Presenter: Tim Hogsett

Commission Agenda Item No. 9
Action
Recreation Trails Grant Funding
August 27, 2009

I. Executive Summary: This item is to award federal funds allocated under the National Recreational Trail Grants for trail construction, renovation and acquisition projects. This item obligates federal National Recreational Trail Funds to eligible trail projects based upon the recommendations of the Texas Statewide Trails Advisory Board.

II. 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 off-road motorcycles and four-wheelers. The purpose of the NRFT is to provide funding for projects that create new and maintain existing motorized and non-motorized recreational trails. These federal funds are 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 $85 million for the current federal fiscal year (FY2009); Texas' share of these funds is $2,997,268. A number of projects funded in previous years were completed under budget and two projects were cancelled, creating another $490,000 available for re-allocation this year. The Department will utilize this $490,000 to fund trail improvements in ten state parks resulting in a total of $3,487,268 of federal funding available to fund eligible trail construction projects.

In February 2009, a 90 day call for proposals was issued. A record 76 projects were submitted for funding consideration requesting $12.5 million in funds. Recommendations are to fund 25 of these projects at this time in addition to the state park trails improvement project for a total of $3,487,268 of federal funding assistance.

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 10 member, Texas Statewide Trails Advisory Board met in June 2009 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 scored 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, project scoring and funding recommendations made by the advisory board and a description of each project. Ten Department trail improvement projects located at Bastrop SP, Brazos Bend SP, Colorado Bend SP, Cooper Lake SP, Lake Somerville SP, Huntsville SP, Meridian SP, Tyler SP, and Old Tunnel WMA are included in the funding recommendation.

A federal requirement of the NRTF is that 30 percent of the funds be spent on motorized recreational trail projects, 30 percent on non-motorized trail projects, with the remaining 40 percent discretionary. The list of projects recommended for funding, if approved, will satisfy this federal requirement.

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

"Funding for 25 projects recommended in Exhibit A in the amount of $2,995,890 and State Park trail improvements in the amount of $490,000 is approved."

Attachments - 1

  1. Exhibit A - Project Listing and Funding Recommendations

Commission Agenda Item No. 9
Exhibit A

Project Listing and Funding Recommendations

Score Project Sponsor Project Name Funds Requested Funds Recommended Project Description
59 Wichita Falls Streams & Valleys Wee-Chi-Tah Trail Restoration $22,571 $22,571 Erosion control, bridge, signs, equipment
57 Rio Bravo MX Rio Bravo Improvements $40,000 $40,000 Bridges, restroom, parking, storage building, pavilion
57 Sonora Economic Dev. Corp. Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuary $16,160 $16,160 New 0.27 mile granite trail, parking
56 N. Texas Rural Rail Trans. Dist. Wichita Valley Railway Daylight Tr. $33,641 $33,641 Improve drainage on 6 mile trail, parking, benches, signs
56 City of Reno Reno Trail Extension $87,174 $87,174 New 0.5 mile asphalt rail-trail extension, signs, bridge rails
54 Armand Bayou Nature Center Hiking Trail Restoration $112,996 $112,996 Re-surface 3 miles of trail, signing
54 Chihuahuan Desert Research Inst. Trail to the Top $36,518 $36,518 New 0.38 mile, renovate 0.28 mile trail, signs, benches
52 Friends of Brazoria Wildlife Refuge Dow Woods Trail $200,000 $200,000 New 1.7 mile granite trail, bridge, restroom, parking, benches, signs
51 City of Dalhart Rita Blanca Lake Trail Improvement $97,500 $97,500 Surface improvement to 6.71 mile trail, erosion control
51 Greens Bayou Corridor Coalition Ida Gaye Gardens & Trail $97,370 $97,370 New 0.86 mile granite and concrete trail, engineering
51 Texas Motorized Trail Coalition Escondido Draw Recreation Area $323,380 $217,325 Restroom, equipment storage building, signs, equipment
50 Oak Ridge Forest HOA Spring Hike/Bike Trail $41,421 $41,421 New 0.86 mile granite trail, fencing, ADA ramps
50 TX Equestrian Trail Riders Assoc. Waco Lake Reynolds Cr. Trailhead $77,220 $77,220 Parking, pavilion, corrals, signs, water, tools, lights
47 Houston Arboretum & Nature Center Outer Loop Resurfacing, Phase 2 $196,105 $196,105 Resurface 1.25 mile trail, signs
47 Timber Lane Utility District Cypress Creek Hike and Bike Trail $170,960 $170,960 New 0.6 mile asphalt trail, bridges, signs, engineering
46 Texas Motorized Trail Coalition Barnwell Mountain Recreation Area $259,920 $191,520 Equip. storage building, trail repair, tools, equipment, utilities
45 City of Childress Childress ATV & Moto Park $575,316 $239,908 Acquire 212 acre addition, parking, equipment, water
45 City of San Angelo Rio Concho Trail Rehabilitation $200,000 $200,000 New 0.62 mile limestone trail, renovate 0.96 existing trail
45 U.S. Forest Service Sam Houston Multi-use Trail, Ph. 3 $632,400 $200,000 Bridges, trailheads, signing, equipment, tools, trailer, tot loop
44 City of Arlington Crystal Canyon Nature Preserve Trail $128,000 $128,000 New 0.8 mile, 8' wide limestone trail, bridges, signs
44 Roll Call — Friends of Camp Hearne Camp Hearne Trail $145,520 $145,520 New 2.32 mile granite trail, restroom, gazebo, benches, water
43 City of Flatonia Downtown Flatonia Parks Trail $154,500 $142,656 New 0.75 mile granite trail, tables, benches, lighting, signs
43 City of Parker Preserve Recreational Trail $137,325 $137,325 New 0.8 mile, 8' wide granite trail, bridge, low water crossing
43 Town of Trophy Club Trophy Club OHV Park $409,359 $144,000 Restroom, parking, fencing, signing, shade structures
Texas Trails Network State Trails Conference & Workshops $20,000 $20,000 Host the 2010 and 2011 Texas State Trails Conference
Total $2,995,890  
42 U.S. Forest Service Sawmill Hiking Trail $160,000 $0 Bridges
41 East Texas Arboretum Educational Nature Trail $35,200 $0 New 0.27 mile nature trail, rest area, fencing, signs, monument
41 City of Haltom City Whites Branch Trail $200,000 $0 New 1.0 mile concrete, bridge, signs, design
41 City of Schertz Schertz Recreational Trail Phase 2 $87,300 $0 New 1.8 mile granite trail, drainage, signing
41 City of Universal City Cibolo Creek Nature Trail $134,016 $0 New 0.56 mile, renovate 2.71 miles granite trail, signing
40 Houston Parks Board Freed Art & Nature Park $121,800 $0 New 0.6 mile nature trail, boardwalk, signs, tables, bollards
40 City of Leon Valley Leon Valley Connectivity Trail $63,674 $0 New 0.45 mile stabilized base trail, benches, bridge, bollards
40 Palo Alto College Walk/Jog/Nature Trail $128,000 $0 New 1 mile granite trail, bridge, lights, playscape, signs, tables
40 City of Pleasanton Atascosa River Trail $93,600 $0 New 0.71 mile sealcoat trail, benches, lighting, signs, bollards
38 Northwest Vista College Northwest Vista College Community Tr. $200,000 $0 New 0.76 mile stabilized limestone trail, kiosk, fountain, benches
38 City of Princeton Ticky Creek Trail $180,000 $0 New 1.2 mile, 6' wide concrete trail, bridge, benches, bike racks
38 University of Texas — Pan America Edinburg Exercise & Recreational Tr. $196,674 $0 New 2.23 mile granite trail, benches, shade struct., water, signs
37 Brazoria County Buffalo Camp Park Trail Restoration $17,826 $0 Renovate 0.23 mile asphalt trail, signs
35 City of Odessa Sherwood Park Trail $200,000 $0 New 1.33 mile concrete trail, signing, lighting
34 City of Allen Dayspring Nature Preserve Trail $163,378 $0 New 0.75 mile granite trail, tables, benches, fencing, signs
34 Harris County WCID # 96 Sleepy Hollow Trail $200,000 $0 New 2.14 mile concrete trail, signs, benches, trash barrels
34 Medina Valley Mud and Fun Dunlay Trails $40,000 $0 Fencing, restroom, signing
33 City of Greenville Long Branch Trail $199,890 $0 Renovate 0.85 mile granite trail, lighting, bridges, trailhead, benches
33 Partnership for the Pathway Red River Trail $56,981 $0 New 0.4 mile, 10' wide asphalt trail, signs, benches, crosswalks
33 City of Wake Village Wake Village Trails $200,000 $0 New 1 mile concrete or mulch trail, parking, lighting, benches
32 Friends of the Wildlife Corridor Public Use Enhancements $143,105 $0 New 1.25 miles trail at various sites, restrooms, signs, viewing areas
32 City of San Antonio Panther Springs Trail $88,125 $0 New 0.87 mile aggregate trail, signing
32 Westchase District Liberty Loop Trail $200,000 $0 New 1.25 mile trail, rest stops, signing, lighting, trash barrels
30 City of Celina West Park at Light Farms $200,000 $0 New 1.09 mile concrete trail, bridges, professional services
30 Sienna Plantation Com. Services Sienna Plantation Levee Trail, Ph. II $200,000 $0 New 1.35 mile, 8' wide granite trail, benches, signs
28 City of Amarillo John Stiff Park — McDonald Lake Tr. $119,540 $0 New 0.55 mile concrete trail, drainage impr., signs
28 City of Houston Cullen Park Trail Connector $200,000 $0 New 0.53 mile, 10' wide concrete trail, benches, signs
28 City of Missouri City Community Park Trail System $200,000 $0 New 0.49 mile concrete trail, signing, seating nodes, bike rack
28 City of Tyler South Tyler Trails $196,000 $0 New 1 mile concrete trail, retaining walls, prof. fees, res. surveys
27 City of Brownwood Camp Bowie Walking Trail $144,000 $0 New 1.1 mile asphalt trail, signs, benches, crosswalk
27 Cypress Point Comm. Association Cypress Point Trails $133,912 $0 New 1.29 mile concrete trail, bridge, benches, bollards
26 City of Henderson Lake Forest Park $171,136 $0 New 0.62 mile concrete trail, lighting, boardwalk, resource survey
25 City of Cleburne Lake Pat Cleburne Trail System $200,000 $0 New 0.99 mile concrete trail
25 City of Cross Plains Treadaway Park Trail Improvements $200,000 $0 New 0.38 mile concrete trail, pavilion, bridge, restroom, signs
25 City of Denton Cooper Creek Trail & Bridge Upgrades $189,000 $0 New 0.51 mile concrete trail, bridge, signing
25 City of Mercedes Collier Complex Trail $200,000 $0 New 0.63 mile granite trail, tables, shade struct., lighting, benches
24 City of Kemp Kemp Parks and Trails $200,000 $0 New 1.1 mile granite trail, bridge, parking, benches, restroom, lighting
24 City of McAllen Curtis Park Trail $188,000 $0 New 0.95 mile trail, signs
23 Audubon Texas Trinity River Audubon Center $148,137 $0 Renovate 1.3 mile granite trail, 384' boardwalk, signs, benches
23 Friends of the Trinity Strand Trail Trinity Strand Stemmons Park Trail $200,000 $0 New 0.13 mile concrete connector trail
23 Zapata County Precinct 4 Walking Trail $100,000 $0 New 1.19 mile asphalt trail, lighting, signing
22 City of Farmers Branch Mira Lago Trail $200,000 $0 New 0.46 mile concrete trail, design
21 City of Huntsville Eastham-Thompson Park Trail $199,714 $0 New 0.5 mile concrete sidewalk, restroom, parking, lighting, signs
21 City of Sudan Sudan Greenbelt Trail $200,000 $0 New 0.32 mile concrete trail, pavilion, lighting, benches, signs
20 Schleicher County Schleicher County Hike & Bike Trail $200,000 $0 New 1.86 mile surfaced trail, benches, signs, trash barrels
19 Galveston County MUD 44 Tuscan Lakes Trails $200,000 $0 New 1.3 mile concrete trail, signs, benches, trash barrels
19 City of Midland Cole ATV Park $200,000 $0 Parking area, restroom, utilities, fencing, signing, res. surveys
19 City of Weslaco La Brecha del Paseo del Norte Trail $154,096 $0 New 0.19 mile asphalt trail, benches, lighting, signs, water
17 City of Fairview Oakwood — Stone Creek Trail $200,000 $0 New 0.46 mile concrete sidewalk, benches, land, signs, table
15 City of Killeen Lion's Club Park Hike/Bike Trail $200,000 $0 New 1.5 mile concrete trail, lighting, landscaping
12 Anderson County Davey Dogwood Park Trail $140,442 $0 Widen 3.5 miles of trail, restroom, signing