Funding Announcement ...........

Safety Fund Awards Announced

These site shown below (as well as other sites), as identified by Cross Timbers, will extend the bridge and RCBs (Reinforced Concrete Boxes) to get the headwalls out of the clear zone.

Note: a Clear Zone is an unobstructed, traversable roadside area that allows a driver to stop safely, or regain control of a vehicle that has left the roadway.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) heard you! Thanks to feedback from the Tribes and others involved with Tribal transportation issues the FHWA is forging a path towards a more effective and vibrant Tribal Technical Assistance Program (TTAP).

The FHWA’s TTAP is a critical program for the Tribes that provides technical assistance and training to support transportation needs. Amy Lucero is the Chief Technical Services Officer who leads technology deployment, technical assistance, and training through the FHWA’s Resource Center, National Highway Institute, and Knowledge Management unit. She is also the acting Chief Innovation Officer. Both the Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) and TTAP were previously housed in the Office of Technical Services, and Amy and her staff are pleased to be working with the TTAP program again. Amy spoke at the recent Intertribal Transportation Association virtual meeting and stated that she is very much looking forward to getting to work with the Tribes, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and all those involved with Tribal transportation as FHWA advances this important program.

Strategic improvements to the TTAP are planned following the Federal Register Notice and Request for Comments on the TTAP, which was published on August 21, 2020, at 85 FR 51838. “We are reviewing comments on the TTAP models presented in the notice including proposed alternatives,” says Amy. “Based on our early review, some of the common themes we’re seeing involve geographic challenges; unique transportation needs for individual Tribes; local knowledge of Tribal transportation issues; and, incorporating existing FHWA resources into the TTAP model.”

Amy is grateful for the feedback and asks for your support, collaboration, and patience as FHWA works to develop a plan that will build on the program’s successes, learns from past challenges, and focuses on new opportunities. “We want to see the TTAP succeed but we cannot do it without the partnerships and support from the Tribes. Everyone must be at the table.”

For more information on TTAP, LTAP, or the FHWA Center for Local Aid Support in the Office of Innovative Program Delivery, visit our website at https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/clas/. You can also sign-up to receive electronic communications including the newsletter at this link.

the transportation decision-making process, allowing for meaningful consideration and input from interested individuals. Early and strong public engagement helps transportation agencies accelerate project delivery by identifying and addressing public concerns early in the planning process. Many transportation agencies still rely on traditional forms of public involvement, such as in-person public hearings, paper displays, maps, and brochures. Virtual public involvement (VPI) strategies enhance face-to-face information sharing by engaging wider, more diverse audiences and addressing barriers such as potential participants' busy schedules.

Keep reading here.

A Notice of Funding Opportunity for FY2021 TTPSF is expected soon. FHWA will establish a new funding category or "Systemic Roadway Departure Countermeasures" in FY2021. The opportunity will be published on Grants.gov and links will be provided on this web page. Check back for details or subscribe to the FHWA mailing list.

This training is available in an online format. This new format includes reference materials and presentations based on the original planned agenda for the training, all freely available in an easily accessible format. 

Be sure to check out these and other training presentations online:

Also, be on the lookout for a Bridge Preservations Series coming soon. We are excited about this new series and believe it will be a great support for you all. We need your help to get these classes filled, so click on the “Register here” link below to check out locations and times.

We are hosting an 1½ hour bridge presentation seminar virtually. It will take place February 24^th at 9:30am. This will be the first in a bridge preservation series we will be providing.

We are always adding new classes, so keep coming back. Please feel free to share with us other classes you may need by emailing ltap@okstate.edu or give us a call at 405-744-7496 we would love to talk with you.

Please note: At this time all classes are in person. Masks will be required while not in the classroom. Social distancing will be utilized in all classrooms. We do provide masks.

Do you need a bound copy of the Tribal Transportation Program federal regulations - 25CFR Part 170?

Just email us with your name, tribe, address, and how many copies you would like. We will put them in the mail to you. (We still have a few copies left.)

We are working on a new look for our website. We hope to have it up and running in the next few weeks. Be sure to check it out: CrossTimbersConsulting.com

Cross Timbers staff pictured (from left to right): Tom Edwards, Carla Edwards, Chuck Tsoodle, Pamela Jurney, David Monnie, Rachael Cooper, John Edwards. (Not pictured, Randal Oberlag)