A statement released earlier this week by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced five Alaska Native Villages would receive a total of $3.25 million in grant funding from the Tribal Transit Program. One village in the Bering Straits region is receiving over a million dollars.
The funding is part of $9.9 million to be awarded across 22 Tribes and communities to improve their public transit systems.
The Native Village of Unalakleet (NVU) will receive $1.4 million to maintain transit routes serving assisted living facilities year round. The village provides transit to help residents access the health clinic, grocery store, tribal office, post office, airport, and other services.
The award comes a month after the U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited Anchorage, Kotzebue, and Juneau.
According to the release, FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez said the project would improve public transportation and connections, and will quote- “help keep people in tribal communities and Alaska Native Villages moving”.
“Through President Biden’s infrastructure package, we are improving transit in Tribal Nations around our country,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in the release. “These grants will help ensure Tribal residents have more reliable, affordable ways to access jobs, schools, and essential resources.”
“FTA’s Tribal Transit Program assists communities in addressing their unique transportation issues” said Assistant Secretary for Tribal Affairs Arlando Teller “Taking to heart community involvement to ultimately support sustainable transportation solutions.”
The Tribal Transit Program is a competitive grant program that allows Tribes to purchase transit vehicles, upgrade bus facilities, and expand transit options.
Photo at top: City of Unalakleet from a distance. Photo by Lisa Haugen (KNOM)
