The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration recently announced it allocated $130.5 million in federal grants for seven projects aimed at improving transportation infrastructure on federal and Tribal lands across the country.
These initiatives prioritize safety and accessibility while addressing critical needs and promoting economic opportunities for communities, according to a July 6 DOT news release.
“FHWA is proud to award these grants that will help make travel safer and provide more enjoyable access to key destinations that support local residents, business and visitors,” Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt said in the release.
The grants will address critical transportation needs while prioritizing safety, the release reported.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of these investments, according to the release. He noted "we are delivering infrastructure improvements on federal and Tribal lands that communities have needed for decades" under the leadership of President Joe Biden.
“From the Grand Canyon in Arizona to Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia, these projects will help address the climate crisis and make a huge difference in the safety and quality of life for surrounding communities and hundreds of thousands of visitors to our nation’s federal parks and wildlife refuges,” Bhatt said in the release.
These grants will support a range of projects across the country, the release reported. The National Park Service will receive $27.5 million for the Grand Canyon National Park shuttle bus fleet replacement project in Arizona, which includes the purchase of new buses and the installation of charging infrastructure for electric buses. In North Carolina, $21.4 million will be used to construct the Ecusta Rail Trail, connecting the statewide bike route system with Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Other projects include the improvement of Multimodal Beach Access at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia, the Ibapah Road Safety and Rehabilitation Project in Utah, the U.S. 93 roadway improvement project in Montana, the construction of the Wadsworth Bypass Road in Nevada and the Cherokee Nation Mud Valley Road Reconstruction project in Oklahoma, the release said. These initiatives aim to enhance road safety, promote accessibility to tatural landmarks and support economic opportunities for Tribal communities.
Buttigieg highlighted the importance of road safety in Tribal communities, which face higher rates of traffic deaths than the national average.
"With today's announcement, we're making it easier for Americans to access some of our greatest natural wonders and improving road safety in Tribal communities," Buttigieg added, according to the release.
