Recreational Trails Program

LATEST UPDATES

• 04/12/2011—Dear Colleague Action Alert

Background Information

The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is an assistance program of the Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Federal transportation funds benefit recreation by making funds available to the States to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both non-motorized and motorized recreational trail uses.

Reauthorization of the Recreational Trails Program

As remarkably successful as the RTP has been, right now there is a very real threat that this program could be eclipsed by March 4, 2011 unless we all band together and take action. The BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC) has been working side by side with all the members of the Coalition for Recreational Trails (CRT) to educate legislators on the importance of the program and to seek champions to sponsor RTP in Congress. The CRT is a coalition of hundreds of recreation groups from both motorized and non-motorized communities.

The realitiy is that RTP is going to be-already is and has been-a tough sell. Uniquely though, the RTP is the one subject on which even often polarized groups can all agree and, for that reason, we are optimistic that we can be successful, but it is going to take a lot of work. Letters will be sent and calls will be made by the CRT on an ongoing basis to Congress members and key members of the administration. We need your help in this effort to ensure the Recreational Trails Program is part of the next highway bill.

You can help-the CRT has created a Council of Advisors for organizations that support the continuation and expansion of the RTP. As a member of the Coalition for Recreational Trails, BRC is encouraging all of its members to join. By joining the Council, the Advisors agree to sign on to letters supporting RTP that will be sent to Members of Congress and to the Administration.

You can download the form to sign on to CRT's Council of Advisors here: http://www.sharetrails.org/rtp/RTPCouncilSign-onForm.doc

You can learn more about what the CRT is requesting for RTP reauthorization in an RTP "one pager" that can be found at this link http://www.sharetrails.org/rtp/RTPInformationSheet.doc

For more information on the Recreational Trails Program, you can use the search function above on our website to search "RTP."