Maryland Trails Clearinghouse & Directory
Funding for Trails in Maryland
The Recreational Trails Program (RTP)
The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) provides funds to the States to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both non-motorized 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. See the Funding Levels by State.
Administered by the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA), this program matches federal funds with local funds or in-kind contributions to implement trail projects. Projects can be sponsored by a county or municipal government, a private non-profit agency, a community group or an individual (non-governmental agencies must secure an appropriate government agency as a co-sponsor).
Federal funds administered by the State Highway Administration are available for up to 80% of the project cost, matched by at least 20% funding from the project sponsor. Matching funds must be committed and documented in the local jurisdiction's budget. A Memorandum of Understanding outlining funding and project implementation responsibilities will be prepared by SHA and signed by all parties before the project funds are released.
Activities eligible for funding within this program include:
- maintenance and restoration of existing recreational trail
- development and rehabilitation of trailside facilities and trail linkages
- purchase and lease of trail construction equipment
- construction of new trails
- acquisition of easements or property for recreational trails or recreational trail corridors
- implementation of interpretive/educational programs to promote intrinsic qualities, safety, and environmental protection, as those objectives relate to the use of recreational trails
Preference will be to projects which:
- have broad-based community support
- provide linkages to or complete existing trails
- provide improvements to a trail in order to benefit or mitigate impacts to the natural environment
- will be accomplished with youth conservation or service groups to perform construction and maintenance
Contacts:
Terry Maxwell, Recreational Trails Coordinator
Office of Environmental Design
Maryland State Highway Administration
Phone: 410-545-8637 or 800-446-5962
Fax: 410-209-5003
tmaxwell@sha.state.md.us
| Street: | 707 N Calvert St Mailstop C-303 Baltimore MD 21202-3668 |
|---|---|
| Mail: | Mail Stop C-303 PO Box 717 Baltimore MD 21203-0717 |
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