FHWA 15-15
Monday, March 09, 2015
Contact: Doug Hecox
Tel: 202-366-0660

U.S. Transportation Secretary Foxx Announces $8.5 Million for Tribal Transportation Safety Improvements

WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced today that 82 tribes will receive more than $8.5 million for 94 projects from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)'s Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund (TTPSF) to improve transportation safety on tribal lands.

"Our nation's tribal communities deserve roads and bridges that are just as safe as any others, regardless of where they live," said Secretary Foxx. "By improving safety for drivers and their passengers on tribal lands, these important funds will enhance the quality of life for their communities."

The funds will be used for safety planning, engineering improvements, enforcement and emergency services, and education for tribal communities. This is the second year such funds have been awarded since the program's creation in the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) Act. FHWA received 126 applications requesting a total of $27.1 million in assistance.

Congress created the program under MAP-21 to improve highway safety on tribal roads and other transportation facilities – statistically, some of the most hazardous in the nation because of poor physical condition and other factors.

Examples of the grant recipients include:

• The La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians in California will receive $479,224 to better equip the tribe's emergency responders with supplies they need when responding to crashes or accidents on the winding mountainous roads in the area.

• The Fort Peck Assiniboine Sioux Tribes of Montana will receive $180,000 to pave Poplar Airport Access Road, which is expected to improve response times of law enforcement and other first responders during emergencies.

• The Kialegee Tribe of Oklahoma will receive $78,000 for the installation of a traffic signal in Wetumka at the intersection of US 75 and SH 9 to improve driver and pedestrian safety.

• The Nome Eskimo Community in Alaska will receive $60,868 to improve warning lights near the Nome Elementary School, which will make it safer for pedestrians and drivers alike in the extended darkness of Alaska's long winter months.

"The importance of road safety isn't lost on tribal leaders," said Federal Highway Deputy Administrator Gregory Nadeau. "From fueling road repairs to expediting safety planning and data collection, these new funds will help to make tribal communities safer."

A complete list of this year's recipients, and additional detail about the program, can be found online at https://flh.fhwa.dot.gov/programs/ttp/

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