OLYMPIA - Projects to improve trails in 11 counties got a boost this week when the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation (IAC) announced grant funding totaling more than $1.5 million.
The grants support rehabilitation and maintenance of backcountry trails. Projects in the following counties were approved for funding. (For details, click on the county.)
Chelan
Clallam
King
Kittitas
Lewis
Okanogan |
$198,000
$72,000
$284,224
$245,835
$87,500
$99,774 |
Pend Oreille
Pierce
Snohomish
Whatcom
Yakima
Statewide |
$74,600
$60,700
$50,000
$96,307
$143,508
$125,000
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"These grants provide much needed money to maintain the rich diversity of Washington's recreational opportunities," said Laura Johnson, director of the Office of the Interagency Committee. "Our surveys show that walking and hiking are the most popular activities in Washington. We need to ensure that the state's trail systems are well maintained. It's vital to our way of life and our economy."
IAC surveys peg the number of Washingtonians who hike at least once a year at nearly 5 percent, with another 8 percent venturing into the backcountry on bicycles, horses, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, four-wheel drive vehicles, snowshoes, cross-country skis, and snowmobiles.
IAC received 58 grant proposals requesting more than $2.2 million in funding under the federal National Recreational Trails Program. Paid for by federal gasoline taxes, the National Recreational Trails Program funds projects that repair and maintain trails and facilities to provide a backcountry experience. IAC evaluates and ranks the proposals and manages the distribution of the federal funding. IAC was able to award 38 grants totaling more than $1.5 million.
"Washington can be proud of the recreational facilities it offers," Johnson said. "Keeping them well maintained and up-to-date takes the resources of many different groups, including the grant applicants themselves who are contributing more than $2.3 million or 61 percent of the cost of the projects. It's great to see that kind of commitment to keeping Washington a great place to live and play."
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