Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
03.21.23
Three WA Tribes Get DOT Funding to Help Reduce Traffic Accidents
The Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund delivers funding for creation of new safety action plans
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, announced that three Washington Tribes have been awarded a total of $139,270 in federal grants through the Department of Transportation’s Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund (TTPSF) program.
Tribal Transportation Program Safety Funds are used to address transportation safety issues in Indian Country, where traffic accidents are consistently higher than the rest of the nation as a whole. TTPSF selects projects that will address the prevention and reduction of death or serious injuries in transportation-related incidents.
Grants were awarded to these three Tribes to fund the creation of comprehensive safety action plans.
Makah Tribe: A TTPSF grant of $85,532 will fund a road safety audit on a 3.9 mile stretch of roads in and around Neah Bay — Bayview Avenue, 3rd Avenue, Front Street, Makah Passage, and Cape Flattery Road. The route is a scenic byway and is the main route to access tribal businesses, government offices, and recreational areas on the Makah Indian Reservation.
Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe: Two TTPSF grants totaling $47,738 will fund safety audits on a 0.7-mile section of West Hendrickson Road and of a 1.3-mile section of Old Blyn Highway. Both areas include a significant portion of the Olympic Discovery Trail, which has a high volume of pedestrian and bicycle traffic during the summer months. This can lead to conflicts with vehicles.
Swinomish Tribe: A TTPSF grant of $10,000 will fund important data collection about collisions and traffic counts at key intersections. This data will be used to support future grant requests to improve sidewalks as well as the SR 20 interchange.
###