AUGUSTA — The Bureau of Parks and Lands Grants and Community Recreation Program has announced the availability of Recreational Trails Program funding.

The funds are available to qualifying projects to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities for motorized and non-motorized recreational trail uses. The RTP is an assistance program of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, according to a news release from the Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry.

“The BPL is proud to support community RTP projects,” said Maine State Trail Administrator Douglas Beck, according to the release. “The more quality local trails that are convenient for people to find and use, the more likely they will be to venture out and enjoy the benefits of physical activity and a connection to nature.”

Eligible projects include:
• Maintenance and restoration of existing recreational trails.
• Development and rehabilitation of trail side and trailhead facilities and trail linkages for recreational trails.
• Construction of new recreational trails.
• Acquisition of easements or fee simple title to property for recreational trails or recreational trail corridors.

Available funds:
• The annual apportionment to the Maine program is $1,442,741.
• Of this amount Maine DOT allocates $938,000 to the program. This amount funds administration of the program and grants to local and state partners for eligible trail projects.
• Applications in the motorized, non-motorized and diverse trail use categories up to $50,000 and in the large scale project category up to $120,000 will be entertained.
• The program can fund upwards of 80% of eligible project costs.

For a current application, application guidance and program guidance documents, visit maine.gov.