Douglas A. Ducey, Governor
John S. Halikowski, Director
Scott Omer, Deputy Director for Operations

FY 2016 ANNUAL ADOT REPORT ON TRIBAL OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016
Agency Overview
The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) is a multimodal transportation agency that is responsible for
planning, building and operating the state highway system, including approximately 1,200 miles of the system that
traverse tribal land. ADOT also provides programmatic assistance to 14 tribal airports and five tribal public transit
systems. With the adoption of the ADOT Native Nation‐Tribal Government Consultation Policy and designation of a
Tribal Liaison in September 2006, the Department formally committed to work with the 22 tribal governments in
Arizona for the common purpose of providing an efficient transportation system and to protect the safety and
welfare of the traveling public. ADOT is also committed to assist the tribes with the implementation of their
transportation missions and goals.
Tribal Outreach Activities
The following provides a summary of major tribal consultation policy outreach activities undertaken by ADOT
through coordination of lead ADOT personnel including the Tribal Liaison. These activities were conducted with
oversight from various ADOT department divisions, sections and groups.
Consultation Goal

Consultation Objective

Consultation Activity and Performance Measures

Policy Goal 1: Develop
relationships with tribal
governments in Arizona
and consider all
transportation concerns.

During 2016 conduct quarterly Arizona
Tribal Transportation Partnering Team
(ATTP) Steering Committee Meetings.
Finalize development and initiate
implementation of priority ATTP goals,
objectives and action steps by
December 31, 2016.

August 7, 2015: The Inter Tribal Council of Arizona hosted the
Committee Meeting in Phoenix, AZ.
- 19 members attended including 6 tribal representatives.
- Committee Member roles and responsibilities were reviewed.
- ATTP past and current goals were reviewed and three priority areas
agreed upon for implementation.

Policy Goal 4: Maintain
appropriate working
relationships with tribal
elected officials and
departmental staff to
assure continuous
operation of all
respective transportation
systems.

The Arizona Tribal Strategic Partnering
Team (ATSPT) was established in
1998 to improve state-tribal and
federal-tribal relations and address
statewide level tribal transportation
issues. Since being re-engaged in
February 2015 ATSPT was renamed as
the Arizona Tribal Transportation
Partnership (ATTP), revised ATTP
Vision and Mission Statements were
adopted, and an ATTP Goals
Implementation Plan was developed.
ATTP oversight is provided by the
ADOT Partnering Office. ATTP
information is posted on the Arizona
Tribal Transportation Website:
http://www.aztribaltransportation.com

October 27, 2015: The Mountain West Tribal Technical Assistance
Program hosted the Committee Meeting in Chandler, AZ.
- 20 members attended including 6 tribal representatives.
- ATTP goals were refined and objectives developed.
- Two priority goals and objectives were selected for implementation.
February 2, 2016: The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
hosted the Committee Meeting in Scottsdale, AZ.
- 24 members attended including 13 tribal representatives.
- The status of the ADOT research project “Role of Tribes in
Transportation Decisionmaking” was provided and follow-up actions
were suggested (pending project completion in December 2016).
- A 2016 Goals Implementation Plan was developed incorporating
two priority goals with action steps, they include: Goal 1 - Create a
forum for member agencies to learn about each other’s processes;
Goal 2 - Improve the content and accessibility of the Arizona Tribal
Transportation website to make it more beneficial to users.
June 14, 2016: ADOT hosted the Committee Meeting in Phoenix, AZ.
- 24 members attended including 13 tribal representatives.
- Agreement to plan and conduct a 2017 AZ Tribal Transportation
Summit; hold first Summit planning meeting on July 12, 2016.
- Agreement to update the AZ Tribal Transportation website.
Improved intergovernmental relations and strategy consensus was
reached on how ADOT and the tribes will move forward to coordinate
on addressing the issue of funding for transportation improvements on
tribal land.

ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
206 S. 17th Ave. | Phoenix, AZ 85007 | azdot.gov

Consultation Goal

Consultation Objective

Consultation Activity and Performance Measures

Policy Goal 1: Develop
relationships with tribal
governments in Arizona
and consider all
transportation concerns.

Increase communication between
ADOT and the White Mountain Apache
Tribe (WMAT) to address transportation
needs on state routes within tribal land
through regular coordination meetings.

Policy Goal 3: Maintain
and operate State
owned transportation
infrastructure within
tribal lands.

In 2014 the WMAT and ADOT agreed
to initiate follow-up on a 2011 Road
Safety Assessment (RSA) for State
Route (SR) 73 and work to address
other transportation activities.

July 2015 through June 2016: ADOT and the White Mountain
Apache Tribe convened monthly Transportation Coordination
Meetings to initiate/review progress on transportation improvement
project activities and address issue action items. These meetings are
ongoing.
- Activity was initiated and progress was reviewed for the following
transportation activities: SR 73 Pavement Preservation Project
(Whiteriver); SR 73 Frontage Road Project (Canyon Day); SR 73
Pedestrian Crossings (Whiteriver); SR 260 Tree Clearance; SR 73
RSA; ADOT-WMAT Fencing Action Plan; Central Arizona
Governments WMAT membership; and tribal crash data sharing.

Policy Goal 5: Consult
with the Tribes in
Arizona during the
implementation of the
Statewide
Transportation
Improvement Program.

Policy Goal 8: Conduct
technical training to
support planning,
development,
construction,
maintenance, and
operation of
transportation facilities
under tribal jurisdiction.

Former and current STIPs are posted
on the ADOT website:
http://azdot.gov/planning/transportationprogramming/state-transportationimprovement-program

The three SR 73 improvement projects are scheduled for completion
in 2017. The WMAT crash data has been shared with ADOT and the
inclusion of it in the state database is underway. The Tribe is also now
a member of the Central Arizona Governments (CAG).
July 22, 2015: Obtained all current Arizona TTIPs through the Federal
Highways Administration Federal Lands Highway Office. The tribes in
Arizona use either government-to-government or program agreement
delivery options for administration of their federal Tribal
Transportation Program funds.
- Included FHWA approved TTIPs in the draft and final versions of
the 2016-2020 Arizona STIP.
- Notified all tribes on 08/27/2015 of the draft STIP availability for
review and opportunity for consultation.
- No requests for consultation were received.
- The STIP was approved by FHWA Arizona Division on 10/08/2015.

Finalize the curriculum for the
“Integrating Statewide and Tribal
Transportation Planning Workshops”
and conduct six workshops for tribal
representatives by February 2016.

Inclusion of TTIPs in the annual STIP update ensured that Federal-aid
funded transportation improvement projects on tribal land moved
forward through project development.
May 25, 2016: Workshop Curriculum Advisory Committee convened
to review the draft workshop curriculum, workshop schedule and
obtain final comments.
- 6 Committee Members attended including 2 Tribal representatives.
- Obtained input for finalized curriculum and discussed next steps.

Include Tribal Transportation
Improvement Programs (TTIPs) in the
Fiscal Year 2016-2020 Arizona
Statewide Transportation Improvement
Program (STIP).

The ADOT Tribal Planning and
Coordination Program is tasked with
conducting this tribal project under the
ADOT’s Statewide Planning and
Research Work Program. These
workshops are expected to assist tribes
in the implementation of their
transportation plans and study
recommendations. Jacobs Engineering
was contracted by ADOT to develop
the workshop products and conduct the
workshops.

May 31, 2016: Jacobs Engineering and the BIA Western Regional
Office convened a meeting to review the Tribal Transportation
Planning Interactive Manual and obtain final comments.
- BIA Tribal Roads staff provided guidance on the tribal long range
transportation plan, tribal transportation improvement program, and
road inventory processes.
June 24, 2016: The workshop project curriculum schedule finalized by
Jacobs Engineering.
June 28, 2016 to August 30, 2016: Five workshops completed.
- June 28th conducted Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
Workshop – 2 Tribal representatives participated.
- July 14th conducted Navajo Chapters Workshop – 4 Tribal
representatives participated.
- July 15th conducted Navajo Division of Transportation Workshop –
5 Tribal representatives participated.
- August 23rd conducted Pascua Yaqui Tribe Workshop – 3 Tribal
representatives participated.
- August 30th conducted Hualapai Tribe Workshop – 3 Tribal
representatives participated.
- September 7th conduct Tohono O’odham Nation Workshop project.
The completed workshops have provided improved understanding of
the state and tribal transportation project development process to

FY 16 Annual ADOT Report on Tribal Outreach Activities – July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016

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Consultation Goal

Policy Goal 9: Engage in
partnering efforts to
encourage and improve
understanding and
communication with the
tribal governments.

Policy Goal 10:
Encourage mutual
understanding of unique
cultural and
organizational practices
among ADOT and the
tribal governments.

Consultation Objective

Conduct regular State-Federal-Tribal
partnership meetings with the Navajo
Nation, Hopi Tribe, and San Carlos
Apache Tribe.
Since 2004 ADOT has participated in
dialogue to address tribal transportation
issues using the ADOT partnering
process. The ADOT Partnering Office
Facilitators and ADOT Tribal Liaison
oversee these efforts.

Conduct outreach to tribal staff, tribal
leadership and agency officials to
improve intergovernmental
relationships and understanding of
state transportation programs and
processes.
The ADOT Tribal Liaison is tasked to
conduct outreach in accordance with
the ADOT Tribal Consultation Policy.

Policy Goal 13: Assist
tribes to implement
transportation programs
by providing technical
assistance, reference
tools, sharing data,
conducting joint projects,
and by cooperatively
resolving transportation
issues.

•
•
•

Ensure tribal participation in the
implementation of the Arizona Strategic
Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) through
participation on Emphasis Area (EA)
Teams.
The 2014 SHSP was developed with
the focus of reducing fatality and
serious injury crashes on all public
roads.

Consultation Activity and Performance Measures
tribal personnel and also addressed the issue of funding for
transportation improvements on tribal land. Due to extensive work
conducted to complete the electronic interactive workshop curriculum
modules this project was setback by 7 months.
July 2015 through June 2016: The ADOT Partnering Office and
ADOT Multimodal Planning Division convened regular Tribal
Partnership Meetings to initiate and review progress on partnership
goal activities. These partnership meetings are ongoing.
- San Carlos Apache Tribe Partnership Meetings were held on
07/28/15, 10/20/15, 01/27/16, 04/27/16.
- Navajo Nation Partnership Meetings were held on 07/16/15,
10/22/15, 04/21/16.
- Hopi Tribe Partnership Meetings were held on 08/12/15, 11/18/15,
04/13/16.
- Partnership meeting summaries were posted on the Arizona Tribal
Transportation website: http://www.aztribaltransportation.com/
Improved intergovernmental relations and strategy consensus was
reached on how ADOT and the tribes will move forward to coordinate
on addressing the issues animals in the right-of-way, encroachment
permitting, crash data sharing, traffic incident management, and
transportation improvement funding on tribal lands.
March 25, 2016: The ADOT Tribal Liaison and ADOT Government
Relations Office provided a presentation titled “Tribal Transportation
in Arizona” to the Native American Caucus comprised of state
legislators and tribal agency officials.
- Topics included: ADOT Tribal Consultation Policy, Arizona Long
Range Transportation Plan, Statewide Transportation Improvement
Program, Arizona Strategic Highway Safety Plan, ADOT Planning
Assistance for Rural Areas Program tribal planning studies and
PreScoping projects, Tribal Road Safety Assessments, Tribes in
Transportation Decisionmaking Research Project, State-FederalTribal Transportation Partnerships, and ADOT Engineering District
reorganization.
Improved communication and intergovernmental relations was
achieved through the sharing of tribal related transportation program
activities. Also in June 2016 ADOT conducted a consultation session
with the Navajo DOT on the Arizona Long Range Transportation Plan.
July 2015 through June 2016: Tribal safety stakeholders were notified
of the 12 SHSP Emphasis Area (EA) Team regular meetings to
implement the Plan and with each team covering specific areas of
roadway safety.
- 3 rounds of regular EA Team meetings were conducted.
- 5 tribes participated in the various EA Team meetings.
The Interjurisdictional EA Team focused on coordinating
interjurisdictional safety resources and opportunities. Specifically, this
Team has initiated strategies to address state-tribal intergovernmental
agreement issues and also tribal crash data sharing with ADOT.

Recommendations from Tribal representatives
Recommendations for improved state‐tribal communication were received through tribal participation in the
Arizona Tribal Transportation Partnership Steering Committee Meetings.
Revisions to Tribal Consultation Policy
The ADOT Policy was revised in August 2016 to meet current statutes and business practices.
For questions or more information, please contact:
Don Sneed, Planner/Tribal Liaison, ADOT Multimodal Planning Division ‐ Tribal Planning and Coordination
P: 602.712.6736/F: 602.712.6412/E: dsneed@azdot.gov

FY 16 Annual ADOT Report on Tribal Outreach Activities – July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016

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