The Iowa Transportation Commission today (Tuesday) approved slightly more than 1.3-million in total funding for six federal Recreational Trails Program projects. In this area, the Raccoon River Valley Trail to High Trestle Trail Connector Phase 1 Acquisition/Construction – Perry to Bouton (Dallas County Conservation Board) received $119,575.

The federal Recreational Trails Program was created in 1991 for the purpose of developing and maintaining recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both motorized and non-motorized trail users. This funding is available to cities, counties, state, and federal agencies and private organizations through an annual application-based program.

Other projects and approved funding amounts include:

• Gypsum City OHV Park – Phase 3 Trail Construction (Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Webster County Improvement Corporation) – $195,559
• Iowa DNR AmeriCorps Trail Crew (Iowa Department of Natural Resources) – $280,000 Mitchellville to Prairie City Rails to Trails Corridor Acquisition (Jasper County Conservation) – $450,599
• Snowmobile Trail Grooming Equipment Purchase (Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa State Snowmobile Association) – $240,000
• Support for Program and Bicycle/Trails Summits (Iowa Department of Transportation) – $18,400.