Confederated Tribes of Colville Reservation Receives Federal Transportation Safety Funding

The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation was among six Washington tribes to receive federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Tribal Transportation Program Safety Funds. A collective $1.18 million was awarded to the tribes in the state and the Colville tribes received $12,500 for the development of their first transportation safety plan.

"These funds are really intended to make tribal communities safer," said Mala Parker, Deputy Federal Highway Administrator. "We're talking about traffic safety, we want to improve the quality of life on reservations and for tribal communities. We want to make sure all roads and bridges are safe throughout our communities."

Traffic accidents are reportedly higher in tribal communities in comparison to the rest of the nation and these funds are directed toward addressing the transportation safety issues.

"There was a competitive process and it's one of those processes that's always going to be competitive because you have limited funding," said Parker.

Nationwide, there were over 90 awards that amounted to $8.9 million.