The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) has provided financial assistance to 74 tribes across 20 states to improve transportation safety on tribal lands.

Funding of $9m will be provided for 77 projects from the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Tribal Transportation Programme Safety Fund (TTPSF). 

US Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said: "Transportation is a key to accessing opportunity and we are committed to helping make travel safer on tribal roads.

"These funds will assist tribal communities in building a system that improves safety for the travelling public and provides residents increased access to greater long-term economic opportunity."

The funding will be used towards safety planning and roadway improvements in the tribal region.

FHWA noted that it has received 172 applications from nearly 128 recognised tribes requesting a total of $40.3m in assistance.

The US congress has created a programme for the improvement of highway safety on tribal roads, as well as other transportation facilities, which are reported to be most hazardous in the nation because of its poor physical conditions and other factors. 

"These funds will assist tribal communities in building a system that improves safety for the travelling public and provides residents increased access to greater long-term economic opportunity."

Some of the recognised tribes that will be receiving these grants include the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe in Minnesota, where it will be receiving $950,175 for constructing a 4.1-mile long bike/pedestrian trail to improve the safety of area pedestrians.

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes in Montana State have been awarded $438,531 for installation and upgrade of the guardrail at bridge approaches and embankments in order to reduce roadway departure crashes.

The transport agency will be providing $408,500 to Colorado River Indian Tribes in Arizona for construction of turn lanes and other intersection improvements at First Avenue to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes in this region.

An amount of $156,560 has been allocated for construction West Village frontage road in Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa. 

The Navajo Nation in New Mexico will receive $72,000 to improve the safety of BIA Route N36 by installing additional signs and improving nearly 30 miles of pavement. 

The Native Village of Kotzebue in Alaska has been allotted a funding of $43,861 to prevent accidents and improve safety with school zone and parking lot improvements for the Nikaitchuat Ilisagviat School.