Tribal Transportation Program

The Robinson Rancheria Road Department was established in 2009 through a P.L. 93-638 contract with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), allowing the Tribe to directly manage its federal transportation funds.
In 2013, the Tribe entered into a Tribal Transportation Program Agreement with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to expand and formalize program management. The department also completed a Federal Transit Administration Planning Grant in 2012, which produced the Tribe’s Long-Range Transportation Plan.

Partnerships and Collaboration

In 2019, Robinson Rancheria joined the BIA Tribal Transportation Alliance, a coalition of tribes that bid collaboratively on statewide transportation projects. Robinson Rancheria provides marking and striping services for alliance projects.

The Road Department also works closely with the National Indian Justice Center (NIJC) and Caltrans through Tribal Advisory Committees. These partnerships support grant access, project planning, and funding for Active Transportation initiatives across Indian Country—focusing on safer walking, biking, and mobility infrastructure.

Completed Construction Projects

2010 – Nice-Lucerne Cutoff Rehabilitation
Partnered with Lake County and CalRecycle to repave one of the county’s highest-traffic roads using 1,450 tons of hot mix asphalt and 3,550 tons of rubberized asphalt concrete.

2013 – BIA High-Priority Project
Reconstructed all Tribal residential roads and the Administration Building road and parking lot, using over 4,800 tons of base and asphalt material.

2016 – Education Center and Acorn Drive Improvements
Completed the Education Center parking lot and adjacent Acorn Drive segment between the Recycling Center and Gaming Commission buildings.

2016 – Quailtop Trail and Service Station Rehabilitation
Expanded parking, installed a new concrete stairway, and stabilized the Service Station lot with a reinforced concrete slab.

Current and Ongoing Projects

• Elder Transit Support – Provides 10 monthly bus passes to Tribal elders, with plans to expand through new funding sources.

• ICDBG Infrastructure Project – Managing construction of six new housing sites and 250 feet of new roadway.

• Active Transportation Needs Assessment – Conducted in partnership with NIJC and UC Berkeley to identify pedestrian and bicycle priorities and strengthen future grant applications.