Case Studies

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Collaboration , Consultation, and Partnership in Transportation Planning

Tribal Transportation Best Practices Guidebook
Cherokee Nation: Partnerships for Active Transportation Case Study. (or PDF, 200KB) The Cherokee Nation has developed a partnership with the City of Collinsville, Oklahoma to promote physical activity through improvements to transportation infrastructure, including implementing a Safe Routes to School program and a Complete Streets policy.
Lummi Nation: Haxton Way Pedestrian Pathway Project Case Study. (or PDF, 215KB) The Lummi Nation constructed a pedestrian pathway along a heavily traveled roadway to improve safety, provide access to numerous destinations, and promote healthy and active lifestyles within the Nation.
Jamestown, Washington State: Tribe and State DOT Collaborate in Regional Planning and Roadway Projects in Washington State. (or PDF, 207KB) The Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe and the Washington State Department of Transportation partnered to make safety improvements along U.S. 101 within the Tribal campus.
New Mexico Tribal Consultation Process Case Study (or PDF, 994KB) - New Mexico's relationship with its resident Tribes demonstrates that strong communication and well-established partnerships are essential for developing and maintaining robust Tribal consultation processes.
Sitka, Alaska: Sitka Tribe of Alaska Works with Local Government to Improve Roadways for Transit Use. (or PDF, 199KB) The Sitka Tribe of Alaska and the City and Borough of Sitka partnered to make transit and roadway improvements that benefit both entities.
South Dakota Tribal Consultation Process Case Study (or PDF, 917KB) - South Dakota DOT and the FHWA South Dakota Division Office demonstrate that strong relationships and open communication are essential elements of a successful Tribal consultation process.
Southern Ute: Tribe, Town, County, and State Collaborate on Ignacio Area Corridor Access Plan. (or PDF, 130KB) The Southern Ute Indian Tribe, Colorado Department of Transportation, La Plata County, and town of Ignacio completed a collaborative corridor planning effort for Highway 172.
Washington Tribal Consultation Process Case Study (or PDF, 1.9MB) This consultation case study highlights a strong working relationship between two Tribes and the MPO.
Wisconsin Tribal Consultation Process Case Study (or PDF), 1.6MB)- The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is noted for consulting with Tribes through a variety of means.
Wrangell, Alaska: Tribe and Local Government Collaborate to Improve Transportation Corridors in Wrangell, Alaska. (or PDF, 209KB) The City and Borough of Wrangell and the Wrangell Cooperative Association, a Tribe in Alaska, collaborated on transportation projects that improve safety and access.

Case Studies of State, MPO, and Tribal Coordination in Transportation Planning

This series of case studies focuses on innovative consultation practices between tribes, States, and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) within the transportation planning process. It includes six case studies that highlight a range of practices implemented by tribal and non-tribal governments to advance tribal consultation in statewide and metropolitan transportation planning. The case studies describe current practices, the outcomes of these approaches, and lessons learned.

Arizona: Building Technical Capacity for Improved Tribal Consultation and Communication. (or PDF, 81KB) Consultation between the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and tribal governments has been advancing due to coordination and information sharing efforts being initiated both by ADOT and the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, an association of 19 member tribes.
Bangor Area, Maine: Technical Assistance and Coordination between a Tribe and MPO. (or PDF, 384KB) Participation by the Penobscot Indian Nation in the policy and planning committees of the Bangor Area Comprehensive Transportation System has led to improved communication about tribal transportation needs.
North Central New Mexico: Development of a Regional Transit District. (or PDF, 102KB) The North Central Regional Transit District is a regional transit planning organization that was planned with involvement of representatives of all five of the Indian pueblos in the region, and has an organizational structure that was designed to effectively represent tribal and non-tribal governments.
San Diego, California: A Tribal Consortium Enhances Tribal/State Coordination Efforts. (or PDF, 189KB) The Reservation Transportation Authority (RTA), a consortium of 24 tribes, has worked effectively with Caltrans and the San Diego Association of Governments to provide a greater voice in articulating tribal transportation needs; the strong working relationships are exemplified by a planning study that will be conducted cooperatively by the RTA and Caltrans District 11.
South Dakota: State/Tribal Planning Coordination Meetings Achieve Results. (or PDF, 176KB) Annual meetings are held by South Dakota Department of Transportation and tribes in order to coordinate development of the State Transportation Improvement Program with the Indian Reservations Roads Transportation Improvement Program, and to discuss tribal transportation needs.
Thurston County, Washington: Partnership between Tribes and an MPO. (or PDF, 157KB) The participation of the Nisqually Indian Tribe and the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation in the Thurston Regional Planning Council has helped to improve visibility of tribal transportation needs and regional coordination.

The Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration thank the following members of the Tribal Technical Working Group (TTWG) who contributed to the concept, design and final reporting of this series of tribal transportation planning case studies. These members are:

Linda Aitken, Minnesota DOT
Cheryl Cloud, TTAP Michigan
Joe Komkoff, Native Village of Eyak (AK)
Bo Mazzetti, Southern California Reservation Transportation Authority
Mike Moilanen, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe (MN)
Tom Teegarden, New Mexico DOT

Additionally, we would like to thank ICF Consulting, Inc. and our Federal partners:

Bob Bini, Federal Lands Highways
Robin Mayhew, FHWA Office of Planning
Candy Noonan, FTA Office of Systems Planning
Kenneth Petty, FHWA Office of Planning
Tim Penney, FHWA Native American Coordinator
Fawn Thompson, FHWA Resource Center

For further questions on these case studies contact Ken Petty, FHWA Office of Planning at kenneth.petty@dot.gov.