Tribal Transportation News

TTP BRIDGE PROGRAM

DEADLINE: Any time during the year, federally recognized Indian Tribes may submit an application for eligible TTP bridges for planning, design, engineering, preconstruction, construction, and inspection of new or replacement bridges; replace, rehabilitate, seismically retrofit, paint, apply calcium magnesium acetate, sodium acetate/formate, or other environmentally acceptable, minimally corrosive anti-icing and deicing composition; or implement any countermeasure for TTP bridges classified as in poor condition, having a low load capacity, or needing highway geometric improvements, including multiple-pipe culverts.

DESCRIPTION: The TTP Bridge Program is focused on improving the number of TTP bridges in poor condition.

QUESTIONS? Contact Chris W. Riley, PE., Acting TTP Bridge Program Manager at chris.w.riley@dot.gov

TPP BRIDGE PROGRAM INFORMATION

TRIBAL HIGH PRIORITY PROJECTS (HPP) PROGRAM

DEADLINE: Any time during the year, a Tribe can submit an application package for Tribal HPP Program funding. On January 31, the applications received will be reviewed for eligibility, evaluated, and ranked for funding. Applications submitted after January 31 will be collected for the next fiscal year funding cycle.

DESCRIPTION: This program is a nationwide priority program for: (1) An Indian Tribe or governmental subdivision of an Indian Tribe whose annual allocation of funding under the Tribal Transportation Program is insufficient to complete the highest priority project of the Indian Tribe or governmental subdivision of an Indian Tribe; or (2) Any Indian Tribe that has an emergency or disaster with respect to a transportation facility.

TRIBAL HPP PROGRAM INFORMATION

RURAL AND TRIBAL ASSISTANCE PILOT PROGRAM

DEADLINE: New Application Opening Date TBD

Due to technical issues applicants experienced when attempting to apply for Rural and Tribal Assistance (RTA) Program funding, the application portal has been closed. The RTA program will not review any applications submitted and no grants will be awarded from applications submitted during the portal opening between March 18 and March 21, 2025.

The Build America Bureau is working to resolve the issues and establish a new date for the application submissions as soon as possible. All communities interested in FY24 RTA funding must apply when the portal reopens - this includes any community that applied between March 18 and March 21, 2025.

The BAB will announce the new date on grants.gov, LinkedIn and on the RTA Program webpage https://www.transportation.gov/buildamerica/RuralandTribalGrants.

RTA PROGRAM INFORMATION

BRIDGE INVESTMENT PROGRAM - LARGE BRIDGE PROJECTS

DEADLINE: August 1, 2025

DESCRIPTION: Large Bridge Project Grants under the Bridge Investment Program are available for bridges with total eligible project costs over $100 million, with minimum grant awards of $50 million, and maximum grant awards of 50 percent of the total eligible project costs.

BIP LARGE BRIDGE INFORMATION

BRIDGE INVESTMENT PROGRAM - PLANNING PROJECTS

DEADLINE: October 1, 2025

DESCRIPTION: Planning Project grant applications are available for bridges with maximum grant awards of 80 percent of the total eligible project costs.

BIP PLANNING INF ORMATION

BRIDGE INVESTMENT PROGRAM - BRIDGE PROJECTS

DEADLINE: November 1, 2025

DESCRIPTION: Bridge Project Grants under the Bridge Investment Program are available for bridges with total eligible project costs up to $100 million, with minimum grant awards of $2.5 million, and maximum grant awards of 80 percent of the total eligible project costs.

BIP BRIDGE INFORMATION

SCHEDULE A GRANT WRITING CONSULTATION

TRIBAL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM SAFETY FUND [TTPSF]

Applications for the 2025 TTP Safety Fund were accepted October 1, 2024 through January 15, 2025. These applications are under consideration but there is no estimated timeline for announcement of projects selected for award.

Stay up to date! To receive updates about the TTP Safety Fund, subscribe to the Office of Tribal Transportation Mailing List.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE FHWA OTT MAILING LIST

In May 2025, Steve Suder was announced as the Acting Office Director for the FHWA Office of Tribal Transportation. To stay up to date on this announcement and other FHWA OTT staffing updates, visit https://highways.dot.gov/federal-lands/tribal/contact-info or click the image below for the FHWA OTT organizational chart and contact information.

TRIBAL GRANT WRITING WORKSHOP

Date: August 18 - 20, 2025

Location: South Point Casino I 9777 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89183

Cost: $50 for tribal agencies; $100 for non-tribal agencies

Description: This event is designed to equip transportation professionals, Tribal planners, transit managers, public works managers, grant writers, and funding coordinators with the skills and knowledge necessary to craft competitive, compelling and successful grant proposals.

EVENT INFORMATION & REGISTRATION

US DOT Transportation Funding Opportunities for Tribal Nations Publication	US DOT Competitive Grants Dashboard
Grant Program Funding Opportunity Dashboard	US DOT Navigator

Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (ROUTES) Initiative	Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Information
National Center for Rural Road Safety	US DOT Proven Safety Countermeasures in Rural Communities
USDOT Volpe Center	Transportation Safety for Tribal Governments
Build America Bureau Rural and Tribal Community Resources	FHWA OTT Tribal Technical Assistance Program (TTAP)
FHWA OTT Webinar Archive	Joint Office of Energy & Transportation

Drive Sober this July 4th!

From 2019 to 2023, there were 2,653 traffic crash fatalities during the Fourth of July holiday period. Drinking and driving is a risk no one should take. Doing so can cause injury or death to the driver, passengers, and others on the road. The consequences of drunk driving could be life-altering.

Plan ahead! Designate a sober driver or call a taxi or rideshare. Getting home safely is always worth it.

Rural Road Safety Awareness Week

July 14 - 18 is Rural Road Safety Awareness Week (RRSAW) and it’s all about clutching post-crash care for a big-league safety win. Post-crash care improves the chances of surviving a crash by expediting access to medical care. It also prioritizes site safety and secondary crash prevention. In 2022, 42,514 people died in traffic crashes, with 42 percent of those crash victims being alive when first responders arrived at the scene. A crash victim’s chance of surviving a crash decreases 3% for every minute medical care is delayed. Medical care can prevent injuries from becoming fatal, which is especially critical in rural and Tribal communities, where jurisdictions are larger, first responder response times are longer, and emergency medical services (EMS) resources are usually limited. For more information, or to commit to this effort, visit the RRSAW 2025 website.

July 17 I ITA Meeting

Meeting Details & Link I 3 PM - 4 PM CT

September 21 - 25 I NTICC

Gila River Casino & Resort I Chandler, AZ I nticc.org

October 28 - 30 I ITA Annual Meeting [TENTATIVE]

OKANA Resort I Oklahoma City, OK

December 7 - 10 I National RTAP Conference

Hyatt Regency Austin I Austin, TX I nationalrtap.org

CALENDAR OF EVENTS