Tribal Transportation Safety Strategy Pilot Program
A $2 million grant will fund a university-led consortium to use AI and strategic planning to reduce traffic deaths and build safety infrastructure in Tribal communities over three years.
Funder: 69A355 Research and Technology
Due Dates: August 28, 2026
Funding Amounts: $2,000,000 federal award (single award); 3-year project; 50% non-federal match required (total project $3,000,000)
Summary: Supports a university-led consortium to research, develop, and pilot next-generation transportation safety strategies for Tribal communities with high traffic fatality rates.
Key Information: Lead applicant must be an accredited institution of higher education; 50% non-federal match required.
Description
This opportunity, offered by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R), funds a single three-year cooperative agreement for a university-led consortium to address the critical public safety crisis of high traffic fatality rates in Tribal communities. The program will research and develop innovative strategies, tools, and training for Tribal transportation safety, culminating in the creation of a next-generation Tribal Transportation Strategic Safety Plan and the implementation of a pilot infrastructure safety demonstration in a high-fatality Tribal community.
The project will:
- Develop risk-based safety planning guidelines and decision-support tools for environments with limited historical crash data, leveraging AI and design methodologies.
- Build a comprehensive toolbox of training, analysis tools, and best practices for Tribal communities.
- Pilot the developed tools and strategies with at least one Federally recognized Tribal community.
- Implement a temporary, low-cost safety infrastructure demonstration project to inform future safety improvements.
