Tribal Transportation News

On March 24, 2025, US DOT Transportation Secretary Duffy authorized FHWA to proceed with the obligation of certain allowed non-competitive programs, funded through the Federal-aid Highway Program and the Highway Infrastructure Program. This will enable project delivery and minimize disruption to these programs.

Importantly, FHWA has received approval to move forward with the obligation of non-competitive allocated tribal transportation programs, including:

Tribal Transportation Program (TTP) formula funding
Tribal Bridge Program
Tribal High Priority Projects Program (HPP)

To access the full US DOT Action Memorandum to the Secretary, click the button below.

US DOT ACTION MEMORANDUM TO THE SECRETARY

REGISTRATION	DRAFT AGENDA
INFORMATION	HOTEL BLOCK

TRIBAL PEDESTRIAN & QUICK-BUILD DEMONSTRATION PROJECT

DETAILS: Tuesday, April 29, 2025 I 8:30 AM - 5 PM I Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico

DESCRIPTION: The Tribal Pedestrian Safety Workshop will include informational presentations, small group planning discussions, and the Quick-Build Demonstration Project will include the installation of a protected walking lane and crosswalk measuring and marking.

EVENT FLYER

EVENT AGENDA

EVENT REGISTRATION

TRIBAL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM (TTP) 101

DETAILS: 2.5-hour course (45-minute modules); can be taken at your own pace

DESCRIPTION: Through the Tribal Transportation Program (TTP), Tribes can receive support in the use of Federal funds for a variety of projects that will improve the quality of life through safe and adequate transportation for native villages, communities, reservations, and Indian lands. By having a better understanding of the TTP, Tribes can get a better idea of what the available funding can be used for.

This training also covers some related concepts such as discretionary grants, Tribal Transportation Improvement Programs (T-TIPs), Referenced Funding Agreements (RFAs), and environmental requirements of the TTP such as NEPA. This is an introductory course that will not get into the details of these complex topics but rather is meant to provide a basic awareness of the concepts.

This course is designed for Tribal members who would like more information about TTP funds. This includes Tribal Council members, Tribal transportation practitioners, and local agency practitioners. Topics covered include:

Tribal Transportation Program Overview
TTP Fund Allocation and the TTP Formula
Using TTP Funds

EVENT INFORMATION

EVENT REGISTRATION

RISK-BASED SAFETY PLANNING FOR TRIBES [WEBINAR RECORDING]

Description: Risk-based safety planning can help tribes identify and build justification for proactive transportation safety infrastructure improvements.

Several examples of risk-based safety planning projects in Tribal areas were shared during recent webinars co-hosted by the National Center for Rural Road Safety, the National Local Technical Assistance Program Association, and the FHWA Office of Tribal Transportation. Below are links to the webinar recordings.

Recorded Webinar 1: Risk-based Safety Planning for Tribes (Click Here for Recording)

Recorded Webinar 2: Results of a Systemic Study of Pedestrian Safety in Tribal Areas (Click Here for Recording)

In case you missed it, check out the January 2025, FHWA publication: A Systemic Safety Study of Pedestrians in Tribal Areas. The study identified risk factors for pedestrian crashes in rural Tribal settings and explored transportation planning practices and strategies to reduce the occurrence and severity of pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries in rural Tribal areas. This study identified resources available and created tools for Tribal agencies (planners, engineers, councils, etc.) and others who may be involved with pedestrian safety in Tribal communities to help determine high-risk areas within communities, identify potential safety improvements, and prioritize potential improvements or locations.

Download Final Report (PDF, 5MB)

For more information, visit https://www.tribalsafety.org/ped-study/

The American Planning Association recently published Understanding What Environmental Review Executive Orders Mean for Planning. The article details changes that may be in store for the regulatory process that drive federal environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

The article highlights the following:

President Trump's "Unleashing American Energy" Executive Order (EO)
Shifting of NEPA responsibilities to individual federal agencies, which will use their own previously adopted NEPA standards for reviews while new standards are enacted
Federal courts setting precedents for NEPA regulations
The impact the review processes will have on planners, and the potential for a more streamlined process

The full article is available here.

FY25 SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL (SS4A) GRANT PROGRAM

DEADLINE: June 26, 2025, at 5:00 PM (EDT)

DESCRIPTION: The SS4A grant program funds regional, local, and Tribal initiatives through grants to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries. Over $982 million is made available by this NOFO, and a similar amount is expected to be available next year in a future funding round.

SS4A NOFO

SS4A INFORMATION

TTP BRIDGE PROGRAM

DEADLINE: Any time during the year, in accordance with 23 CFR 661.25, a Tribe can submit an application package for preliminary engineering (PE) and/or Construction funding.

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

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 - UPDATE

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

PORT INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

DEADLINE: April 30, 2025, 11:59 PM ET

DESCRIPTION: The Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) is a discretionary grant program administered by the Maritime Administration. Funds for the PIDP are awarded on a competitive basis to projects that improve the safety, efficiency, or reliability of the movement of goods into, out of, around, or within a port.

PIDP grants support efforts by ports and industry stakeholders to improve port and related freight infrastructure to meet the nation’s freight transportation needs and ensure port infrastructure can meet anticipated growth in freight volumes. The PIDP provides funding to ports in both urban and rural areas for planning and capital projects. It also includes a statutory set-aside for small ports to continue to improve and expand their capacity to move freight reliably and efficiently and support local and regional economies.

PIDP NOFO

PIDP PROGRAM INFORMATION

INDIAN HIGHWAY SAFETY LAW ENFORCEMENT GRANT

DEADLINE: May 1, 2025

DESCRIPTION: The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Office of Justice Services (OJS), Indian Highway Safety Program (IHSP) solicit proposals for implementing traffic safety programs and projects that are designated to reduce the number of traffic crashes, deaths, injuries, and property damage within these populations. Indian Highway Safety Grants are financial assistance grants that are reimbursable and available to federally recognized tribes.

INFORMATION: Kimberly Belone, Program Analyst (Coordinator) BIA/OJS - Indian Highway Safety Program, 505-563-3900

GRANT INFORMATION

INDIAN HIGHWAY SAFETY OCCUPANT PROTECTION GRANT

DEADLINE: May 1, 2025

INFORMATION: Kimberly Belone, Program Analyst (Coordinator) BIA/OJS - Indian Highway Safety Program, 505-563-3900

GRANT 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

Securing funding for your project can be challenging, but with professional grant writing assistance, you can increase your chances of success. Since 2013, Cross Timbers Consulting staff have prepared over 100 funded grant applications, garnering over $102.1 million dollars in funding for tribal transportation programs. These include:

Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant Program [TIGER/RAISE]
Energy and Mineral Development Program [EMDP]
Tribal Transportation Program Safety Funds [TTPSF]
Indian Community Development Block Grant Program [ICDBG]
Community Development Block Grant CARES Act [CDBG-CV]
Accelerated Innovation Deployment [AID] Demonstration Program
FTA Tribal Transit Grants
Safe Streets and Roads for All [SS4A]
Bridge Investment Program [BIP]
Tribal Energy Development Capacity [TEDC]

CTC grant writing staff can help simplify the process and improve your odds of receiving funding. When you're ready to take the next step, contact us to discuss how we can support your funding goals.

CONTACT CTC GRANT TEAM

US DOT Key Notices of Funding Opportunity	US DOT Discretionary Grants Dashboard
US DOT Transportation Funding Opportunities for Tribal Nations Publication	US DOT Navigator
US DOT Funding Opportunities for Rural Projects

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

April is National Distracted Driving Month

Don't Drive Distracted. Eyes Forward.

Cell phone use while driving is dangerous and claimed 3,308 lives in 2022. You can break the cycle. Distracted driving can be prevented by keeping your hands on the wheel, your eyes on the road, and your focus on driving.

Remember: Don’t Drive Distracted. Eyes Forward. Help save lives and be an example to others by committing to that message.

For more information, visit www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/distracted-driving.

#JustDrive

At least nine people a day are killed in distracted driving crashes. Handheld and hands-free phone calls and texts, emails, social media, passengers, snacks and even built-in vehicle touchscreens are just some of the distractions fighting for your attention on the road.

Here’s a simple way to think about it: if something requires your hands, your eyes or your attention while you’re driving, it’s a distraction. Distracted driving isn’t just risky for you, it can be deadly for every nearby driver, pedestrian, bicyclist and worker.

Take the National Safety Council to #JustDrive - bit.ly/NSCPledge25.