The government is working to reduce highway fatalities in Indian Country.
The Federal Highway Administration, an agency of the Department of Transportation, announced $21 million for 93 road infrastructure improvement projects from 70 different tribes across Indian Country.
“This funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will not only improve safety on Tribal roads for drivers, but it will improve safety and accessibility for other users such as road work crews, pedestrians and bicyclists,” said Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt. “We’re pleased to help Tribes implement these projects that will help save lives in Tribal communities.”
The Fort Peck Tribes will receive $600,000 for roadway infrastructure improvements, including shoulder widening and other improvements along Bureau of Indian Affairs Route one on the Fort Peck Reservation.
Money from the FHWA will go directly to tribes working on highway infrastructure improvement and road safety projects on tribal land. It can be used for data development of safety plans, data analysis activities, pedestrian infrastructure improvements, roadway departure countermeasures, intersection safety, visibility and traffic calming.
The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides the largest funding ever in the history of the Tribal Transportation Program, which includes the safety fund, by increasing the total authorized from $2.4 billion under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act to $3 billion for Fiscal Years 2022 through 2026. This is in addition to the new Safe Streets and Roads for All discretionary grant program that will provide $1 billion this year to support regional, local, and Tribal plans, projects and strategies that will prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries.
Traffic accidents and fatalities occur more frequently on tribal and rural roads. During the annual White House Tribal Leaders Summit, the Department of Transportation announced a slate of actions to build on ongoing work to increase funding in Indian Country.
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