2009-091-RES-Tiger Discretionary Grant, Funds to Construct NE Texas Trail

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RESOLUTION N0. _2009-091 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS; IN SUPPORT OF THE APPLICATION TO THE U. S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, TIGER DISCRETIONARY GRANT PROGRAM, BY THE CITY OF PARIS, FOR FUNDS TO C011iSTRUCT THE NORTHEAST TEXAS (RED RIVER VALLEY) TRAIL, APPROXIMATELY 130 MILES OF PEDESTRIAN/ BIKING/ EQUINE TRAILS FROM FARMERSVILLE, TEXAS, TO NEW BOSTON, TEXAS, ALONG ABANDONED RAIL BANK; MAKING OTHER FIIVDINGS A111D PROVISI0111S RELATED TO THE SUBJECT; AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, cities, counties, chambers of commerce, industrial development groups, and other non-profit entities along the proposed route desire to construct a multi-use, non-motorized pedestrian/biking/equine trail utilizing the abandoned rail bank corridor contiguous from Farmersville, Texas, to IVew Boston, Texas; and, WHEREAS, these groups plan to unite and form the Northeast Texas (Red River Valley) Trail Coalition in order to coordinate efforts to construct this pedestrian/biking/ equine trail to provide a safe trail system in the ATCOG region; and, WHEREAS, federal stimulus money has been made available for trails projects by the U. S. Department of Transportation, TIGER Discretionary Grant Program, that will be administered by the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT); and, WHERES, the City of Paris has applied for $18,755,599 in grant funds and secured pledges in the amount of $220,000 in local support for a total Project cost of $18,975,599 for the "Northeast Texas (Red River Valley) Trail" project to reconstruct bridges and build up the trail along the rail bank to join the pedestrian/biking/equine trail from Farmersville to New Boston; and, WHEREAS, this trail would be the longest in the State of Texas and one of the longest "Rails to Trails" projects in the United States, thus bringing national attention to our region and creating additional tourism and dollars spent in the cities and counties along the trail; and, WHEREAS, similar trails in other parts of the country have been immensely successful and we feel this pedestrian/biking/equine trail would provide economic, health and welfare benefits to the citizens in our region. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS: Section 1. That the findings set out in the preamble to this resolution are hereby