Gov. Blunt Announces Seventeen Missouri Trail Projects will Receive Federal Grants

            JEFFERSON CITY - Gov. Matt Blunt announced today that 17 trail projects in Missouri will receive approximately $1,174,393 in funding through the federal Recreational Trails Program. 

            The Recreational Trails Program is a federally funded grant program for trail-related land acquisition, development or restoration. In Missouri, Recreational Trails Program funds are administered by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration.

            “Missouri is blessed with abundant natural resources.  It is important to provide support to help enhance these resources and protect them for future generations to enjoy,” Gov. Blunt said.  “These trails bring opportunities for families, health and fitness and they serve as recreational arteries for our communities.”

            The 17 grant recipients were chosen from 52 applications and were selected based on recommendations from the Missouri Trails Advisory Board, which represents diverse trail interest groups. The grants were awarded based on the results of a competitive scoring process and the application’s suitability under funding provisions included in Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act: a Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). At least a 20 percent match is required by the applicant. A funding requirement targets 30 percent of the funding for motorized trails, 30 percent for non-motorized trails and 40 percent for diversified trail use.

            “Many of these trails provide a way to explore scenic parts of Missouri as well as provide opportunities for healthy recreation. Our department is proud to be a part of this effort,” said Doyle Childers, director of the Department of Natural Resources.

          Following is a list of Recreational Trails Program grant recipients, along with the projects and grant amounts:

• Show-Me Missouri Back Country Horsemen, Leave No Trace statewide training, $28,300
• City of Fenton Parks and Recreation Department, Fenton Meramec Greenway Trail, $20,217
• Ozark Trail Association, two-year construction of Ozark Trail expansion, Crawford, Iron, Carter and Shannon counties, $99,650
• St. Louis County Department of Parks and Recreation, Queeny Park Trail, $100,000
• Windsor Area Chamber of Commerce, Jack and MacKenzie Larkin Rock Island Trail, Henry County, $12,555
• Ferguson Florissant School District-Little Creek Nature Area, Little Creek Trail creation and restoration project, $99,970
• Tower Grove Park, St. Louis, historic cycle and foot trail construction, $99,186
• City of Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department, Hodge-Smithville Trail, Clay County, $100,000
• St. Louis County, Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park Neighborhood connector, phase I, $100,000
• City of Ellisville, Macklin Trail connection/Whippoorwill Trail renovation, $75,000
• Polk County Commission, Pomme de Terre Multipurpose Trail, $12,178
• Missouri Parks and Recreation Association, statewide Missouri Trail Summit, $6,000
• Flat Nasty Off-Road Park, Flat Nasty Off-Road Park Trails Project, Dent County, $100,000
• U.S. Forest Service, Mark Twain National Forest, Chadwick Motorcycle and All-Terrain Vehicle Trail maintenance and rehab, Christian County, $100,000
• Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Off-road vehicle trail and trailhead improvements, St. Joe State Park, St. Francois County, $70,022
• Ozark Mountain Trail Riders Association, Hardwood Hills Ranch off-highway vehicle trail, Douglas County, $99,970
• Missouri Dirt Riders Inc./Friends of St. Joe, Monsanto Ridge Trail Renovation, St. Francois County, $51,345

            Gov. Blunt has worked to support and maintain natural resources and parks in the state.  The governor and the Department of Natural Resources secured through the Ameren Taum Sauk settlement a perpetual license to expand the Katy Trail from Windsor to Pleasant Hill which will result in linking the Katy Trail from St. Louis to Kansas City.  The state will receive $18 million for construction of the Katy Trail to Kansas City.

            Last year the governor announced a partnership between his office, the Department of Natural Resources and the Missouri Department of Conservation to create a new state park in Shannon County. The park will be located on the site of the former Alton Club/ Jerry J. Presley Conservation Education Center, which was owned by the Department of Conservation.

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