2019 The Year in Review

From the desk of the Associate Administrator

Timothy G. Hess, P.E.

Associate Administrator for Federal Lands

Federal Highway Administration

Tim Hess

Standing at the top of a large culvert installation on the WFL Nestucca River Back 

Country Byway project; Tim Hess (center) recognizes the efforts of Blaine Johnson, 

Project Engineer (left) and Josh Taylor, (right) an environmental protection specialist 

on a rotational construction assignment. Both individuals were presented with 

Federal Lands commemorative coins in appreciation for successful management of 

multiple culvert installations within important regulatory permit time frames. 

Near Tillamook, Oregon

This report celebrates another year of accomplishments by the Federal Highway Administration, Office of Federal Lands Highway (FLH). During 2019, FLH 

administered a $1.5B program for our Federal Land Management Agency partners (FLMA), Native American Tribal partners, and other federal, state and local 

agencies. Projects accomplished last year ranged from highways and bridges in our National Parks, Forests, Wildlife Refuges, and other federal lands as well as 

projects for states and local communities on roads accessing federal lands. 

Last year, over half of the $1.5B in funds obligated were for State DOT projects. This highlights FLH’s role in providing design and construction assistance to 

not only our core Tribal and Federal Agency partners, but also our role in assisting State Departments of Transportation in delivering unique projects requiring 

FHWA assistance. During 2019, FLH completed projects for all our partner agencies that improved 2,500 lane-miles of road and 195 bridges. In addition, we 

assisted our Tribal partners as they delivered almost $500M in vital transportation improvements for tribal communities. 

As I write this, our nation is in the midst of a national emergency. FLH is continuing our operations as best as possible during these unprecedented times, and is 

already preparing to assist as our nation rebuilds our economy and returns to the “new normal.” While we have yet to see what the “new normal” will look like, 

we know that FLH will be asked to assist and FLH stands ready to do our part in rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure. We will assist tribal communities to build 

capacity to better meet their transportation challenges and assist our federal, state, and local partner agencies to meet the challenges they face in rebuilding our 

nation’s economy.

This year’s report focuses on People, Partners, and Projects. When I joined FLH four years ago I brought with me the concept that our mission in FLH is a 

mission of taking care of our People, so we can meet our Partner’s needs, and deliver great Projects. This year’s Accomplishments Report is about all three. The 

next several pages showcase our people, our partners, and our projects. Please take a few minutes to see what we accomplished!
2019 The Year in Review

Our Role............................................................................... 1

People ............................................................................... 2-9

Partners .......................................................................... 10-13

Projects: Tribal Partners ................................................. 14-17

Projects: Federal, State and Local Partners ................... 18-33

Office of Federal Lands Highway

The Year in Review

Table of Contents

Front Cover: Warren Wagon Road, Payette National Forest, Idaho

Back Cover: Seneca Nation of Indians Gateway Trail, Salamanca, New York 

Images throughout this report unless otherwise noted were taken 

by FHWA employees. Special thanks to all contributors. 

For additional information 

please visit flh.fhwa.dot.gov

or contact our offices:

FLH HQ • (202) 366-9494

EFL • (703) 404-6201

CFL • (720) 963-3500

WFL • (360) 619-7700

Federal Lands Offices

Western Federal Lands

Central Federal Lands

Eastern Federal Lands 

Federal Lands Division and HQ Office Locations

Western Federal Lands Highway Division (WFL)

Central Federal Lands Highway Division (CFL)

Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division (EFL) 
2019 The Year in Review

Glacier National Park, Montana

VISION VISION

To be the partner of choice

to Federal Lands Management Agencies and Tribes.

We will implement innovative transportation solutions

that provide access to and through public lands.

MISSION MISSION

Improving transportation

to and within Federal and Tribal Lands

by providing technical services

to the highway/transportation community,

as well as building accessible and scenic roads 

that ensure the many national treasures,

within our Federal Lands, can be enjoyed by all. 
2019 The Year in Review 1

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Federal Lands Highway 

Program (FLHP) was established in 1982 to promote effective, efficient, 

and reliable administration for a coordinated program of public roads and 

bridges; to protect and enhance our Nation’s natural and cultural resources; 

and to provide needed transportation access for Native Americans. The 

Federal Government, through various Federal Land Management Agencies 

(FLMAs): the National Park Service (NPS); USDA Forest Service (FS); 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS); Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and 

Tribal Governments; Bureau of Land Management (BLM); Department 

of Defense (DOD); U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE); Bureau of 

Reclamation (USBR); and Presidio Trust, have ownership responsibilities 

for more than 30% of the Nation’s land. This responsibility covers more than 

500,000 miles of public and administrative roads on federal land across the 

U.S. and its island territories.

The Office of Federal Lands Highway (FLH) is relied upon by these partners 

to solve and manage unique challenges that are wide-ranging in environment, 

geography and complexity, through engineering solutions that are sensitive 

to the context of the land. We are often confronted by unique terrain, work 

restrictions, and challenging deadlines. Whether it is building highly visible 

and political projects, constructing roads that are national landmarks, or 

providing critical access on low-volume transportation facilities, FLH is at the 

forefront of consistently delivering distinct and sound engineering projects.

FLH consists of a Headquarters Office (HFL) in Washington, District of 

Columbia and three field Division Offices: Eastern Federal Lands (EFL) in 

Sterling, Virginia; Central Federal Lands (CFL) in Lakewood, Colorado; and 

Western Federal Lands (WFL) in Vancouver, Washington.

Federal Lands’ role is categorized into two areas: Business Operations and 

Engineering. Business Operations addresses stewardship and oversight for 

our resources, as well as management and oversight of the program, totaling 

over $1 billion per year. Engineering is the development of projects from 

scoping and preliminary design through the construction of a project. 

FLH is uniquely enabled and entrusted to administer many different types of 

funds to facilitate transportation improvements for our Partners.

The Program and our role continue to expand to include more federal 

partners and road networks. FLH expertise and credibility has grown 

to deliver a wider variety of transportation projects and improvements 

nationwide.

Our Role 

Our engineering and technical expertise includes: 

• Construction Supervision and Inspection

• Consultant and Construction Contract Acquisition

• Contract Administration

• Design Visualization

• Environmental Compliance

• Funds Management

• Geotechnical Design

• Highway and Bridge Design

• Hydraulics and Hydrology

• Intelligent Transportation Systems

• Materials Sampling & Testing

• Plans, Specifications and Estimates

• Project Management

• Program Administration

• Road and Bridge Inventory and Inspection

• Safety

• Survey and Mapping

• Technical Assistance

• Technology Deployment

• Traffic

• Transportation Asset Management

• Transportation Planning

We employ practices and techniques of the FHWA Every Day Counts 

Innovations (EDC), designed to shorten project delivery, enhance 

durability and safety, improve environmental sustainability, and increase 

efficiency through technology and collaboration in our daily business.
2 2019 The Year in Review

People 

Our most valued asset is our people; they are the key component

to our continued success. We encourage our employees to build

diverse skill sets and technical expertise to remain in step with the

increasing diversity of the Federal Lands Highway Program and our

partner’s needs.

Innovation & Technology Deployment

Federal Lands applies innovative solutions that meet both the missions of 

FHWA and our partner agencies. Implementing these innovative solutions 

affords FHWA the opportunity to learn firsthand how well technologies 

perform once applied.

Design Visualization and Virtual Reality

The FLH Design Visualization Team demonstrated a new capability at 

the EDC-5 Summit in Baltimore and again at the EDC-5 Peer Exchange 

Workshops in Connecticut and Hawaii. With focus on Advanced 

Geotechnical Exploration Methods and Virtual Public Involvement, the team 

incorporated 3D renderings and animations into a portable Virtual Reality 

(VR) format. This is accomplished by rendering an image or animation in 

a 360-degree spherical format as opposed to a traditional flat image. The 

image/animation is hosted online and, by use of QR codes, any participant 

at a public or partner meeting can view a design visualization with their own 

smartphone. Inserting a smartphone into a pair of VR goggles allows for 

an inexpensive yet fully immersive experience “inside” a proposed project.

Technical Assistance

Each Federal Lands office provides training, technology deployment, 

engineering services, and products to an increasing array of partners and 

customers often with vastly different missions, priorities and approaches. 

At the request of our partners, we offer individualized technical assistance, 

demonstrations and training to advocate for innovation and technology 

improvements. Outreach to other transportation and resource agencies in 

the U.S. and abroad fosters the exchange of ideas and the growth of technical 

expertise. 

Bridge Inspection Program (BIP) Highlights

The BIP team is now using new web-based software, Inspect Tech for 

structure data collection and report preparation. Use of the software on a 

handheld device during site inspections allows for greater efficiency, data 

management and storage.

3D design visualization via smart phone 

and VR goggles allows for virtual public 

involvement.

Mobile application in use, C&O Canal 

National Historical Park, Washington, DC.
2019 The Year in Review 3

People

During FY 2019 the BIP team based at EFL inspected 1,086 National Bridge 

and Tunnel Inventory (NBI/NTI) structures, transmitted 997 inspection 

reports, updated load ratings for two different types of emergency vehicles, 

and completed scour studies for structures throughout the U.S.

The BIP team working out of WFL performed 350 NBIS bridge inspections 

for BLM, NPS and Tribes and hosted one rotational employee from WFL 

Construction for a Bridge Inspection Assignment. CFL performed 145 

inspections including structures and tunnels for NPS, Tribes and DoD.

BIP “Snooper” vehicle in use, wind meter mounted on 

bridge is monitored remotely, Blue Ridge Parkway, VA

RIP remote controlled tool in use 

for culvert inspections.

Under Bridge inspection via waterway, Colonial 

Parkway, VA

The many different perspectives on bridge 

inspection, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National 

Parks, CA 

National Road Inventory Program Highlights

The RIP team conducted inspections throughout Alaska in summer 2019. 

Gravel road assessments were a major focus and the team collected condition 

of FLTP roads for the BLM, USFS, and USACE along with the standard 

cyclic inspections for NPS and FWS. RIP has incorporated the use of GoPro 

cameras to record images/video on unpaved roads and a new online website 

(Pathweb) was opened for viewing data and video collected on all NPS paved 

roads. Other highlights include: 

• Entering the final years of NPS Cycle 6 with inspections in the Regions 

formerly known as Southeast and Northeast

• FWS Cycle 5 completion of Region formerly known as Region 3 and 

continued inspections in the Regions formerly known as Regions 1 and 5

• BOR Cycle 1 inspections in the Upper Colorado and Mid-Pacific Regions 

• Ground verification study to validate gravel and native road rating 

methods and alignment with PASER scores

• Defense Access Roads (DAR) at Minot AFB in North Dakota were 

inspected by the RIP team for the first time. 

• RIP worked with FHWA-North Dakota and North Dakota State 

University to pilot the use of a remote controlled vehicle to capture video 

inside culverts for DAR inspections 

RIP Data Collection Vehicle (DCV) 

captures updated video on Denali Park 

Road for Cycle 6.
4 2019 The Year in Review

People

This is how we work...

For many Federal Lands employees working “out in the field” is not just a job, 

in many respects it’s a lifestyle and often an adventure!

Geotechnical Engineers investigating a potential thermal feature during a field review, 

Yellowstone River, Montana Wyoming

Breakfast in Badlands — Assignments most often take place in such remote locations that 

preparedness takes on whole new meaning. Site investigation, Badlands National Park, 

South Dakota

Safety Audit, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii

Project Scoping 

Team Meeting, 

Denali National 

Park & Preserve, 

Alaska
2019 The Year in Review 5

People

Field Review, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Design & Pavement Team, Project Scoping Trip, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee

Bridge Replacement Scoping Meeting, Mount Rainier 

National Park, WashingtonGeological 

Survey, 

Yellowstone 

National Park, 

Wyoming
6 2019 The Year in Review

People

George Mason University (GMU) Civil, Environmental and 

Infrastructure Engineering Course 

During Fall 2019 the Eastern Division hosted 10 students from GMU 

offering specialized training in Survey and Mapping, Geotechnical Design, 

Construction, Bridge Design, and Bridge Inspection.

Survey & Mapping Sessions, Eastern Division 

Office, Sterling, Virginia

Geotechnical Design Session, Eastern Division Office, Sterling, Virginia

Construction Field Trip, Arlington Memorial Bridge, Washington, DC

Bridge Inspection Field Trip, Turkey Run 

Bridge, George Washington Memorial 

Parkway, Virginia 

Bridge Design Session, Eastern 

Division Office, Sterling, Virginia
2019 The Year in Review 7

Several award recipients pose with FLH Associate Administrator, Eastern Division Director and Chief of Business Operations at DOT Headquarters Ceremony, Washington, DC

People
8 2019 The Year in Review

People

efficiency, prioritization of tasks, leading to a satisfying working relationship 

with FLH partners and for continuously incorporating innovative techniques 

to improve the FLH Pavement Management System.

Stephen Chapman (WFL) was recognized for critical technical expertise 

during the development of OpenRoads Designer software and for creating the 

Design Support System seminar.

Glenn Kutzera (WFL) was recognized for leadership in implementing 

significant changes in how construction contract plans, specifications, and 

estimates are reviewed and finalized.

FHWA Leadership Award —

Marilyn Dodson (CFL) was recognized for providing inspirational leadership 

and championing the development of the geotechnical discipline.

Excellence in Teamwork Award —

The Baltimore Washington Parkway Emergency Repairs Team was 

recognized for outstanding strategic efforts to address severe pavement 

distress and safety concerns on the Parkway. At the request of the National 

Park Service, the EFL Pavements Team mobilized on March 14th to assess 

crumbling and deteriorated sections of the Baltimore-Washington (B-W) 

Parkway from MD 198 to MD 175. Severe pavement distress had become a 

significant safety concern, causing reduced speeds, vehicle damage, accidents 

and increased media attention requiring immediate action. Two projects, 

were fast-tracked to award by early April 2019 via emergency letter contracts 

and construction was complete by August:

David Dajc (EFL) 

Kurt Dowden (EFL)

Mohammed Elias (EFL) 

Monique Evans (EFL) 

Alazar Feleke (EFL)

Christopher Hansen (EFL) 

Milton Hsieh, Office of Chief Counsel

Ahmed Lamarre (EFL)

Christopher Long (EFL)

Khadija Ngozi-Bullock (EFL)

Angel Pagan Ocasio (EFL) 

Isbel Ramos-Reyes (EFL) 

Katerina Roman Gonzalez (EFL)

Thomas Scott (EFL)

Awards & Recognition 

Secretary’s Partnering for Excellence Award —

Mounir Abouzakhm (EFL) and Lisa Landers (EFL) were recognized for 

teamwork and diligence in developing the draft environmental assessment for 

the Baltimore/DC Loop Project.

Adam Larsen (HFL) was recognized for spearheading efforts to accelerate the 

implementation of Local Road Safety Plans in 39 counties, across nine states.

Administrator’s Superior Achievement Award —

David Cremer (HFL) was recognized for stewardship of the Office of Tribal 

Transportation program and its goal to place the environmental analysis and 

decision-making power into the hands of the Tribes, and streamlining the 

National Environmental Policy Act process.

Jeffrey Mann (HFL) was recognized for expertise in budgetary and policy 

matters and for his commitment to strengthening Agency internal controls.

Manuel Sanchez (HFL) was recognized for stewardship and oversight of the 

Tribal Transportation Program as well as the Emergency Relief for Federally 

Owned Roads Program and Transportation Investment Generating Economic 

Recovery funds.

Patrick Kowing (CFL) was recognized for superior leadership as the CFL 

Materials Lab Manager and for improving lab processes which promote 

effective project delivery.

Gregory Schertz (CFL) was recognized for unwavering commitment to 

advancing transportation safety and for contributions to the FHWA/FLH 

Safety discipline.

Kelly Wade (CFL) was recognized for outstanding leadership and for 

consistently providing NEPA advice to help move projects to construction.

Vivian Gutierrez (EFL) was recognized for outstanding communication and 

collaboration with FHWA staff, partners, and external stakeholders during 

the development of the new Federal Lands Stewardship and Oversight 

guidance.

Christopher (Shawn) Long (EFL) was recognized for exceptional 

contracting expertise, leadership, and commitment to meeting our partner’s 

requirements, enabling the Agency to deliver the FLH program, and build 

relationships with both traditional and non-traditional partners. 

Anthony Maloche (EFL) was recognized for outstanding performance, 
2019 The Year in Review 9

People

The I-95/PA Turnpike Team was recognized for herculean effort and tireless 

commitment which ensured the completion of an important component of 

the Pennsylvania Turnpike/I-95 Interchange Completion Project.

Amy Fox (FLH) 

Renee Sigel (CFL)

Sybil Hillis Commitment to Excellence Award — Regina Ownby (EFL)

2019 Structures Discipline Awards — Calvin Chong (EFL) was recognized 

for outstanding Customer Service provided to various federal agencies, and 

his support to the Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads Program.

Acquisition Discipline Awards for 2019 — Christopher (Shawn) Long, 

Contract Specialist (EFL) was recognized for demonstrating excellent 

customer service to internal and external customers, to include the FHWA 

Office of Acquisition and Grants Management. He has and continues to go 

above and beyond to ensure the mission is served and program goals are 

achieved. 

Design Discipline Recognition Awards — Angela Johnson, Senior Technical 

Specialist (CFL) has been a major contributor in the implementation of the 

OpenRoads Designer design software in FLH taking the lead in problem 

solving. In addition, she actively supports the FLH Engineering Systems 

team, the Special Contract Requirements team, and the Architectural and 

Engineering oversight team. Angela also mentors and coaches’ engineers 

to aid in their professional development and success, she understands that 

developing engineers ensures that FLH and FHWA goals and initiatives are 

achieved. 

Juan Aguirre, Engineering Systems Coordinator (WFL) has been leading 

the FLH conversion to the latest technology in highway design software, 

OpenRoads Designer. This tool will totally change the methodology for 

designing projects and Juan’s in-depth knowledge of highway construction, 

design, and software has helped him work with the contractor to develop a 

software package that would meet the needs of all three FLH project delivery 

offices. Juan’s leadership in this initiative directly supports agency innovation 

goals and, as well, enables the contracting community to take advantage of 

the latest technology in highway construction.

2019 Project Management Discipline Awards —Nathan Allen, Project 

Manager/Construction Operations Engineer (CFL) has demonstrated his 

technical, leadership, and interpersonal abilities during both the design and 

construction phases of projects. Over his 10 years within the Branch Mr. 

Allen has continually taken on diverse and challenging projects with a variety 

of partners. In his tenure he has had the opportunity to lead projects in the 

Forest Highway, Bureau of Land Management, Park Road, Emergency Relief 

for Federally Owned Roads, Federal Lands Access Program, and Federal 

Lands Transportation Program. Currently, Mr. Allen leads projects in the 

National Park Service Pacific West Region in the Yosemite, Sequoia, and 

Kings Canyon parks. Since 2018, he has actively managed thirteen projects 

in design and construction with combined construction costs that exceeded 

$100 million. While the short construction season and high visitation 

poses a challenge in managing active construction projects, he routinely 

overcomes those challenges to meet our partner’s expectations and mission 

requirements. 

2019 Corporate Award & DOT 8th Annual Acquisition & Financial 

Assistance Team Award for Innovation —

The Federal Lands Federal Acquisition Certification (FAC)/Program and 

Project Manager (P/PM) Certification for Federal Lands Highway Project 

Managers Team was recognized for executing a structured plan for FLH 

Project Managers to obtain FAC/PM Level III certification.

This team worked with FHWA Headquarters and the Office of the Secretary 

to execute a structured plan for all identified Federal Lands Project Managers 

to obtain FAC P/PM Level III certification. The plan also included a 

schedule for Project Managers to maintain continuous learning and skills 

in Federal Acquisition Institute Training Application System (FAITAS). By 

determining that the base requirement for FAC PM Level III was met, the 

Project Managers could forego completing Level I and II certifications and 

instead move forward with a 10-day/80-hour Capstone Training Course (for 

experienced Project Managers). This strategy will save 160 hours of training 

for approximately 40 FLH Project Managers for a total of approximately 

6,400 training hours and crediting our PMs with the experience they have. 

Not only is this saving training hours, but the FLH Project Managers will 

also be certified as FAC PM Level III sooner than if they had gone through 

all three trainings. Once the proposed strategy was in place, the team worked 

to procure, schedule and coordinate between the three FLH divisions to 

minimize the impact 10 days of training would have on the delivery of the 

program for all the FLH Project Managers involved:

Jan Beaver (EFL)

Nicole Chojnacki (CFL)

Brent Coe (WFL)

Elizabeth Garrido (EFL)

Rita Greico (EFL)

Wendy Longley (CFL)

Douglas Taylor (WFL)

Michael Traffalis (WFL)

Scott Whittemore (EFL)
10 2019 The Year in Review

Partners

Program Overview

Federal Lands and Tribal Transportation Program (FLTTP)

The FLTTP, established under the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st

Century Act (MAP-21) and continued under the Fixing America’s Surface 

Transportation Act (FAST Act), authorizes annual funding for three primary 

programs: the Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP), the Federal Lands 

Transportation Program (FLTP), and the Tribal Transportation Program 

(TTP). Through these programs, FLH works with numerous Federal agencies 

and Indian Tribes, as well as State and Territorial partners, to deliver 

projects.

Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP)

The FLAP, authorized at $265 million in FY 2019, provides flexibility for 

a wide range of transportation projects in the 50 States, the District of 

Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. FLAP was established to 

improve state and county transportation facilities that provide access to highuse recreation sites and economic generators within Federal lands. 

Federal Lands Transportation Program (FLTP)

The FLTP, authorized at $365 million in FY 2019, provides funding for the 

management and upkeep of approximately 50,000 miles of federal public 

roads and other assets comprising partners’ Federal lands transportation 

facility inventory. The Program provides funding to the NPS, FS, FWS, BLM, 

BOR, USACE, and eligible independent federal agencies (IFAs). To date, 

the Presidio Trust Corporation is the sole IFA to be included in the FLTP. 

Presidio Trust Corporation began receiving funds in 2017. Of the three 

programs that comprise the FLTTP, the FLTP incorporates performancebased management principles outlined in MAP-21 and reinforced under 

the FAST Act. The FLTP places emphases on performance goals defined by 

the Secretary of Transportation and FLMAs, and is intended to target funds 

toward multi-modal transportation facilities that access high-use recreation 

destinations and federal economic generators within the federal estate.

Tribal Transportation Program (TTP) 

The TTP, authorized at $495 million in FY 2019, provides funds to 567 

federally recognized Tribes to improve the transportation systems located 

within, or that provide access to, Indian country. These roads, bridges, trails 

and transit systems most often provide basic access to community services 

and help to enhance the quality of life of Tribal members. Federal Lands 

co-administers the TTP with the BIA and is responsible for the primary 

stewardship and oversight of Program funds. Approximately 135 of the 

Tribal governments operate their TTP directly through Program Funding 

Agreements with FHWA.

TTP Bridge Program 

TTP bridges are funded under the TTP Bridge Program by a set-aside of 

up to 3 percent of the TTP funds. Funds made available for the TTP Bridge 

Program for FY19 totaled $13.5 million. There were 33 bridge applications 

received, for a total funding request of about $34 million. The program 

funded 21 bridge applications with the $13.5 million allotted.

Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Transportation Projects 

(NSFLTP)

The NSFLTP, created under the FAST Act, is intended to provide a reliable 

source of funding for major, high-cost projects that typically cannot be 

funded with FLTTP resources due to the scope and expense of the project. 

This program is funded through the General Fund at a maximum of $100 

million per year. It did not receive an appropriation until FY 2018, when 

it received $300 million, and FY 2019, when it received $25 million. The 

program made 6 awards in FY 2019, based on applications of need.

Defense Access Roads Program (DAR)

The DAR Program is a jointly administered program that provides a means 

for the military to pay their share of the cost of public highway improvements 

necessary to mitigate an unusual impact of a defense activity. An unusual 

impact could be a significant increase in personnel at a military installation, 

relocation of an access gate, or the deployment of an oversized or overweight 

military vehicle or transporter unit.

Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads (ERFO) 

The ERFO Program, assists federal agencies with the repair or reconstruction 

of Tribal transportation facilities, federal lands transportation facilities, and 

other federally owned roads that are open to public travel, which are found 

to have suffered serious damage by a natural disaster over a wide area or by 

a catastrophic failure. The ERFO program is not intended to cover all repair 

costs but rather supplement Federal Land Management Agency (FLMA) 

repair programs.
2019 The Year in Review 11

Partners

FAST ACT FY 2019

PROGRAM FUNDING

$365 million FLTP

$265 million FLAP

$495 million TTP

...............................................................................

PROJECT DELIVERY SUCCESS

2488 Lane Miles Improved

103 Bridges Improved

7 Bridges (New)

85 Bridges (Rehabilitated)

PROGRAM DELIVERY SUCCESS

81%

Funds On The Ground

90.6%

Obligation Rate

FY 2019 Funds Obligated

$1.48 Billion

$798 

$446 

$231 

$3 

2019 Funds Obligated

$1.48 Billion

FLH Tribal Program FLMAs State DOTs
12 2019 The Year in Review

Partners

Our definition of partner is diverse, ranging from state and territorial

governments, traditional Federal Agency partners with strong

resource protection missions, to our Tribal partners, focused on

building self sufficiency and providing basic access to community

services and improved quality of life for their people.

Partner Satisfaction Survey

The questions in our yearly survey touch on all aspects of program 

administration from policy and communication to day-to-day program 

management. Program management results are reflective of the many 

adjustments made this past year. Completed project results exceeded the 

85% target for the third year in a row. This highlights the overall satisfaction 

of our partners with the final product, the constructed project. 

In addition, the FHWA Office of Tribal Transportation manages the Tribal 

Transportation Program Bridge Program and the Tribal Transportation 

Program Safety Fund for all federally recognized Tribes. These grant 

programs are set-asides from the overall Tribal Transportation Program.

 

The Work of the Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund

Utilizing a grant from the Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund, the ice 

roads crew from the Native Village of Napaimute acquired new technology 

that is now being used in combination with traditional knowledge to help 

monitor ice thickness. The device uses ground penetrating radar (GPR) and 

GPS technology to constantly measure and record ice thickness. As the device 

is towed on a sled, the measurements are wirelessly transmitted to an in-cab 

computer, which generates nearly instantaneous reports from the data. This 

safety project is one example of the 648 projects ($60.1 million) improving 

transportation safety in Tribal areas that have been funded by the TTPSF 

since it was established in 2013.

Office of Tribal Transportation 

Safety Engineer/Safety 

Program Manager (left) and 

Transportation Director 

for the Native Village of 

Napaimute (right) monitoring 

ice roads near Bethel, Alaska

With the numerous Partners and Programs FLH interacts with, the 

Tribal Transportation Program (TTP) is the largest. The Office of Tribal 

Transportation (OTT) administers the TTP and provides support for all 

FHWA activities affecting Tribal transportation. This support includes the 

administration of TIGER/BUILD grants awarded to Tribes, and the transfer 

of funds from States and other local governments to Tribes through the 

202(a)(9) transfer process.

Ground penetrating radar 

sled used to monitor ice road 

thickness, drill in operation to 

measure thickness of the ice. 

Drilling through ice roads to 

measure their thickness 

is now only required 

occasionally to calibrate 

the ground penetrating 

radar sled.

0.00%

25.00%

50.00%

75.00%

100.00%

Program Administration Survey Project Development Survey Completed Project Survey

EFL CFL WFL

FLH Partner Satisfaction Survey Results
2019 The Year in Review 13

Partners

Associate Administrator for Federal Lands, Oklahoma Division Office 

Administrator and staff, along with OTT staff visited with FHWA Agreement 

Tribes in Oklahoma. They learned about the diverse Tribal Transportation 

Programs administered by the Tribes and were able to see samples of their 

work in the field. Tribes shared their successes and in some cases, challenges 

to their programs. The trip included visits with the Miami Tribes of 

Oklahoma and the Chickasaw, Cherokee, Pawnee, Citizen Potawatomi, and 

Osage Nations.

Chickasaw Nation Executive leadership and Chickasaw Nation Roads Department staff pose with 

Federal Lands Associate Administrator, Oklahoma Division Administrator and OTT staff.

OTT Tribal Coordinators provide program information at a Tribal training 

conference.

Pawnee Nation President and Department of Transportation staff, 

FLH Associate Administrator, and Oklahoma Division Administrator 

pose with OTT staff while touring the Nation’s CM/GC projects.
14 2019 The Year in Review

Projects

Pathways leading to the Osage Nation War Memorial and connecting to the rest of the Tribe’s 

campus and community pathways were funded with TTP. U.S. Osage Nation’s War Memorial, 

Oklahoma.

The Chickasaw Nation celebrated 

completion of a new transit facility, 

Chickasaw Nation Transportation Services. 

This facility provides an on site wash bay, 

and shelters for buses. Transportation 

Services typically provides more than 43,000 

rides for hundreds of Native Americans 

and community members to medical 

appointments, job interviews and worksites.

Tribal Partner Delivered Projects

Community Streets improvements Native Village of Elim, Alaska
2019 The Year in Review 15

Pennsy Trail, a newly revitalized multi-use trail project, was completely administered by the Seneca Nation through a 202(a)(9) agreement. A former railroad route on the Western New York and 

Pennsylvania Railroad System, the trail was widened and paved to include safety enhancements with installation of lighting, bollards, signage and emergency call boxes. Salamanca, New York 

Projects
16 2019 The Year in Review

ProjectsProjects

Dwight Mission/Sequoyah Landing Road 

and Sequoyah Bay Road rehabilitation 

project starts at the gateway of National 

Cherokee Nation Park and terminates north 

at I-40. The park is an 800 acre Tribal 

property that is open to the public, adjacent 

to Robert S. Kerr Reservoir, and is part of 

the Arkansas River system. The improved 

roadway provides access to residential and 

recreational areas supporting the Nation’s 

tourism destinations. Sequoyah County, 

Oklahoma 

Littlewater Chapter House Access Road (Before and After) represents the first Navajo Nation 

project built utilizing their own force account crews, resulting in significant cost savings. As a 

dirt road it was often impassable when wet, the completed project now provides reliable and 

safe access to school buses, and emergency vehicles. Navajo Nation, New Mexico 
2019 The Year in Review 17

Projects

The Seneca Nation of Indians Gateway Trail Project provides a paved, ADA compliant, 

pedestrian trail connecting Tribal administration buildings, museum, casino, and the Tribal 

community. The trail project included installation of lighting, benches, crosswalks and security 

features. Salamanca, New York
18 2019 The Year in Review

Federal, State and Local Partner Projects

FLAP Project Award Recognition

CFL was presented a commendation of appreciation from California Senator 

Catherine Cortez Masto in recognition of the Meeks Bay Trail FLAP Projects' 

contributions to the Lake Tahoe Area. The project was also awarded the 

Tahoe Regional Planning Agency “Best in Basin Award". The 0.7 mile 

paved multi-use path was constructed along the west shore of Lake Tahoe. 

Construction included a 10-foot-wide, asphalt paved path with sculpted 

concrete faced GRS retaining walls and a 65 foot prefabricated geosynthetic 

reinforced soil-integrated bridge system (GRS-IBS), meeting the criteria of 

FHWA "Every Day Counts" Initiatives.

Meeks Bay Trail, California

Projects
2019 The Year in Review 19

ProjectsProjects

FHWA Administrator Project Award Recognition

At the request of the National Park Service,  the Eastern Federal Lands Pavements Team mobilized to assess crumbling and deteriorated sections of the 

Baltimore-Washington (B-W) Parkway from MD 198 to MD 175. The severe pavement distress presented significant safety concerns, calling for enforcement of 

reduced speeds. Two projects, were fast-tracked to award in early April 2019 via emergency letter contracts with construction completed by August 15, 2019.

Baltimore Washington Parkway Before and After Pavement 

Condition, Maryland
20 2019 The Year in Review

Projects

Aerial courtesy of Steve Tietze

Aerial photograph of the Truckee River Bridge, Tahoe City Roundabout project includes a new quarter-mile long segment of California State Route 89 with a new 153-foot bridge crossing over the 

Truckee River, and roundabouts on the south end of the realignment next to the Tahoe City Transit Center and the north end near the Caltrans Maintenance Station. Multi-modal improvements, 

such as new paved shared-use paths and bike lanes, were incorporated to enhance connectivity and safety for pedestrians and cyclists. Additional project features included drainage improvements, 

rock retaining walls, signing, striping, lighting, new sewer and gas lines, and landscaping with pollinator-friendly plants.
2019 The Year in Review 21

Projects

Truckee River Bridge, Tahoe City, California

Tahoe City Roundabout, California

Segment of new section of California State Route 89
22 2019 The Year in Review

Projects

Brainard Lake Road Project improvements included widening to accommodate cyclists, drainage, sight distance and upgraded signage and striping. Brainard Lake 

Recreation Area, Arapahoe and Roosevelt National Forests, Colorado
2019 The Year in Review 23

Projects

Aerial View of the completed Manning Crevice Bridge, a suspension bridge spanning the Salmon River illustrates the remoteness and difficulty accessing the site. The Bridge, at more than 300 

feet long, includes a 75-foot-tall steel tower on the north end and is one of only seven in the world of its type. The new bridge replaces one constructed in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps 

(CCC). Interpretive signs at the site of the new bridge explain the history of the original CCC bridge and the surrounding area. A portion of the old structure was preserved and is on display at 

Riggins City Park. Riggins, Idaho.
24 2019 The Year in Review

Arlington Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation completion of Phase 1, Washington DC/Arlington, 

Virginia

Precast concrete deck installation

Projects

Installation of restored drawbridge face maintains the historic character of the bridge, 

Arlington Memorial Bridge, Washington DC/Arlington, Virginia

View of the deck, Phase 1 complete, Arlington Memorial Bridge, Washington DC/Arlington, 

Virginia
2019 The Year in Review 25

Projects

Dollar Creek Shared Use Trail, California
26 2019 The Year in Review

Projects

All photos on this page depict improvements made to the East Side of Cottonwood Pass, 

Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, Gunnison County, Colorado 
2019 The Year in Review 27

Projects

All photos on this page depict improvements to Cottonwood Pass West Below Rocky Mountains 

Summit, Chaffee County, Pike and San Isabel National Forests, Colorado
28 2019 The Year in Review

Projects

Views of Warren Wagon Road located along Payette Lake and the North Fork Payette River 

was reconstructed with frost-resistant pavement improving safety and drainage while 

minimizing future maintenance. Valley County, Idaho President's Park and White House pavement resurfacing work and full depth pavement 

patching completed on Ellipse Road, South Grounds Road, and associated connection roads. 

Washington, DC
2019 The Year in Review 29

Projects

The Bayside Wildlife Drive and Visitor Center Road Project reduced maintenance 

requirements and costs extending the useful life of the routes while incorporating vehicle 

collision protection for the local endangered population of ocelots in the area. The project also 

allowed for vehicle access to the Refuge. Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, Texas

Mormon Lake Road, Completed Reconstruction Project, Coconino National Forest, Arizona
30 2019 The Year in Review

Projects

Old US60 Bridge Replacement Project in process, the old bridge (shown on the left) built in 

1930 and determined eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places will remain 

in place but not in use, Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, Cibola National Forest, New Mexico

The I-564 Intermodal Connector Design Build Project connects the existing I-564 through 

Naval Station Norfolk to Norfolk International Terminals and Virginia Port Authority, below 

is the new Commercial Vehicle Inspection Station for trucks entering the Norfolk Naval Base 

and Ramp D (above) leaving the Port and Naval Station. Norfolk, Virginia
2019 The Year in Review 31

Projects

Completed Reconstruction of Hoover Dam Access Road and Parking Area, Nevada/Arizona
32 2019 The Year in Review

Projects

Reconstruction of Beach Drive, with view of completed project below, Rock Creek Parkway, 

Washington, DC to Maryland State Line

Completed section of Harvard Street near Beach Drive at National Zoo (below), with new 

bioretention pond visible to the left. Rock Creek Parkway, Washington, DC
2019 The Year in Review 33

Projects

Completed Design Visualization of Precast Segmental Bridge carrying the Blue Ridge Parkway over Interstate 26. This project was delivered on time and on budget resulting in a set of drawings 

delivered to our partners, NPS and NCDOT, enabling the project to be ready to advertise within months.
flh.fhwa.dot.gov

FHWA-FLH-20-001