Committee clears bill to let tribes apply for special road fund grants

The Transportation Committee voted unanimously to give House Bill 1051 a “do pass” recommendation after testimony from the Department of Transportation asking that tribal governments be added to the statute authorizing Special Road Fund grants.

Derek Pfeiffer, local government engineer for the North Dakota Department of Transportation, told the committee the special road fund “is utilized for construction and maintenance of access roads to and roads within recreational, tourist and historical areas.” He said the current statute limits applicants to political subdivisions and state agencies and does not expressly include tribal governments.

“House Bill 1051 proposes to modify section 24-237 subsection 3 by including tribal governments in the statute's language as it relates to the eligibility to request funds through application and to contribute to the cost of the project,” Pfeiffer said.

Committee members asked how the program is publicized and how projects are administered. Pfeiffer said the DOT sends a solicitation to likely applicants—including municipalities, counties and townships—and posts the application online; the special road committee typically requires a local cost share and reimburses eligible costs after inspection.

Representative Kirsten Koppelman moved a do‑pass recommendation and Representative Finley Deville seconded. The roll call was unanimous and Representative Finley Deville volunteered to serve as bill carrier.

The department told the committee the special road fund typically pays up to 60% of construction costs for eligible projects, with a maximum award of $300,000 per project; local entities must provide a 40% match and accept ongoing maintenance responsibility. DOT staff said 33 applications had been submitted in the most recent solicitation cycle and that projects are selected by the special road committee.