TRIBAL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM 

(TTP) 

M-72 Roundabout/Turtle Creek L Drive. Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Michigan

FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2016 DATA REPORT 

TO THE SECRETARY OF 

TRANSPORTATION AND THE SECRETARY 

OF THE INTERIOR 
2

General Program Overview 

The Tribal Transportation Program (TTP), established in 2012 under the Moving Ahead for 

Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), provides funding for addressing the transportation 

needs of the 567 federally recognized Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Villages(Tribes). The 

Tribes can use these funds for eligible transportation activities such as planning, design, 

construction, and road and bridge maintenance. The program is jointly administered by the 

Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Office of Federal Lands Highway and the Bureau of 

Indian Affairs (BIA) in accordance with a memorandum of understanding. Prior to MAP-21, the 

TTP was known as the Indian Reservation Roads (IRR) Program, which was established by the 

Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982. 

Under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, the TTP was authorized at a 

funded level of $465 million in FY 2016. Except for a 5 percent set aside for FHWA and BIA to 

carry out stewardship and oversight of the program, all other TTP funding is provided to Tribes 

either as Tribal shares or as special set-aside funding to address transportation planning, as well as 

safety and bridge projects and activities. The Tribal shares are determined via a statutory funding 

formula that can be found at Title 23 United States Code (U.S.C.), section 202(b). The TTP is an 

important resource of a Tribe’s overall infrastructure investment strategy. The regulations for 

carrying out the TTP can be found at 25 CFR Part 170. 

Spring Ridge Road SIR14-003 Project 301(2) Overlay 

Susanville Indian Rancheria, California Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah 

Any facility that provides access to or is located within Tribal lands is eligible to be included in 

the National Tribal Transportation Facility Inventory (NTTFI). These roads, trails, bridges, and 

other facilities provide safe and adequate transportation for public access to, within, and through 

Indian reservations and native communities for Native Americans, visitors, recreational users, 

resource users, and others, while contributing to the health and safety and economic development 

of Native American communities. There are currently more than 161,000 miles of roads on the 

NTTFI. Approximately 31,500 miles are identified as being BIA routes and another 27,000 miles 

as Tribal routes. The remaining mileage is owned by others including States, counties, townships, 
3

boroughs, or other Federal agencies. The table below identifies the mileage and ownership of the 

roads in the FY 2016 NTTFI. 

The TTP funds can only be expended for projects and activities that are identified on an FHWA 

approved Transportation Improvement Program per 23 U.S.C. 202(b)(4)(B). If the funds are to 

be expended on a facility, that facility must be included in the NTTFI. A listing of eligible TTP 

activities can be found at 25 CFR 170.111. 

TTP Funding Formula 

The FAST Act carried over the existing funding formula that was established in MAP-21. Found 

at 23 U.S.C. 202(b), the statute states that in FY 2016, after incorporating the set asides 

authorized under other subsections and subparagraphs (identified below), the Secretary shall 

distribute the remaining TTP funding among Indian Tribes as follows: 

- 20 percent of the remaining funding using the FY 2011 total relative need distribution 

factor (RNDF) and population adjustment factor (PAF) percentages (of the funding 

formula that was in place at that time1

); and 

- the “balance” using the MAP-21 TTP funding formula. 

 

1

 The funding formula that was in place in FY2011 was developed through negotiated rulemaking and contained in 

25 CFR part 170, which was published on July 19, 2004. The RNDF formula contained three factors: Cost to 

construct, Vehicle Miles Traveled, and Population. The PAF provided additional Tribal share funding at one of five 

differing amounts based on the same official Tribal population as used in the current formula. The RNDF and PAF, 

when added together became the “Tribal share,” and each Tribe’s share, when compared to the national total, became 

its “Tribal share percentage.” 
4

The MAP-21 TTP funding formula contains three factors: 

- Eligible Road Mileage (27 percent of the “balance” identified above) 

For the purposes of this calculation, and per 23 U.S.C. 202(b)(3)(B), the eligible road 

mileage is computed as the sum of the BIA or Tribally owned roads included in the FY 

2012 NTTFI as well as any other road that was included in the BIA system inventory 

prior to October 1, 2004. A total of 60,446 miles were used for this factor. Each 

Tribe’s ratio of total eligible road mileage as compared to the total eligible road 

mileage of all Tribes is used in this Tribal share calculation. A Tribe-by-Tribe 

breakdown of their eligible mileage for FY 2016 can be found on the FHWA TTP 

Website at https://flh.fhwa.dot.gov/programs/ttp/ under the heading of TTP Annual 

Report/Tribal shares. 

 

 - Tribal Population (39 percent of the “balance” identified above)

This calculation utilizes the most recent data on American Indian and Alaska Native 

population within each Indian Tribe’s American Indian/Alaska Native Reservation or 

Statistical Area, as computed under the Native American Housing Assistance and SelfDetermination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4101 et seq.). For FY 2016, this totaled 

1,575,554. Again, each Tribe’s ratio of their total population as compared to the total 

population of all American Indians and Alaskan Natives is used in this Tribal share 

calculation. 

- Historic Tribal Shares (34 percent of the “balance” identified above)

The Tribal share distribution for this factor is initially divided equally among each of the 

12 BIA regions. Then within each region, each Tribe’s share is determined by 

calculating the ratio that the average total relative need distribution factors and 

population adjustment factors from FY 2005 through 2011 calculated for that Tribe 

bears to the average total of relative need distribution factors and population adjustment 

factors for FY 2005 through 2011 calculated for all the Tribes within that region. 

In FY 2016, $302,950,000 was authorized for the TTP funding formula. Of this amount, 

$69,339,516 (20 percent) was distributed using the FY 2011 RNDF and PAF 

percentages described above, while $233,610,484 was distributed using the MAP-21 

TTP funding formula. 

The set asides that are incorporated into the TTP funding formula include: 

- Tribal supplemental funding – Under the statutory TTP funding formula, the dollar 

amount for this set aside is equal to $82,500,000 plus 12.5 percent of the amount made 

available for the TTP in excess of $275,000,000. For FY 2016, this totaled $106,250,000 

in authority. The intent of this set aside is to offset any negative impacts to each Tribe’s 

funding levels (from the MAP-21 formula versus the previously used IRR funding 

formula) by providing extra funding to assure that, if possible, each federally recognized 

Tribe receives at least the same level of funding that it did in FY 2011. The total funding 

for this set aside is initially designated at the 12 BIA regional level based on a ratio of 

their regional Tribes’ total of Tribal shares as compared to the total nationwide Tribal 
5

shares for that year. The funds are then made available to the Tribes within each region 

that were negatively impacted by the new formula so that their Tribal share total is at least 

the same as they received in FY 2011. Any remaining funds are then made available to all 

the Tribes within that region based on the size of their Tribal shares. If the supplemental 

funding made available to a region is not adequate to achieve this, then those Tribes that 

were negatively impacted each receive an amount that equals the same percentage of their 

FY 2011 amount. 

- Planning – Two percent of the funds made available under the FY 2016 TTP were set 

aside for Tribes to carry out transportation planning activities, such as the development of 

a Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) or to carry out other planning activities such as 

inventory updates or project specific planning. These funds were made available to each 

Tribe by adding 2 percent to their calculated Tribal share. In FY 2016, this set aside 

totaled $9,300,000 in authority. A list of the projects and activities that were undertaken 

by the Tribes in FY 2016 using these funds can be found in Attachment B; 

- Tribal Transportation Facility Bridges – Three percent of the funds made available under 

the FY 2016 TTP were set aside for the purposes of carrying out this program. Tribes 

applied for these funds in accordance with 23 CFR part 661 to carry out any planning, 

design, engineering, preconstruction, construction, and inspection of any bridge project 

located on a route included in the NTTFI. In FY 2016, this set aside totaled $9,300,000 in 

authority. A list of the projects and activities that were undertaken by the Tribes in FY 

2016 using these funds can be found in Attachment D; 
6

Campbell Creek Bridge Replacement, Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, South Dakota 

- Administrative expenses – In accordance with 23 U.S.C. 202(a)(6), 5 percent of the funds 

made available under the FY 2016 TTP were set aside for use by the Secretary and the 

Secretary of the Interior for program management and oversight and project-related 

administrative expenses. This is often referred to as Program Management and Oversight 

(PM&O) funds. In FY 2016, this set aside totaled $23,250,000 in authority; and 
7

- Safety – Two percent of the funds made available under the FY 2016 TTP were set aside 

for the purposes of carrying out this program. Eligible projects and activities were in 

accordance with 23 U.S.C. 148(a)(4). Tribes applied for these funds based on a Notice of 

Funding Opportunity published by FHWA and awards were approved by the Secretary. In 

FY 2016, this set aside totaled $9,300,000 in authority. However, due to delays, the 

Safety funds actually provided to the Tribes in FY 2016 was $8,990,503, which was the 

amount available and then carried over from FY 2015. A list of the activities and projects 

that were undertaken by the Tribes in FY 2016 using these funds can be found in 

Attachment B and E. The FY 2016 Safety set aside funds will be distributed to the Tribes 

in FY 2017. 

 CDC Traffic Rehabilitation Safety Project, Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, Connecticut 
8

 Tribal Safety Plan, Native Village of Chuathbaluk, Alaska 
9

FY16 TTP Fund Distribution 

For FY 2016, the amounts authorized and made available for each of these categories are shown 

on the table below. The main Control Panel is based solely on the FY 2016 authorized levels of 

TTP funding. The small table to the right identifies the actual dollars or limitation made available 

to the funding formula and set asides in FY 2016 after the application of obligation limitation. 

For example, although the TTP Program was authorized at $465,000,000 in FY 2016, the actual 

funding made available was only $441,285,000. Because of the language of the statute, the TTP 

funding formula must initially be run and the Tribal shares determined based on the authorized 

levels. The Tribal shares are then adjusted to meet the dollars actually made available. The FY 

2016 calculated Tribal shares for each of the 567 federally recognized Tribes as well as the 

breakdown of the 2 percent Planning funds can be found on the FHWA TTP Website at 

https://flh.fhwa.dot.gov/programs/ttp/ under the heading of TTP Annual Report/Tribal shares. 

The amounts reported by each Tribe for FY 2016 can be found in Attachment A. 

FY16 Authorization Amount $465,000,000

Rescission 0.00%

Ob Limit 5.10%

PM&O/PRAE 5.00%

Tribal Transportation Planning 2.00%

Bridge Program 3.00%

Safety Program 2.00%

Tribal Supplemental Funding $82,500,000 + 12.5% of $190,000,000 ACTUAL FUNDING

MADE AVAILABLE

(5.1% ob lim)

Funding Authorized $465,000,000.00 $465,000,000

Less Rescission $0.00 $0

$465,000,000.00 $465,000,000

Less obligation limitation $0.00 ($23,715,000)

Funding Made Available $465,000,000.00 total takedown $441,285,000

Less PM&O ($23,250,000.00) ($162,050,000.00) ($22,064,250)

Subtotal $441,750,000.00 $419,220,750

Less Transportation Planning ($9,300,000.00) ($8,825,700)

Subtotal $432,450,000.00 $410,395,050

Less Bridge Program ($13,950,000.00) ($13,238,550)

Subtotal $418,500,000.00 $397,156,500

Less Safety Program ($9,300,000.00) FY11 Tribal Shares ($8,825,700)

Subtotal $409,200,000.00 $346,697,578.00 $388,330,800

Less Tribal Supplemental Funding ($106,250,000.00)

$302,950,000.00

Less 20% to go under FY11 Tribal Shares ($69,339,515.60)

$233,610,484.40

Subtotal $233,610,484.40

Available for 27% "eligible miles" $63,074,830.79

Available for 39% "tribal population" $91,108,088.92

per region

Available for 34% "Historic Regional Shares" $79,427,564.70 $6,618,963.72

check $233,610,484.40

TTP FY16 Control Panel (FAST Act)
10

Contracting Mechanisms 

The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users 

(SAFETEA- LU) Public Law 109-59 (2005), for the first time allowed eligible Tribes the option 

of working directly with FHWA in the administration of their IRR Program. This option has 

continued through subsequent FHWA Authorizations. In FY 2016, 129 Tribes operated their TTP 

through Program Agreements directly with FHWA. Under these FHWA Program Agreements, 

the Tribes receive their funding in advance directly from FHWA and are responsible for 

managing their TTP. The FHWA is responsible for the stewardship and oversight of the provided 

funds and ensures that the program is carried out in accordance with statutory and regulatory 

requirements. 

Four additional options are available for Tribes that opt to work directly with the BIA. For these 

options, the TTP funds are initially transferred from FHWA to BIA for further distribution to the 

Tribes. The options include: 

- Direct Service Agreements – Under these agreements, the BIA actually carries out the 

TTP on behalf of and in consultation with a Tribe. Therefore, the BIA is responsible for 

all aspects of the TTP including delivery, stewardship, and oversight. In FY 2016, 10 

Tribes had Direct Service Agreements with the BIA for their TTP; 

- Self-Determination Contracts – These contracts are developed between the BIA and a 

Tribe in accordance with the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act 

(ISDEAA), Pub. L. 93-638. Generally, each contract is for a specific project or activity, 

so there could be several contracts developed over a 1-year period to account for the 

amount of TTP funding being made available to the Tribe. The Tribe is provided TTP 

funding on a contract-by-contract basis from the BIA and is responsible for carrying out 

the work identified. The BIA is responsible for the stewardship and oversight of the 

provided funds, and ensures that the program is carried out in accordance with the contract 

and statutory and regulatory requirements. In FY 2016, 221 Tribes carried out their TTP 

under Self-Determination Contracts; 

 

- Self-Governance Compacts – Compacts are developed between the Tribe and the BIA’s 

Office of Self-Governance. Under a self-governance compact, the Tribe is provided its 

funding in advance from the BIA and manages its TTP similar to the FHWA Program 

Agreements. However, these compacts include certain protections and other options 

afforded them in accordance with the ISDEAA. The BIA is responsible for the 

stewardship and oversight of the provided funds, and ensures that the program is carried 

out in accordance with the contract and statutory and regulatory requirements. In FY 

2016, 37 Tribes carried out their TTP under self-governance compacts; and 

 

- BIA Government-to-Government (G2G) Agreements – These agreements are “sister” 

agreements of the FHWA Program Agreements. First established in July 2011, a Tribe 

operating under these agreements receives its funding in advance from the BIA and is 

responsible for managing its TTP. The BIA is responsible for the stewardship and 

oversight of the provided funds, and ensures that the program is carried out in accordance 
11

with statutory and regulatory requirements. In FY 2016, 170 Tribes carried out their TTP 

under G2G Agreements. 

Gwee-Shut Road Sidewalks Project, Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Reservation, Oregon 

Statutory Report Language 

The FAST Act included language in 23 U.S.C. 201(c)(6)(C) that called for the collection of data 

on the obligation and expenditure of TTP funds and the development of an annual report for the 

Secretary and the Secretary of the Interior. Specifically, the language states: 

Tribal data collection — In addition to the data to be collected under subparagraph (A), 

not later than 90 days after the last day of each FY, any entity carrying out a project under 

the tribal transportation program under section 202 shall submit to the Secretary and the 

Secretary of the Interior, based on obligations and expenditures under the tribal 

transportation program during the preceding fiscal year, the following data: 

 

(i) The names of projects and activities carried out by the entity under the Tribal 

transportation program during the preceding fiscal year; 

(ii) A description of the projects and activities identified under clause (i); 

(iii) The current status of the projects and activities identified under clause (i); and 

(iv) An estimate of the number of jobs created and the number of jobs retained by the 

projects and activities identified under clause (i). 

This report to the Secretary and the Secretary of the Interior contains the above information/data 

for FY 2016. 

In response to this statutory requirement, FHWA and BIA worked closely with several Tribes to 

develop the TTP Online Reporting Tool (PORT) for gathering the required data. The PORT 

utilizes the MAX Survey platform on MAX.gov which is prepopulated with existing data so as to 
12

minimize the data entry work required of the Tribes. The Joint Agency Report System (JARS) is 

a Microsoft Access database that was used to collate and present the collected data into automated 

reports. 

Echota Church Rd Project, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina 

FY 2016 REPORTS AND OBSERVATIONS 

General 

The data entry in PORT was broken into the headings of Construction Projects and NonConstruction Activities. The Construction Project listings include all construction related projects 

and activities including projects funded through the safety and bridge set-aside funding. Data for 

the Non-Construction and Activities was further reported in the areas of: 

- Safety activities; 

- Transit; 

- Administration; 

- Maintenance; 

- Transportation Planning; and 

- Other non-construction activities. 

The FHWA and BIA also provided data on the use of the PM&O funds. 

As previously discussed and as shown on the Control Panel on page 7 shows, of the $465,000,000 

in authority that was made available to the TTP in FY 2016, $441,285,000 in limitation or 

funding was actually made available after the application of a 5.1 percent obligation limitation. 
13

Of this amount, $8,825,700 was designated for each of the Planning and Safety set asides, 

$13,238,550 was designated for the Bridge Program and $22,064,250 for the PM&O funds. The 

net result was $388,330,800 of FY 2016 TTP funding was made available to the Tribes as 

formula Tribal shares. 

Data Collection 

Nearly 99 percent of the Tribes that received TTP funds during FY 2016 entered data into the 

PORT System. Although this was the first usage of the system by a vast majority of the Tribes, 

the Tribes were generally satisfied with the system, and provided constructive suggestions for 

easing access and clarifying language in the future. The following Tribes or Tribal organizations 

did not submit any data for the FY 2016 Report: 

- Maniilaq Association; 

- Native Village of Ambler; 

- Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation (Smith River Rancheria); 

- Reservation Transportation Authority Consortium; 

- Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah & Ouray Reservation; and 

- Yerington Paiute Tribe (Campbell Ranch). 

In addition, the following Tribes only submitted partial data for the FY 2016 Report (although 

continuous outreach and support were provided): 

- Standing Rock Sioux Tribe – Submitted only the Financial report; 

- Fort Peck Assiniboine & Sioux Tribes – Submitted only the Financial report; and 

- Native Village of Tanacross – Submitted only the Non-construction/Jobs report. 

The BIA and FHWA provided data on the receipt and use of the PM&O funds. 

FY 2016 Results 

Several reports were generated from the collected data and are available for review in the various 

Chapter reports that follow or on the TTP Website. These include: 

- Chapter 1: National Financial Summary Report 

o This report shows the overall amount of TTP funding that was made available to 

and expended by each reporting Tribe in FY 2016 as well as the number of jobs 

created and the number of jobs retained through the projects and activities which 

were carried out. The TTP funding made available includes: 

 the FY 2016 Tribal shares; 

 the FY 2016 2 percent Planning funds; 

 any FY 2016 TTP Bridge Program funds; and 

 any FY 2015 TTP Safety funds which were provided in FY 20162

. 

 

2

 Due to the process required to award the TTP Safety funds, the FY 2015 safety funds were awarded in FY 2016. 
14

The Chapter 1 Report shows that in FY 2016, $410,493,951 in TTP funding was made 

available to the Tribes that entered data into the PORT. The report also shows that these 

same Tribes expended $267,468,456 of TTP funds in FY 2016. In addition, the report 

shows that the TTP funded projects and activities in FY 2016 accounted for 1519 

permanent (retained) positions/jobs as well as 5973 other non-permanent (created) 

positions. The Chapter 1 Report is included in this report as Attachment A. 

 

- Chapter 2: Non-Construction Activities 

o This report contains overview information on all the TTP funded non-construction 

activities that were carried out by the reporting Tribes in FY 2016. The 

information is presented in this order: 

 Safety 

 Transit 

 Administration 

 Maintenance 

 Planning 

 Other Non-Construction Activities 

The Chapter 2 Report is included in this report as Attachment B and a summary of 

the amounts expended in shown in the table below. 

Category Amounts expended by Reporting 

Tribes (millions) 

Safety $1.158 

Transit $6.285 

Administration $23.775 

Maintenance $34.733 

Planning $10.991 

Other Non-Construction 

Activities 

$1.752 

The jobs associated with these activities are included in the overall information 

contained in the Chapter 1 Report. 

- Chapter 3: Construction Projects 

o This report contains overview information on all the TTP funded design and 

construction projects and activities that were carried out by the reporting Tribes in 

FY 2016. The information provided in the report includes: 

 Federal Project Number; 

 Project Name; 

 Percent (%) complete; 

 Project Description; 

 Progress Reported by Tribe; 

 Estimated Project Cost; 

 TTP Funds Expended this FY; and 

 Other Funds Expended this FY. 
15

The report lists the Tribes in alphabetical order. The Chapter 3 Report is included 

in this report as Attachment C. Additional information/data on the specific bridge 

projects and safety projects contained in the Chapter 3 Report are included in this 

report as Attachments D and E. The funding and jobs associated with these 

activities are included in the information contained in the Chapter 1 Report. 

US101 Saltwater Park Cultural Rest Area, Skokomish Indian Tribe of the Skokomish Reservation, Washington 

Data was also collected on the Program Management and Oversight (PM&O) funds that were 

made available to FHWA and the BIA through the 5 percent formula set-aside. The PM&O funds 

are used to carry out stewardship and oversight of the TTP as well as other TTP activities that are 

deemed as inherently Federal in accordance with 25 CFR part 170. For example, in FY 2016, 

these funds were used to pay for: 

- the payroll and travel of the FHWA and BIA TTP staff; 

- support of the U.S. Department of Transportation self-governance activity; 

- office space and supplies; 

- Information Technology support and equipment; 

- maintenance of the NTTFI; and 

- other special TTP specific and required studies, technical assistance and activities such as: 

o funding the seven Tribal Technical Assistance Centers; 

o carrying out Tribal Program reviews; 

o outreach on Tribal government recreation travel and tourism activities; and 
16

o conducting bridge inspections on the Tribal and BIA bridges across the country. 

A complete listing of these activities can be found in the Appendix to Subpart E of 25 CFR part 

170. As previously identified, $22,064,250 was made available to FHWA and BIA in FY 2016 to 

carry out the PM&O activities. In addition to the FY 2016 funds made available, the BIA 

obligated $2,451,032 of prior year funds to carry out these activities. 

FY16 TTP Funds for PM&O

Agency Funds made available Funds expended Jobs created Jobs retained

FHWA (PM&O) $3,585,027 $3,320,583 20 20

BIA (PM&O) $20,930,254 $16,959,922 199 208

TOTAL $24,515,281 $20,280,505 219 228

Summary 

The table below identifies the TTP funds made available and expended in FY 2016 for all users as 

well as the jobs created and retained by those funds. In many cases the difference in the funds 

may be that the Tribes are saving up or carrying over its funding to undertake a future project that 

requires the use of several years of Tribal shares or that the BIA or FHWA have obligated funds 

on a contract but the work has not yet been started or completed. 

FY16 TTP Funds (All sources)

Names Funds made available Funds expended Jobs created Jobs retained

TRIBES* $410,493,951 $267,468,456 5973 1519

FHWA (PM&O) $3,585,027 $3,320,583 20 20

BIA (PM&O) $20,930,254 $16,959,922 199 208

TOTAL $435,009,232 $287,748,961 6192 1747

Further review of the data contained in the three chapter reports will show that in FY 2016, the 

Tribes expended funds on more than 970 design or construction projects whose total cost was 

estimated to be approximately $2.8 billion. In addition, the reports show that in FY 2016, the 

Tribes leveraged and expended an additional $264 million in non-TTP funds on those projects as 

well. 

The reports included as attachments to this report as well as the report itself are posted on the TTP 

Website at https://flh.fhwa.dot.gov/programs/ttp/. 
17

What is the purpose of the TTP? 

To provide safe and adequate transportation and public roads 

that are within, or provide access to, Tribal land, or are 

associated with a Tribal government, visitors, recreational users, 

resource users, and others, while contributing to economic 

development, self-determination, and employment of Indians and 

Alaska Natives. 

 

 Board Road project construction, Kongiganak, Alaska 

 Completed Board Road Project, Chevak, Alaska