Dear Director Bowen,

We’re writing to you as members of the mountain bike community with a request: the DNR needs to establish a natural surface trails maintenance fund. Maintenance is for trails, not just parks, and Michigan needs a fund with the sole purpose of treating dirt as infrastructure. Even if it’s a relatively small line item – perhaps $1 million initially for mountain bike trails – a dedicated fund would be a starting point and destination for dedicated revenue.

EMERGENCY NEEDS
Bridges and culverts are fixed with DNR funds, but when there’s a storm and a tree falls across a heavily-used dirt trail, there’s no emergency fund to get it open quickly. DNR staff have the financial tools to respond to emergency maintenance needs for campgrounds and roadways. Meanwhile, trail users feel like we’re on our own. With the increased frequency of severe weather, our state’s trail systems need more extensive clean-up and safety efforts, which often surpass the budget, specific knowledge base, equipment availability, and scope of our usual trail maintenance volunteers.

For example, many trails have several “leaners” or “widow-makers” which pose an ongoing threat to the safety of riders. These partially-downed trees require special equipment and expert removal teams to ensure safety. A dedicated fund and collaboration from the DNR will allow extraordinary maintenance to have proper funding and procedure, while allowing volunteers to continue with normal and routine upkeep to ensure the safety and enjoyment of our trail users. 

INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS
Under the current system, crucial infrastructure ends up being built and maintained solely through nonprofit donations of labor and materials. The state benefits from fixed infrastructure that nonprofit mountain bike associations build. It is not fair to leave us holding the ball for maintenance.

For example, some of the investments we’ve made and maintenance needs we’ve identified include the following:

• At the VST trailhead near Traverse City, NMMBA* installed new restrooms and paid $60,000 for a parking lot expansion, and is working to install changing rooms, a new kiosk and (in August) a pavilion. Snow plowing, wayfinding, and trail maintenance materials are also in the works.
• At the Burns Road trail system near Midland, CMMBA is facing the potential replacement of about 80 ladder bridges to conform to the 5-foot wide DNR standard.
• At Sleepy Hollow State Park near Lansing, MMMBA signed the trail in accordance with park guidelines and is providing $2,000 to help mitigate some chronic swamp spots on the trail.
• At Seven Lakes State Park near Holly, CRAMBA has identified 400 feet of realignment needed to remove the trail corridor from EMR hibernacula and swampy areas, and 1,000 ft. of new alignment needed with sustainable grades and contour construction.
• At Holly Recreation Area on Wilderness Trail, CRAMBA has identified 1,600 ft. of trail needing sustainable realignment, two culverts needed, 300 ft. of trail needing tread repair from beaver dam damage, and 300 ft. of heavy clay in need of a stone cap.
• At Pinckney Recreation Area, PotoMBA is raising funds with a target of $300,000 for the Poto Revitalization Project to enhance the sustainability and user experience of the Potowatomi Trail.
• At the Proud Lake and Island Lake Recreation Area trail systems, MCMBA has contributed significant resources to maintenance: 2,589.5 volunteer hours in 2022 and 2023 (valued at $80,922), plus another $33,600 in materials and equipment rental ($13,600 was covered by a NMGF award from the DNR.)
• At Maybury State Park near Northville, MCMBA paid for a trail assessment ($12,000) to assess and plan for reconstructing portions of the trail to address erosion issues. The planners estimated the total project cost at $352,000. MCMBA has a NMGF award for $150,000 and is working to identify a source for the remaining $200,000.

IN CONCLUSION
Many staff in the DNR realize that the absence of a trail maintenance fund is a problem, but an advisory committee with no budget or authority can’t fix it. You can.

The DNR’s own Trails Plan recognizes the need for dedicated maintenance funding, with the first goals listed for 2022-2032 as:

• Sustainable maintenance and development: Manage Michigan’s state-designated trails system to sustainably maintain and improve existing conditions while supporting the DNR’s long-term natural and cultural resource management goals. 
• Funding: Develop and refine funding structures to ensure state-designated trails provide quality recreation and transportation experiences.

Natural surface trail users need a dedicated maintenance fund. We’re ready and willing to put differences aside to make this work as well as possible.

Sincerely,
John Lindenmayer, Executive Director
Michigan Mountain Bike Alliance
and the undersigned

* Guide to acronyms:
CMMBA: Central Michigan Mountain Bike Association
CRAMBA: Clinton River Area Mountain Bike Association
MCMBA: Motor City Mountain Biking Association
MMMBA: Mid-Michigan Mountain Biking Association
NMMBA: Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association
PotoMBA: Potowatomi Mountain Biking Association