U.S. Senator Mike Rounds has called for a revision of the funding formulas used for tribal transportation projects, urging Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to address disparities affecting tribes in South Dakota.
Currently, the formula prioritizes population over road mileage, disadvantaging tribes like the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, which manages 310 miles of Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) roads on its reservation but has a relatively small population. This imbalance contributes to poor road conditions on reservations in South Dakota, where 87% of roads are considered unacceptable.
Rounds stated, “With new, strong leadership, now is an opportune time to reassess how transportation resources are distributed in Indian Country.” He urged coordination with Great Plains tribal leaders to provide more resources for reservation communities and suggested finding new ways to allocate funds based on need.
The letter from Rounds highlights that federal tribal transportation programs have long been neglected, resulting in hazardous and poorly maintained roads across Great Plains reservations. According to reports, nearly all 29,000 miles of BIA-operated roadways require immediate attention due to their deteriorated state.
The current Tribal Transportation Program (TTP) formula allocates 39% of funding based on population while only 27% considers actual roadway mileage. This method disadvantages large land tribes with extensive road networks by providing them less funding despite greater infrastructure needs.
Rounds emphasized the importance of formal consultation as part of any reform efforts and expressed readiness from reservation leaders to offer recommendations for improving road conditions in Indian Country.
“Thank you for your dedication to tribal communities,” Rounds concluded in his letter. “We look forward to collaborating with you on this issue.”
