Act now to get your shovel-ready trail project into your Representative's earmark process.
The reemergence of earmarks in the infrastructure and appropriations process in Congress is creating huge opportunity for trail projects that are ready to go.
Do you manage a trail project that is ready to go within the next 5 years, and is in need of funding. The next two weeks provide an opportunity for you to reach out to your representative to ask for your project to be included in their priority list.
The U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee has issued guidance about earmarks available for local transportation priorities. The committee is inviting all members of Congress to submit specific “Member Designated Projects” for inclusion in the surface transportation reauthorization currently being drafted. As such, the timeline is very short, and projects will only be accepted between April 1 and April 16. (Note that this process is separate and distinct from the House Appropriations Committee earmarks.)
Watch the March 31 Webinar put on by Rails to Trails Conservancy on how you can use the earmark process to promote investments in trails and active transportation networks in your community.
In order for your project to be considered by the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, you need to act fast by reaching out to your representative ASAP to find out what their process is for adding projects to their priority list and asking them to submit it to the T&I Committee by the April 16 deadline. Your project will need to meet the following criteria:
You can also consider adding your project to the Trails Move People Shovel-ready Project Database to get it added to future advocacy around this effort.
Add Your Project to the Trails Move People Shovel-ready Project Database
Trail projects will compete against other transportation projects (i.e. roads and bridges), however, they MAY be very competitive because:
Attached document published March 2021
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4,220 views • posted 03/31/2021