Roadways across tribal lands in the United States are set for a wave of safety upgrades at the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) rolls out $21 million in grant funding aimed at reducing fatalities and serious injuries.
The funding will support 84 projects benefiting 61 tribes across 13 states, according to a USDOT press release, with a focus on improving roadway safety conditions in Native American and Alaska Native communities.
Funding Flows Through Tribal Transportation Safety Program
The grants are being distributed through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund, which provides annual funding for safety-focused infrastructure improvements on tribal lands.
Applications for the 2026 funding cycle closed in January and are currently under review, according to USDOT.
Since its inception, the program has awarded more than $141 million across more than 1,000 projects aimed at improving roadway safety in tribal communities.
Projects Range from Guardrails to Pathways and Data Upgrades
Several projects focus on addressing roadway departure crashes, which account for 63% of fatal crashes on tribal lands.
Among them, the Northern Cheyenne Tribe in Montana will receive more than $1.2 million to install guardrails at 10 locations across its reservations, the press release states.
A range of grants are being released to tribes for projects under their transportation safety plans, and four tribes will utilize funding to create their own transportation safety plans for the first time ever.
Tribes are introducing a range of roadway infrastructure safety improvements with the grants.
The Yankton Sioux Tribe in South Dakota is receiving more than $1.3 million to construct a multi-use pathway linking residential areas with schools, healthcare facilities, tribal headquarters and other key destinations.
While many grants address immediate infrastructure needs, others focus on long-term planning and data-driven safety strategies.
Nineteen awards are dedicated to data assessment and analysis initiatives, supporting more proactive transportation planning efforts.
The Seneca Nation of Indians in New York, for example, will receive more than $334,000 to modernize and standardize crash data collection — an effort aimed at improving safety planning and guiding future infrastructure investment.
More Tribal Infrastructure Funding on the Way
Additional funding opportunities are expected later this year through the FHWA’s Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects Program.
This program supports construction, reconstruction or rehabilitation efforts on or near federal or tribal lands, targeting infrastructure challenges, according to the program’s website.
Sources: USDOT, Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund, Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects Program
