Two Developing Texas Multi-County Trails Receive TxDOT/USDOT Grant with support of Texans for State Parks and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Two inter-county trails in Texas were recently awarded a total of $25 million through the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) application to the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) program.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has strongly supported such trail development in Texas and Texans for State Parks (TfSP) provided a support letter for TxDOT’s application and has worked with the NETT on advocacy efforts in recent years.
The Northeast Texas Trail (Farmersville to New Boston, Texas) received $17 million and Paso del Norte Trail (centered on El Paso County and the Rio Grande and Franklin Mountains corridor) received $8 million, when the USDOT approved TxDOT’s application.
New flagship State Parks, such as the soon-to-open Palo Pinto Mountains SP west of Fort Worth, are still greatly needed to fill the tremendous demand by the rapidly growing Texas population and the growing number of visitors.
However, trails are also proving an effective way to support outdoor activities in Texas. They provide opportunities for relaxation, exercise, socializing, and an alternative transportation route.
Besides the actual intrinsic value of the trail, those trails connecting destinations are especially important because they can draw on the value of existing assets such as:
• State, county or local parks
• Rivers, Lakes and Coastal waters
• Other scenic and natural beauty and wildlife observation
• Supportive businesses such as food and lodging
• Shopping, shopping, shopping
• Historic museums, markers, architecture, outdoor art and other features
• Numerous other community assets
In response to public interest in statewide trails, TxDOT has conducted a research study outlining an 8300+ mile example statewide trail system (published 2018) as the Bicycle Tourism Trails Example Network (84 pages plus appendix). This report and 4-page executive summaries (pdf and printer friendly) are available at the following link:
https://www.txdot.gov/discover/bicycle-trails-maps/bicycle-tourism-trails-study.html