Arizona Tribal Transportation

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) is a multimodal transportation agency that is responsible for planning, building and operating the State Highway System and support facilities for the efficient and safe movement of people and products by surface and air.

ADOT efforts to address Arizona tribal transportation is based on the following major factors:

• There are 22 federally recognized Indian Tribes, Communities and Native Nations in Arizona with tribal land encompassing approximately 27,736,000 acres or 28% of the State land base.
• There are seven Tribes located out-of-state with aboriginal and ancestral interests in Arizona.
• The State Highway System includes 6,785 centerline miles of which 1,237 traverse Tribal land.
• There are 14 Tribal airports and five Tribal public transit systems situated within Tribal communities throughout Arizona.
• Both State and Tribal governments have the common goal of providing efficient transportation systems for the safety and welfare of the traveling public.

Tribal Transportation Consultation in Arizona

ADOT’s Tribal Consultation Policy was initially adopted on September 1, 2006 and is reviewed and updated on a regular basis. It takes into consideration a 2006 Arizona Governor’s Executive Order and Federal legislative requirements for state departments of transportation to consult with Native Nations and Tribal Governments in statewide and metropolitan transportation planning processes. Additionally Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act requires that Tribes be consulted in any decisions affecting their historic and cultural legacy. This applies to all Tribes resident in Arizona and Tribes with aboriginal or ancestral interests in Arizona. Consultation guidelines outlined in the ADOT policy provide a basis for mutual understanding as appropriate partnerships and agreements are carried out to address State and Tribal transportation issues.

ABOUT THIS WEBSITE

With the adoption of the ADOT Tribal Consultation Policy the department is committed to work with the Tribes, Communities and Native Nations to consult and coordinate on State and Tribal transportation missions and goals. This website was developed to support those efforts and to improve State-Tribal intergovernmental relations through resource information sharing. It is designed to be a central location for state-tribal transportation partnerships, projects, activities, groups, links, and other related information.