NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee House Speaker Pro Tempore Pat Marsh, R-Shelbyville, today announced $300,000 in funding for Bedford County to improve safety along the Duck River. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) will administer the grant through the Recreational Trails Program (RTP). The funding was approved by members of the Tennessee General Assembly […]
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee House Speaker Pro Tempore Pat Marsh, R-Shelbyville, today announced $300,000 in funding for Bedford County to improve safety along the Duck River.
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) will administer the grant through the Recreational Trails Program (RTP). The funding was approved by members of the Tennessee General Assembly this year in the 2025-26 state budget.
“The Duck River is a vital resource and important waterway in our community that offers exceptional recreational opportunities. This funding will help Bedford County implement crucial safety measures to ensure residents and visitors can confidently enjoy the river,” said Marsh. “I thank the many local leaders who advocated for these improvements and helped secure this critical grant.”
The RTP grant will help fund the installation of new signage and markers along the river and assist with securing essential water rescue equipment. The TDEC program provides federal funding to match local government investments in trailhead support facilities, land acquisition for trails, and trail construction, rehabilitation and maintenance.
More than $22 million has been administered to 33 communities across the state by TDEC this year through the RTP program, Local Parks and Recreation Fund program (LPRF) and the Tennessee Recreation Initiative Program (TRIP).
The Duck River is one of the most biologically diverse in the world and the longest located entirely in Tennessee, flowing 284 miles and providing drinking water to 250,000 Tennesseans.
State Rep. Pat Marsh represents District 62 in the Tennessee House of Representatives, which includes Bedford, Moore and part of Lincoln Counties.