In his State of the Union address, President Obama called on us to 'Fix it First' by targeting the most urgent upgrades for roads and bridges. Today, we're making sure that roads on tribal lands are part of that equation.
And to make that happen, our Federal Highway Administration has announced the availability of more than $8.6 million from its Tribal Transportation Program Safety Funds (TTPSF). These grants will help fund much-needed road repairs, improve safety, and create jobs.
They're also a good example of our steadfast commitment to America's tribal communities.
These funds will address a need to improve road safety on tribal lands, which have consistently endured road fatality rates among the nation's highest. As FHWA Administrator Victor Mendez said, "Over the years, I've met with many tribal leaders who share our interest in improving road safety. These funds will do much to help keep roads on tribal lands safe for all who depend on them."
I'm also pleased to announce that the FHWA is leading webinars on May 1 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. EDT and on May 8 from 4 to 5 p.m. EDT. The webinars will help potential applicants navigate the funding process. Links to the webinars will be available on the FHWA Tribal Transportation Program web page.
Motor vehicle crashes leave an indelible mark on virtually every community, and we're doing what we can to make our nation's roadways as safe as we can. That's true for interstate highways and rural byways.
And, thanks to MAP-21 which authorized the Tribal Transportation Program Safety Funds, it's also true for tribal roads.
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