Trail Funds Approved for Nebraska Projects

by Dan Nitzel, NOHVA Business Manager

LINCOLN, NEBRSKA -- Three major motorized trails projects were approved by the Nebraska Recreational Trails Program committee and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commision.  According to Chris Didamo, the Nebraska Off Highway Vehicle Association’s (NOHVA) representative on Nebraska’s Recreational Trails Program (RTP) committee,  $405,000 in grants were approved for motorized projects in Nebraska.  

          Chris Didamo of Bellevue is also a member of the NOHVA Board of Directors, and is President of the River Valley Trail Riders in Council Bluffs Iowa.  He serves as Nebraska’s Partner with the National Off Highway Vehicle Conservation Coalition and is active with the Iowa OHV Association. 

          According to Chris, the Nebraska RTP committee approved three motorized projects for Nebraska.  The grants approved by the committee were forwarded and approved by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commissioners in January. 

          One motorized project was the Dismal River Trail Reconstruction and Improvement project.  The nine mile trail is located in the Nebraska National Forest near Halsey and is Nebraska’s only official ATV and dirtbike trail.  The committee awarded the U.S. Forest Service, Bessey Ranger District a grant for $17,000 for trail maintenance and safety.  NOHVA is a partner in this project and has offered to contribute about $900 in funds as a match and has offered to organize NOHVA member volunteers to help with the project.  

          The first Dismal River trail project was funded using federal funds via the Nebraska Recreational Trails Committee and funding from NOHVA memberships.  NOHVA volunteers built the trail with the first grant and NOHVA members have contributed over $10,000 in funding for maintenance of the Dismal Trail since 1999. 

          The Dismal River Trail reconstruction and improvement project was the most diverse project that the Nebraska RTP committee considered.  The Dismal Trail serves a broad range of trail users including ATV, dirtbike, bicycle, hiking, horse and snow mobiles. 

          Another motorized project amounting to about $159,000 was approved by the Nebraska RTP Committee.  This was a snowmobile trail project for a state park in northeastern Nebraska.  The project was sponsored by the Game and Parks Commission using registration fee’s collected from snowmobiles registered in Nebraska.  Other motorized recreation such as ATVs and dirtbikes will not be allowed on the trails and NOHVA is not involved with this project. 

          A third and the largest RTP funded motorized project was approved for partial funding.  While about $400,000 was requested, the Nebraska RTP Committee authorized a grant for approximately $229,000 for a project that will ultimately cost $2,000,000 to $3,000,000.  The grant will cover engineering and track work for the project.  The proposed world class motocross complex is to be located at the Abbott Sports Complex and will be managed by the Lincoln Sports Foundation in Lincoln Nebraska.  Lancaster County and the Lower Platte South Natural Resources District served as sponsors of the project.   Plans call for the motocross complex will be built in phases over a three to four year period.

          The complex will feature a one to two mile motocross track for dirtbikes and BMX bicycles.  Additionally, an environmentally sustaining building with solar power we serve as the main building.  The track will feature a water-capturing system, as well as a sprinkler system using recycled water to keep dust from the track to a minimum.  As required by the Federal grant, the facility will be open to the public with an anticipated daily use fee of $20 to $25 per rider. 

                The Recreational Trails Plan fund represents a refund of the Federal gasoline tax that Nebraska’s off road users pay.   Federal gasoline taxes collected from ATV, dirtbike, snowmobile and other off highway vehicles are refunded back to Nebraska from the Federal Highway Administration via the Recreational Trails Program (RTP).  As recommended by the Federal Government, these RTP funds are allowed to be used on public recreational ATV, dirt bike, snowmobile and off-road vehicle trails.

          Since 1993 when motorized trail funding was first introduced to Nebraska as the Symms  Recreational Trails Act, two motorized projects have been funded in Nebraska.  Only one prior project had been funded for  ATV and dirtbike trail projects in Nebraska, the Dismal River Trail project at the Nebraska National Forest near Halsey.

          Michelle Stryker, Outdoor Recreation Planner and Acting Trails Grant Administrator with the  Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has been very busy trying to find motorized projects in Nebraska to use RTP funds.  With Michelle Stryker’s efforts, we probably would not have had the three motorized  projects funded!  Thanks Michelle and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission!

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This page was updated on Tuesday, August 01, 2006