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How Transportation Shapes Life in Tribal Communities

   By Helen Oliff

As America debates fossil fuel versus electric vehicles, transportation remains a pivotal yet under-discussed topic impeding quality of life in Tribal communities. These areas are often established in isolated and economically unfertile lands by systemic design. As such, they face unique challenges that hinder growth and access to essential services. Better transportation infrastructure is not just a convenience but a necessity that impacts food security, emergency response, employment and more.

Tribal Transportation Barriers

Today, one in four Native families faces food insecurity, something that limited transportation only exacerbates. The distant and often rugged terrains of areas like the Rosebud or Navajo Reservations present significant barriers. Roads in disrepair and sparse transportation options contribute to high unemployment rates ranging from 15-54% in PWNA’s service area.

Elders who lack transportation to haul firewood or water must hire out for this service. PWNA services like firewood, emergency food boxes and winter/summer emergency boxes help but don’t meet the need year-round.

Likewise, without enough grocery stores in food deserts, nutritional options are limited by lack of transportation. So is healthcare when Indian Health Services clinics are distant miles away. This directly affects health and well-being. These conditions are in stark contrast to those available to most Americans – underscoring yet another persistent inequity.

Improving Reservation Infrastructure

Federal investments like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law aim to address these gaps by infusing $13 billion to improve Tribal infrastructure. This is a step toward balancing the scales. It can also enable tribes to adapt resilient infrastructure for climate threats like floods and wildfires. Yet, sustainable improvement in transportation demands more than just funding. It requires a comprehensive approach backed by data collection and policy tailored to Tribal needs and sovereignty.

Adequate transportation goes beyond building roads too. It means being able to afford a vehicle, which means having access to jobs. Neither of these comes easily on remote reservations. So, transportation is essential for ensuring basic human rights like access to food, water, healthcare, and safety. Through collaboration, we can pave the way to a future where transportation barriers no longer hinder prosperity for Tribal nations.