Bell, Madison counties to get major trail grants

Austin, Tx ( FOX 44 ) – Trail projects in the counties of Bell and Madison got a big boost with grants from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, providing thousands of dollars for development of the recreational facilities.

The Longhorn Council of the Boy Scouts of America in Bell County received a $280,148 grant for the renovation and development of 3.25 miles of interpretive trails, including signage, and the development of a trail-side pavilion at Camp Tahuaya, a 150-acre camp with the largest natural spring in Texas and a lake stocked with trout.

In Madison County, the City of Madisonville received a $300,000 grant for the renovation of a 1.1-mile trail and construction of a .8-mile crushed limestone trail for the Lake Madison Trail project. Back in February, the city conducted a survey to gather input on what people would like to see from a set of new or improved trails, and has since unveiled a master plan reaching years into the future. The hope voiced at the time was that grants would allow construction in stages. The city already has a trail extending from Flynn Field to Lake Madison.

These grants were part of a larger $4.5 million package of grants funding 16 trail construction and maintenance projects across the state.

The National Recreational Trails Fund supports recreational trail construction, renovation and acquisition through grants funded from a portion of the federal gas tax generated by fuel purchases for off-highway vehicles. The fund must be used to support a diverse mix of both motorized and non-motorized trail projects.

The Texas Legislature has added an additional $1 million per year to the program, and may include additional funds for this year from the Sporting Goods Sales Tax. Additionally, several projects funded in previous years were completed under budget or were cancelled, creating another $900,000 available for re-allocation this year. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has re-allocated the funding for trail improvements in state parks.

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