The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) recognizes the deep cultural heritage and unique needs of Alaska Native peoples and Alaska Native organizations. The DOT&PF Tribal Relations Team was established to strengthen collaboration, foster mutual respect, and build lasting relationships between the department and Alaska Native organizations. Our goal is to create a meaningful, transparent, and inclusive engagement framework that ensures tribal voices are heard and integrated throughout Alaska's transportation planning and infrastructure development processes.
The Tribal Relations Team is part of the broader TransportationX initiative, which prioritizes stakeholder engagement across the state's diverse communities. By updating policies, facilitating targeted training, and providing support for meaningful consultation, we are working to bridge the gap between state transportation objectives and local priorities of Alaska Native communities. Our work aligns with state and federal legal requirements and reflects our commitment to honoring and preserving Alaska's rich Indigenous heritage.
The Hughes Sunnylane project stands as a successful example of community-led transportation, demonstrating how small, rural communities can come together to complete vital infrastructure projects. Hughes, a remote Alaskan community with approximately 85 year-round residents (2020 Census), faced a long-standing challenge—safe and reliable access to its traditional cemetery, which was previously only reachable by boat or by climbing a steep riverbank using ropes. Now, with the completion of the 2.4-mile gravel Sunnylane Road, residents can access the cemetery year-round, ensuring a safer and more dignified route for families visiting their loved ones.
Beyond its primary purpose, Sunnylane has transformed community life in Hughes. The road has opened new opportunities for outdoor recreation, making dog mushing, walking, hiking, jogging, and biking more accessible and enjoyable. Additionally, the project has enhanced wildfire preparedness by creating a critical fire-break and improving fire-watch and fire-fighting access to the dense woodlands east of the community.
A key component of this project was workforce development, providing hands-on heavy equipment training and construction experience to local residents. Through this effort, men and women in Hughes received training in road construction, equipment operation, and project management—skills that will serve the community for years to come. Not only did the project create paying jobs, but it also helped establish a trained workforce capable of maintaining and improving local infrastructure into the future.
The completion of the Hughes Sunnylane project serves as a model for other rural communities seeking to develop community-led transportation solutions. By investing in workforce training and leveraging local resources, small communities can successfully tackle essential infrastructure projects, strengthening both their economies and their residents' quality of life.
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