(a) Under 23 U.S.C. 202(a)(8), a Tribe can use TTP funding for maintenance, within the following limits, whichever is greater:
(1) 25 percent of its TTP funds; or
(2) $500,000.
(b) These funds can only be used to maintain the public facilities included in the NTTFI.
(c) Road sealing activities are not subject to this limitation.
(d) BIA retains primary responsibility, including annual funding request responsibility, for BIA road maintenance programs on Indian reservations.
(e) The Secretary shall ensure that funding made available under the TTP for maintenance of Tribal transportation facilities for each fiscal year is supplementary to, and not in lieu of, any obligation of funds by the BIA for road maintenance programs on Indian reservations.
No. The funds identified for maintenance on a FHWA-approved TTIP cannot be used to improve roads or other TTP transportation facilities to a higher road classification, standard or capacity.
Yes. A Tribe may enter into self-determination contracts, self-governance agreements, program agreements, and other appropriate agreements to perform Tribal transportation facility maintenance.
Subject to availability of funding, Tribal transportation facilities must be maintained under either:
(a) A standard accepted by BIA or FHWA (as identified in the official Tribal Transportation Program guide on either the BIA transportation Web site at http://www.bia.gov/WhoWeAre/BIA/OIS/Transportation/index.htm or the Federal Lands Highway—Tribal Transportation Program Web site at http://flh.fhwa.dot.gov/programs/ttp/guide/), or
(b) Another Tribal, Federal, State, or local government maintenance standard negotiated in an ISDEAA road maintenance self-determination contract or self-governance agreement.
The Tribe may notify BIA or FHWA if the Tribe believes that a facility on the NTTFI is not being adequately maintained to the standards identified in § 170.803. If BIA or FHWA determines that a Tribal transportation facility is not being maintained, it will:
(a) Notify the facility owner;
(b) Provide a draft copy of the report to the affected Tribe for comment before forwarding it to Secretary of Transportation; and
(c) Report these findings to the appropriate office within FHWA.
TTP maintenance funding support a wide variety of activities necessary to maintain facilities identified in the NTTFI. A list of eligible activities is shown in the appendix to this part.
The following maintenance activities are eligible for funding under the TTP. The list is not all-inclusive.
1. Cleaning and repairing ditches and culverts.
2. Stabilizing, removing, and controlling slides, drift sand, mud, ice, snow, and other impediments.
3. Adding additional culverts to prevent roadway and adjoining property damage.
4. Repairing, replacing or installing traffic control devices, guardrails and other features necessary to control traffic and protect the road and the traveling public.
5. Removing roadway hazards.
6. Repairing or developing stable road embankments.
7. Repairing parking facilities and appurtenances such as striping, lights, curbs, etc.
8. Repairing transit facilities and appurtenances such as bus shelters, striping, sidewalks, etc.
9. Training maintenance personnel.
10. Administering the BIA transportation facility maintenance program.
11. Performing environmental/archeological mitigation associated with transportation facility maintenance.
12. Leasing, renting, or purchasing of maintenance equipment.
13. Paying utilities cost for roadway lighting and traffic signals.
14. Purchasing maintenance materials.
15. Developing, implementing, and maintaining a BIA Transportation Facility Maintenance Management System (TFMMS).
16. Performing pavement maintenance such as pot hole patching, crack sealing, chip sealing, surface rejuvenation, and thin overlays (less than 1 inch).
17. Performing erosion control.
18. Controlling roadway dust.
19. Re-graveling roads.
20. Controlling vegetation through mowing, noxious weed control, trimming, etc.
21. Making bridge repairs.
22. Paying the cost of closing transportation facilities due to safety or other concerns.
23. Maintaining airport runways, heliport pads, and their public access roads.
24. Maintaining and operating BIA public ferry boats.
25. Making highway alignment changes for safety reasons. These changes require prior notice to the Secretary.
26. Making temporary highway alignment or relocation changes for emergency reasons.
27. Maintaining other TTP intermodal transportation facilities provided that there is a properly executed agreement with the owning public authority within available funding.