IMPROVING ACCESS TO 

FEDERAL LANDS IN 

NEVADA

Kickoff Meeting

May 9, 2022
Overview

• Introductions

• Federal Lands in Nevada

• Transportation Funding for Federal 

Lands 

• Study to Identify Unmet Access 

Needs to Federal Lands

• How You Can Participate

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Silver Peak Road, NV
Introductions and Invited Participants

• Jeff Sanders, Transportation Planner, Federal Highway Administration

• Elijah Henley, Transportation Planner Team Lead, Federal Highway 

Administration

• Invited Participants

• County representatives

• Tribal Representatives 

• Nevada Department of Transportation staff and committees

• Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) representatives

• Federal and State Land Management Agencies 

• We invite questions during presentation

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Federal Lands in Nevada

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Bureau of 

Land 

Management

Forest 

Service

Fish and 

Wildlife 

Service

National Park 

Service (1%)

Department 

of Defense

(<1%)

Chart Title

84%

10%

4%
Federal Lands and Recreation in Nevada

• Participation in outdoor recreation has been 

growing nationally

• COVID-19 magnified that increase

• Outdoor recreation is a $4 billion industry in 

Nevada

• Many rural and gateway communities seek to enhance 

outdoor recreation-based tourism

• Transportation infrastructure plays a critical role

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Federal Lands and Recreation in Nevada

• Public lands and natural amenities are an important draw for visitors

• Nevada has established an office to promote outdoor recreation

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Transportation Funding for Federal Lands

How Does It Work? 

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Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

• Support the nation’s 

highway system

• Partner with states 

to design, build and 

maintain interstates 

and highways

• Provides planning 

and engineering 

services for Federal 

and Tribal lands

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National Highway System Map
Federal Lands Highway Division (FLH) Mission

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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.

Programs

• Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) Improve 

transportation facilities owned or maintained by a non-federal

agency providing access to, adjacent to, or location within 

federal lands 

• Federal Lands Transportation Program (FLTP) Improve 

transportation facilities owned and maintained by a federal

agency 

• Federal Lands Planning Program (FLPP) Implement 

transportation planning for Federal lands and Tribal 

transportation facilities that are consistent with the Statewide 

and Metropolitan transportation planning procedures under 23 

U.S.C. 

• Tribal Transportation Program (TPP) Provide safe and 

adequate transportation and public road access to and within 

Indian reservations, Indian lands, and Alaska Native Village 

communities
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FLAP Funding Distribution

% Fed Owned 

Acreage by State

80% of FLAP

($229 million)

> 1.5% of Federal Land

20% of FLAP

($57 million)

< 1.5% of Federal Land

FLTP Funding Distribution

4 Year Totals:

NPS- $1.731 B

FWS- $180 M

USFS-$130 M

BLM, USACE, BOR & IFAs- $154 M

4 Year FLTP Funding

= $2.195 B

Non-Competitive- By statute the NPS, FWS, and USFS receive 

annual FLTP sums.

Competitive- Based on application submissions from the BLM, 

BOR, USACE, and eligible Independent Federal Agency, 

allocation amounts are determined by the Office of the 

Secretary of Transportation by use of a performance 

management model. Fiscal Year 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 Total

Authorization $286 M $292 M $297 M $304 M $309 M $1.49 B

2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

NPS $332 M $339 M $346 M $354 M $360 M

FWS $36 M $36 M $36 M $36 M $36 M

USFS $24 M $25 M $26 M $27 M $28 M

BLM, 

USACE, 

BOR, and 

IFAs

$29.5 M $30.1 M $30.7 M $31.4 M $31.9 M

Total $422 M $430 M $439 M $448 M $456 M
Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) in 

Nevada

• Funded (or To-BeFunded) 20 

projects Between 

2013-2028

• Valued at $170 

million

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Bob Ruud Highway ($29M) 

SR 28 Bike Path ($13M)

Red Rock Trail ($12M)

Kings Canyon Rd ($5M)
Federal Lands Access Planning (FLAP) in 

Nevada

How Do We Determine FLAP-Funded Projects? 

• Use a “Call For Projects” for non-federal agencies to submit project 

proposals 

• Challenges with Call For Project

• Few proposals compared to similar states 

• Hard to determine if proposals represent the best or most needed projects.

• 3-month application window is challenging for complex and costly projects

• Missing economic development perspective

• Coordination Challenges

• Few opportunities for federal agencies and non-federal agencies to coordinate 

on transportation challenges.

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Federal Lands Transportation Program 

(FLTP) in Nevada

How Do We Determine FLTP-Funded Projects? 

• Federal agencies select projects regionally or nationally

• Local federal reps can request funding, but no funding allocated 

directly to Nevada

• Projects have to be on the designated FLTP inventory for each agency 

• Planning is currently constrained to funding levels

• Funds are only allowed to be spent within federal administrative boundaries

• Program is independently prioritized by each agency

• Coordination Challenges

• There is an opportunity for better program alignment where FLAP and FLTP 

priorities intersect

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Incorporating FLMA Needs in the 

State and Local Planning Process

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MPO

What: Shared Needs and 

Priorities

Why:

A. Consistent with Planning 

Regs 

B. Leverage Partners

C. Better Coverage of Need

How:

A = LRTP

B,C = Consolidated Fed 

Lands Plug-In Sections in 

State and local plans 

What

Why ? How

Fed 

Lands Fed-Aid

NPS

FWS

USFS

BLM

ACE

USBR

DOT

Tribes COG

• Establish a shared vision 

for enhanced federal 

lands access in the area 

studied.

• Establish shared need 

across FLMAs and with 

their state and local 

counterparts.

• Better understanding 

regional connectivity 

across jurisdiction 

(federal, state, and 

local). 

Outcomes
Improving Access to Federal Lands in Nevada

Study Goals and Outcome 

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What Does “Improving Access” Mean? 

• Obtaining access through acquisitions, easements, etc to lands that are 

otherwise inaccessible

• Capital and operational improvements to enable safe, reliable multimodal access

• Improving access is best pursued through:

• Partnerships between governments at all levels and other organizations

• Improving access for all people of all background and abilities

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Study Goals

#1 – Identify unmet access needs to federal lands and prioritize them

 Prioritized needs will inform future FLAP Call For Projects

 Provide guidance on how to address complex challenges

#2 – Provide policy and process recommendations for improved 

coordination between federal land agencies and the existing 

transportation planning processes

 Mechanism for ongoing project identification and coordination

 Opportunity for jointly funded projects

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How Will We Identify Unmet Access Needs? 

(Goal #1)

• Collect GIS Data

• Build An Inventory of Unmet Access Needs

• Analysis of recreation trends and traffic data

• Workshops with federal agencies 

• Workshops with local, county, tribal, and state officials

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How Will We Prioritize Needs? (Goal #1)

• Workshops with Selected 

Stakeholders to Create Criteria

• Nevada Department of Transportation

• Nevada Association of Counties

• Nevada Division of Outdoor 

Recreation

• Federal Land Management Agency 

Representatives 

• Federal Highway Administration

• Tribes

• Apply Prioritization Criteria to 

Inventory of Needs

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Prioritized Needs
How Will We Improve Coordination? (Goal 

#2)

• Understand the Nevada 

Statewide Transportation 

Planning Process

• What are statewide planning goals? 

How does the state collaborate 

with communities? 

• Meet with Nevada DOT and 

Urban Planning Officials

• How are needs identified? How do 

needs turn into projects? 

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How Will We Improve Coordination? (Goal 

#2)

• Provide recommendations for improving coordination

• Are there already good examples of good 

coordination? 

• Recreation Shared Stewardship Agreement

• Examples could include:

• Identifying agency contacts and their roles

• Appointing federal representatives to existing 

transportation advisory groups

• Updated guidance on how NDOT and MPOs conduct 

planning studies to include federal representatives

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Study Outcome

Prioritized list of unmet access 

needs to guide future funding 

decisions (a product)

A coordinated approach that aligns 

transportation priorities and 

program across federal, state, and 

local jurisdictions (a process)

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Better 

Understanding of 

Regional 

Connectivity Across 

Jurisdictions

Refine Projects and 

Identify Projects of 

Mutual Interest 

Project 

Implementation 

and Program 

Evaluation

Coordination 

Between 

Transportation 

Partners
Schedule

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Project Initiation

(March)

Kickoff Meeting

(May)

Final Report

(December)

Need Workshops 

(Summer)

Coordination with NDOT 

and MPOs

(Sum/Fall)

Prioritization Workshops 

(Fall)
How Can You Participate? 

• Your Participation is Critical! 

• Participation in Need Workshops

• Virtual workshop for federal/state 

land managers (June)

• Workshops for local, county, Tribal, 

and state officials in each NDOT 

district

• Review Materials

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Why Should I Participate? 

• FLAP projects can improve access to federal lands in 

your city or county

• In many cases, no local match required

• Your participation = representation

• Build relationships with federal partners

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Contact Information

• Elijah Henley

Elijah.Henley@dot.gov

(720) 963-3562

• Jeff Sanders

Jeffrey.Sanders@dot.gov

(720) 963-3329

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