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State Level News

State Rail Trail Plan Advisory Stakeholders Committee updates

BWANH affiliate NH Rail Trails Coalition provided the Stakeholders Committee with additional information about rail trail funding and regional efforts promoting the Granite State Rail Trail

(Salem to Lebanon) as part of the seven-state “Northeast Rail Trail Network”

– a major project supported by the national Rails to Trails Conservancy.

The next Committee meeting will be April 21 with the findings of the Rockefeller Research Center to be provided, a free service arranged by NHRTC.  Their report is to summarize how other states of similar size to NH fund their rail trail systems compared to NH, which does not allocate any funds for rail trails.

For the latest info, meeting minutes and schedules of the State Rail Trail Plan Committee, please visit the project website at https://www.nhrailtrailsplan.com.

Chief of NH Bureau of Trails position

The Bureau of Trails has informed BWANH that the application period for the open “Chief” position has closed and candidates are now being interviewed.  BWANH and NHRTC have been assured by DNCR Commissioner Sarah Stewart that the position will support a balance of motorized and non-motorized activities.  Ideas for a trail pass system, defining how public/private funds should be processed, and how e-bikes will be regulated in NH state parks all await the new Bureau Chief being selected and brought up-to-speed.  Clinton Savage is in the acting role but his responsibilities are limited.  Many organizations, including BWANH and NHRTC, are waiting to meet the new Chief.

Director of Outdoor Recreation position to be filled

This new position under Commissioner Taylor Caswell of the Department of Business and Economic Development was created in 2019 but not funded until grants were obtained this winter.  Many organizations welcome this new Director to help promote more tourism and economic benefits for the state.  BWANH and NHRTC have already reached out to Commissioner Caswell seeking a meeting with the new Director once the position is filled, with luck by late spring.

Federal money for rail trails

Since BWANH and NHRTC members met with NHDOT in December to determine why $6.9M in Federal Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funds lapsed for 2016-2019, we learned that no funding lapsed in 2020 and new options are in place to minimize the work done by TAP applicants in 2021.

The current “TAP Round 4” required “Letters of Intent” by February 5 and completed applications by March 19.  Projects must fall between $400,000 and $1,250,000 with a 20% match and be administered by a municipality.  Non-profit and advocacy organizations are not eligible for TAP funding.  For complete details visit the NHDOT website: https://www.nh.gov/dot/org/projectdevelopment/planning/tap/index.htm

NHDOT hires new Bike-Ped Coordinator

On March 1, the NHDOT Bureau of Highway Design and Safety announced that Nick Sanders is the new Alternative Transportation Engineer, aka “Bike-Ped Coordinator.”  He reports to Sally Gunn and fills the slot left open for a year since Larry Keniston left in February 2020.  BWANH has not yet had a chance to meet with Nick but that should happen soon.  Likewise, we are hopeful that the Complete Streets Advisory Committee will resume meetings now with a key NHDOT person to make it happen.