Secretary of Transportation meets with Tribal Council

Rail lines, oil, and public transportation were just a few of the topics touched on during a meeting on May 19. CSKT Council and staff gathered in the Council Chambers to discuss ideas with Federal Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and thank him for his support of the expansion of transportation for those people living on reservations around America.

And as a reservation larger than the state of Rhode Island, or 1.25 million square miles, transportation on the Flathead Indian Reservation is a huge priority that presents many issues.

Foxx began with an introduction of his newest staff member, Kenneth Martin, a member of the Bad River Band of Chippewa, and how this appointment will help Foxx and his staff properly address the needs of Native Americans across the nation.

Foxx said he has three priorities for transportation: To get more people transportation options to improve their life opportunities, he acknowledged that the past can’t be changed but wants to help move forward and get help and transportation to those who need it most and finally, that transportation needs should be assessed by those who would potentially use the methods in all areas around the country, essentially putting the power of transportation decisions into the hands of communities.

Issues related to transportation are well understood by Foxx, a Charlotte, North Carolina native who watched as two interstates were put up around him, cutting his neighborhood off from the rest of the city. He understands the difficulties of reaching a job on time and being reliant on public transportation and the issues associated with that. Foxx said he understands people can’t always make it to work on time because of illness or unexpectedly running late; and buses don’t stop for those people. “The biggest boundary is getting there regularly,” he said.

The Council and staff offered up ideas and requests to Foxx, asking for grants to make large projects like finishing the updates on Highway 93, putting a walking path along 93 to Missoula and possibly adding a rail system to make transportation around the Reservation more efficient.

Concerns were focused on funding issues as well as transportation of hazardous materials across the reservation and the added traffic to the area during the summer time when tourists are making their way to and from Glacier National Park.

“Things like the hazardous materials issue, we need to get our arms around what we can do there and get right after it,” Foxx said.

Aside from issues with transportation, many of the Council members and staff wanted Foxx to understand and grasp the positive things that have happened on the Reservation such as the animal bridges and crossings that make life safer for people and animals.

“Our values are what are really the most important aspect,” Council Chairman Vernon Finley said.

Foxx hopes that with the help of Martin, his team will be able to address the needs of reservations more directly and hopes to improve transportation on reservations across the country. “Now we have a single individual to liaise with tribal communities,” Foxx said. “We have an awful lot of work that was discussed today that involves everything from hazardous material to highway and grant funding programs. We’re going to use Kenneth Martin to plug into all those things and provide technical assistance on all those things going forward.”

Council members and Council staff thanked Foxx for taking time to visit the Flathead Indian Reservation and for listening to the concerns that they have and the ideas that have been put into place on the reservation.