More than $21 million in federal money to support tribal highway and road projects

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe will receive $1,280,819 for its Bureau of Indian Affairs 3400 Roadway Realignment Safety Project. The money will fund improvements on a .8-mile stretch of the BIA road. Engineering and construction will “address slope, drainage and crash history,” according to a press release from the office of North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer.

In a written statement to Buffalo’s Fire, Standing Rock Sioux Chairman Steve Sitting Bear said, “The work on BIA 3400 addresses a real risk our people have lived with, and it reflects the direction we’re moving as a Tribe, toward a future that is intentional and dependable.” He also said that while the project shows what’s possible when funding is available, tribal communities “cannot rely on discretionary cycles to address roads that have been dangerous for decades.” One-time grants, he said, “are not enough.”

A spokesperson was asked for crash and traffic data for BIA 3400. This story will be updated if they respond.

The FHWA also allocated $776,190 to the Spirit Lake Tribe for its Oyate Walkway. The funds will go toward thin lift overlay and accessibility improvements, which include restoring the surfacing, adding accessible landings with warning panels and making improvements to existing crosswalks, pavement markings and signage.

Spirit Lake Tribal Chairwoman Lonna Jackson-Street expressed gratitude for the federal support in an email to Buffalo’s Fire.

“This funding will help connect our community to the city of Devils Lake, something that has been needed for a long time,” said Jackson-Street. “There has been a strong need for improved safety, and this project will provide a safer, more reliable, and accessible pathway for our community members, including our children and elders. It is not just a walkway, but an important step in protecting our people and supporting future generations.”

An assistant communication director for the North Dakota Department of Transportation, David Finley, told Buffalo’s Fire that his agency is working on a $20 million project to extend a pathway from Fort Totten to Devils Lake, and that the Oyate Walkway connects to the pathway at two locations. Bidding on the project begins Apr. 10.

In a 2024 report, the FHWA said Native people remain the demographic most likely to die in vehicle crashes, highlighting the need for safe and stable infrastructure across Indian Country.

Seven FHWA grants totaling just over $3.8 million were also allocated to seven tribal projects in neighboring South Dakota.