Presenter: Andy Goldbloom

Commission Agenda Item No. 5
Action
National Recreational Trail Grant Fund Awards
August 2001

I. Discussion: The National Recreational Trails Fund (NRTF) comes from a portion of the federal gas tax generated by gasoline purchases to utilize off-road recreational vehicles, such as dirt bikes and four-wheelers. The purpose of the NRFT is to provide funding for projects that 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 $50 Million for the current fiscal year (FY2001), Texas’ share of these funds is $2,414,742.

A federal requirement of the NRTF is that 30% of the funds be spent on motorized recreational trail projects, 30% on non-motorized trail projects, with the remaining 40% discretionary. Last year we did not receive enough requests for motorized funds to satisfy the 30% requirement and have an additional $270,888 of FY2000 motorized funds available for this fiscal year. In addition, a few previously funded project were completed under budget or were withdrawn creating another $105,663 available for re-allocation this year.

In March 2001, a 90 day call for proposals was issued. Cities, counties, state and federal parks and trail related groups were directly notified by mail of the availability of the trail funds. Sixty-six projects were submitted for funding consideration requesting almost $6.2 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 11-member, Texas Trails Advisory Board met 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, its impact on recreational trail opportunities, and geographic distribution of funds. 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. The Department utilizes 5% of the state's share to cover administrative costs associated with this program.

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

"Funding for 35 projects recommended in Exhibit A in the amount of $2,670,556 is approved."

Attachments – 2

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


Commission Agenda Item No. 5
Exhibit A

National Recreational Trail Grants
Project Listing and Funding Recommendations

Item No. Sponsor Project Name Project Description Funds Requested Funds Recommended County
  Rank = High (5)          
1 City of Waco Nature Trail Improvements New 1.2 mile nature trail, signs, benches, water $9,680 $9,680 McLennan
2 USFS Sam Houston NF Sam Houston Equestrian Trailhead Restrooms and water at 4 multi-use trailheads $100,000 $100,000 Walker
3 TPWD - Inks Lake SP Pecan Flats Trail Surface existing 1 mile trail, accessibility, restroom, signs $49,800 $49,800 Burnet
4 TPWD - Fort Richardson SHP Lost Creek Trail Bridge Renovate historic railroad bridge, move it to existing trailway $60,000 $60,000 Jack
5 San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance Prospect Greenspace Trail New .5 mile trail, signs, benches $14,800 $14,800 Hays
6 Richard Allen Com. Dev. Corp. Nolan Creek Trail New .6 mile accessible, linear trail, benches $50,930 $50,930 Bell
7 City of McKinney Erwin Park Mountain Bike Trail New .5 mile, renovate 7 miles of bike trails and restroom $40,000 $25,340 Collin
8 City of Lubbock Samuel Wahl Park New 1.5 mile nature trail, accessiblity, signs $100,000 $100,000 Garza
9 Lady Bird Wildflower Center Savanna Meadows Trail New .5 mile, renovate 1 mile of nature trails, signs $51,635 $51,635 Travis
10 Cross Timbers Equestrian Assoc. Lake Gapevine Natural Surface
Tr.
New 26 mile multi-use trail, bridge, signs, parking $100,000 $100,000 Denton
11 City of Allen The Woods at Suncreek Trail New 1 mile concrete trail, signs, benches $100,000 $100,000 Collin
12 USFS McClellan Cr. Nat. Grassland Lake McLellan OHV Trail Renovation of existing OHV area, signs $49,650 $24,750 Gray
13 Texas Motorized Trails Coalition Carta Valley OHV Area Acquisition of 1470 acres to create new OHV area $549,315 $549,315 Edwards
14 El Paso County San Felipe OHV Park Restroom, parking, fencing, water at existing county park $400,000 $320,000 El Paso
15 Texas Trails Network Trails Outreach Conduct trail construction workshops, outreach tour $50,000 $40,000 Statewide
16 Texas Bicycle Coalition TMBRA's Kid's Kup Play Day Bike safety and skills education $7,250 $5,330 Statewide
  Rank = Medium/High (4)          
17 Wildcat Bluff Nature Center Libb's Trail New .5 mile nature trail, signs, benches, parking $84,533 $40,583 Potter
18 City of Weslaco South Park Trail New 1.2 mile multi-use trail in city park $53,144 $53,144 Hidalgo
19 TPWD - Gus Engeling WMA Learning Center Trail New 1.3 mile nature trail, bridge sings, benches $95,440 $52,000 Anderson
20 Sienna Plantation MUD 2 Sienna Plantation Levee Trail New 1.1 mile granite trail, benches, signs, land acquisition $100,000 $100,000 Harris
21 Pecan Grove MUD Pecan Grove Jogging Trail New 1.5 mile granite trail on MUD levee $50,000 $50,000 Fort Bend
22 Montgomery County Gwen Hruska Trail New 1 mile hike/bike trail on FEMA buyout property $97,014 $97,014 Montgomery
23 City of Mansfield Mansfield McKnight Park Trail New .5 mile concrete trail, renovate historic bridge $82,000 $82,000 Tarrant
24 City of Houston Hill at Sims Greenway New 1 mile trail at mountain bike park $100,000 $89,440 Harris
25 Harris County Rio Villa Park Canoe Trail New .66 mile nature trail, new canoe trail $58,000 $58,000 Harris
26 East Texas Arboretum & Bot. Soc. Trail rennovation New 1.5 mile nature trail, bridges, accessibility $26,330 $26,330 Henderson
27 Dallas County Muddy Creek Trail New 1 mile concrete trail, parking, signs, benches $100,000 $100,000 Dallas
28 City of Crockett Davy Crockett Fitness Trail New 2.1 mile accessible trail, parking, restroom $81,920 $69,422 Houston
29 City of Copperas Cove Clear Creek Trail New .8 mile asphalt hke/bike trail, benches, restroom $100,000 $100,000 Coryell
30 Bexar Metropolitan Water Dist. Medio Creek Nature Trail New .75 mile nature trail $5,084 $5,084 Bexar
31 City of Baytown Cary Bayou Trail New .5 mile accessible hike/bike trail, benches, water $37,629 $37,629 Harris
32 City of Austin Blunn Creek Nature Trail Renovation for accessability, retaining wall, signing, $22,353 $9,882 Travis
33 City of Arlington O.S. Gray Park New .65 mile nature trail in city park $4,174 $4,173 Tarrant
34 Texas Motorized Trails Coalition Barnwell Mountain OHV Area Equipment to maintain existing OHV area $82,196 $52,875 Upshur
35 Mackenzie Municipal Water Auth. Lake Mackenzie Tractor to maintain existing motorized trail area $74,320 $41,400 Briscoe
          $2,670,556  
  Rank = Medium (3)          
36 Univ. of Texas - Permian Basin Hike and Bike Trails Bridge and 300' of trail connecting other trails $32,000 $0 Ector
37 USFS Sam Houston N. Forest Office Trail New 1 mile trail at ranger station $16,000 $0 Walker
38 USFS Sam Houston N. Forest Scott's Ridge Trail New 2 mile asphalt trail $40,000 $0 Montgomery
39 USFS Sam Houston N. Forest Cagle recreation Area Trail New 1 mile accessible trail, signs, benches $57,600 $0 Walker
40 USFS Sam Houston N. Forest Lone Star Hiking Trail Bridge replacement, restroom, trail work $100,000 $0 Walker
41 City of Southlake Royal and Annie Smith Park Tr. New .6 mile concrete trail in city park $100,000 $0 Tarrant
42 City of Shoreacres Shoreacres Trail System New .3 mile granite trail $24,288 $0 Harris
43 City of Richardson Glenville/Apollo Trail New .5 mile concrete trail, signs, bench $100,000 $0 Dallas
44 Red River Valley Trail Riders Pat Mayse Lake Trailhead Trailhead campground $39,480 $0 Lamar
45 City of Pearland Pine Hollow Trail New 2.2 mile granite trail $100,000 $0 Brazoria
46 city of Pasadena Armand Bayou Trailhead New .4 mile trail, parking, water, signs $99,190 $0 Harris
47 City of Nolanville Nollanville Municipal Park Trail New .75 mile hike/bike trail, water, benches, restroom $100,000 $0 Bell
48 Town of Little Elm Little Elm lakeside Trail New .6 mile rubber trail, benches, fitness station $100,000 $0 Denton
49 Liberty Institute Overton Trail New 3.2 mile multi-use trail $36,200 $0 Lamar
50 City of Kenedy Kenedy Recreational Trail New .5 mile walking trail, parking, signs, benches $75,720 $0 Karnes
51 Harris County Utility Dist. 15 Greens Bayou Trail New 1.3 mile granite trail, benches, signs $81,100 $0 Harris
52 Harris County George Bush Park Trail Extension New .2 mile trail, observation deck, benches $50,000 $0 Harris
53 Great Hills Neighborhood Park Trail Improvements Improve existing hike/bike trail, mulch and granite $30,685 $0 Travis
54 El Paso County Water District #4 Fabens O' Donnell Park Trail New .75 mile hike/bike trail in a city park $99,200 $0 El Paso
55 Crossroads Homeowners Assoc Crossroads Park Trail New .8 mile trail, bridge $100,000 $0 Harris
56 City of Conroe Avenue M Park Trail Construction New .7 mile asphalt trail in city park $128,000 $0 Harris
57 City of Colleyville Sparger Park Trail Rehab Replace .3 miles of existing worn-out trail $70,358 $0 Tarrant
58 City of College Station Veteran's Park Trail New 1 mile concrete trail in city park $95,040 $0 Brazos
59 Chinati Hot Springs, Inc. Chinati Hot Springs Trail New 7 mile hiking trail, restrooms, parking, tool shed, signs $99,242 $0 Presidio
60 USFS Sam Houston N. Forest Sam Houston Motorized Trail Improvements to existing motorized trails $100,000 $0 Walker
61 Texas Conservation Coalition Texas Trails Ranch Acquisition of 365 acres for motorized trail area $329,225 $0 Eastland
  Rank = Medium/Low (2)          
62 Tablerock Festival of Salado Tablerock Trail Parking lot improvements for nature trail $26,861 $0 Bell
63 International Exotic feline Sanct. I.E.F.S. Nature Trail New .2 mile trail, water fountains, benches $14,360 $0 Wise
64 City of Granbury Granbury Nature Center Classroom building, roofing, water, signs $62,440 $0 Hood
65 Brazos Animal Shelter, Inc. Bark Park New .5 mile long trail, fencing, benches $99,500 $0 Brazos
66 Texas Motorized Trails Coalition South Llano OHV Area Acquisition of 2700 acres to create new OHV area $343,180 $0 Terrell

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