New facility will use innovative methods to maximize space, include a bus wash, new workspace, and solar power generation system

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded $9.5 million in federal funding, provided through USDOT’s RAISE grant program, to help the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa construct a new transit facility. This new facility will feature a non-traditional design to parallel park buses and maximize the use of the space.

“Investments in public transit infrastructure make it easier for Minnesotans to get to school, work, and other destinations,” said Klobuchar. “This federal funding will help modernize the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa’s transit infrastructure and boost transit efficiency, ensuring residents can safely and reliably get around their community.”

“Infrastructure throughout Tribal Nations has historically been underfunded, making this investment especially important. This is going to improve Bois Forte Band of Chippewa’s transit system and help the community stay better connected to jobs, school, local businesses, and community gatherings for decades to come,” said Smith, who chaired the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs field hearing in Minnesota about investing in Tribal infrastructure earlier this summer. She also chairs the Transit Subcommittee.  “I’m also excited to see the positive impact the new solar power system will have. Tribal Nations have long been leaders at protecting our environment and I’m glad we’re able to be a partner at the federal level to ensure this gets done.”

These resources will also allow the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa to create a new bus wash, add a work bay equipped with a lift for mechanics to do maintenance, and a solar power generation system.

RAISE grants can be used by communities across the country for a wide variety of projects with significant local or regional impact. The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Klobuchar and Smith supported and was signed into law last year, delivered a 50 percent increase in the amount of available funding for the RAISE grants, as well as resources for improving the state’s roads, bridges, public transportation, and Minnesota’s water infrastructure.