Oregon Trails Coalition and partners support HR 1864: Recreational Trails Program Full Funding Act.
The federal Recreational Trails Program was initiated in 1991 under ISTEA and most recently reauthorized under the FAST Act. The program has benefited trails enjoyed by every type of trail activity through some 30,000 projects. It utilizes a portion of the federal motor fuel tax paid by certain trail activities – classified as nonhighway recreational use – and creates both state-level consensus on trail priorities through representative trail advisory committees and remarkable partnerships of federal/state/local agencies, trail enthusiasts and outdoor recreation and tourism businesses to improve local economies, the physical and mental health of tens of millions of us and to improve safe access to public lands.
RTP is currently funded at $84M annually at the national level. The RTP Full Funding Act would increase program funding closer to the estimated $270M paid annually in federal fuel taxes by non-highway recreational users
This program is critical for Oregon trails and to Oregon communities and is significantly oversubscribed. In the current Oregon RTP cycle there is $1.6 million available and $5.5 million of eligible requests from around the state. This is typical of how great the need is compared to the funding available annually under current legislation. You can see important trail investments beloved to Oregon communities that have been funded by RTP in recent years here: https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/GRA/Pages/GRA-rtp.aspx#9
We want to be certain that the 117th Congress adds resources and improvements to the RTP as part of a needed infrastructure program and/or reauthorization of the nation’s surface transportation program.
We ask members of congress to:
1. Co-sponsor HR 1864, The RTP Full Funding Act.
2. Extend and expanding the Recreational Trails Program in legislation to meet the nation’s infrastructure and surface transportation needs.
Contact your representative to share why recreational trails and HR 1864 are important to you!
Thanks to all of our partners who signed on to our recent call for the Oregon Congressional Delegation to support HR 1864: Recreational Trails Program Full Funding Act. These organizations along with more than 90 individuals signed on in support.
Oregon Trails Coalition
Pacific Crest Trails Association
Oregon Equestrian Trails
Deschutes Trails Coalition
40 Mile Loop Land Trust
Back Country Horsemen of America
Back Country Horsemen of Oregon
Build Lebanon Trails (BLT)
Oregon Parks Forever
View the Future, Yachats
Southern Oregon Trail Alliance
National Coast Trail Association
Access Recreation
Oregon State Snowmobile Association
Joseph Branch Trail Consortium
The Street Trust
Metro Regional Government
Oregon Motorcycle Riders Association
Central Oregon Trail Alliance
Crosscurrent Collective
Back Country Horsemen of Oregon Eugene Chapter
Chehalem Park & Recreation District
Sisters Trails Alliance
KG Consultants
Klamath Trails Alliance
Northwest Coast Trails Coalition
Friends of the Owyhee
Cascade Volunteers
Ptarmigan Collective
City of Eugene Parks Planning
Corlett Landscape Architecture
Umpqua Velo Club and LUMBR (Land of Umpqua Mountain Bike Riders)
McCormick & Co Consulting
City of Monmouth
Gorge Pedal
Trailkeepers of Oregon (TKO)
Friends of the Yamhelas Westsider Trail
Northwest Trail Alliance
Bike Loud PDX
No More Freeways
Alpine Trail Crew Association
Adventures Without Limits
Adventure Cycling Association
Molalla River Watch Watershed Council
The Intertwine Alliance
Oregon Natural Desert Association
Oregon Mountain Bike Coalition