Tennessee River Trails — About Us
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Mission of the Tennessee River Trails Association (TRTA):
Develop a River Trail System which will enhance recreation and tourism in the middle and west Tennessee counties bordering the Tennessee River.
The Tennessee River Trails cover nine Tennessee counties, 4 development districts and tourism councils nestled along the beautiful Tennessee River.
The Tennessee River Trails Association (TRTA) is focused on economic and community development. It is the belief that the TRTA can bring increased economic development to the region by expanding tourism and recreation opportunities.
TRTA has applied for and received grants from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to become a part of the national scenic byways program. A Corridor Management Plan (CMP) is the first step to establishing TRTA as a national scenic byway. The National Scenic Byways program is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. Their website is www.byways.org.
The criteria used to select TRTA to receive grant funding includes six intrinsic values found in the area. These values are:
- Cultural
- Historic
- Natural
- Archeological
- Recreational
- Scenic
The Corridor Management Plan (CMP) will provide us with an asset inventory, a public awareness campaign, a detailed marketing strategy, as well as one or more routes for the actual driving tour.
Partnering with Tennessee River Trails Association (TRTA)
The Tennessee River Trails Association (TRTA) seeks the support and partnership of the delegation of the Tennessee General Assembly. TRTA wishes to establish a dollar-for-dollar match of its dues with state support.
National Scenic Byway Grants: Corridor Management Plan
In 2008, GNRC received a grant from TDOT to be on behalf of the TRTA to hire consultants to write a Corridor Management Plan (CMP), that would establish the TRTA as part of the National Scenic Byway System. That CMP is finished and the next step is marketing the region to visitors. The entire grant was $235,000 and the Scenic Byway portion was $187,264. The TRTA match was $46, 817. The work on this grant has been completed and TRTA is I the process of getting the route approved by TDOT for inclusion in the Tennessee Scenic Byway system. The TDOT Commissioner then would nominate the TN River Trail t be part of the National Scenic Byway System. Nominations for this will not occur until 2012.
Next Steps
A new Scenic Byway grant, for marketing was submitted in 2009 for the TRTA totaling $152,000. This grant is scheduled to begin in fall of 2010. This will include some hospitality training and a production of a CD, which is a self guided tour telling the story of the Byway using “local characters”.
The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development Discover TN Trails and Byways marketing project includes a Brochure, listing Points of Interest on the trail and the individual attractions or businesses that contribute to the over all trail and signage and a web site and promotion in the TN Vacation Guide and ads purchased in “Southern Living” as well as other national publications.