

Utah 106,315

Vermont 83,164

Virginia 211,505

Washington 145,484

West Virginia 111,561

Wisconsin 145,356

Wyoming 93,844

TOTAL $7,275,150