BACKGROUNDER

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On September 7, 1994 The Navajo Division of Transportation (NDOT) was first established as a department under the Navajo Nation Division of Community Development through Navajo Nation Government Services Committee Resolution GSCS-70-94. On July 21, 2009, the 21st Navajo Nation Council passed Resolution CYJ-21-09 that restructured the Navajo Department of Transportation into a division. On April 16, 2013 the Navajo Nation Council amended Title 2 of Navajo Nation Code §1371, the Plan of Operation for the Navajo Division of Transportation. Resolution GSCAU-26-09 was an amendment to; reassign and transfer the Navajo Department of Highway Safety to the Navajo Division of Transportation and approval of all Navajo DOT Department Plans of Operation. 

Navajo Division of Transportation is under the Executive Branch of the Navajo Nation with an Executive Director appointed by the President of the Navajo Nation and confirmed by the Navajo Nation Council. The legislative oversight committee of the Navajo Division of Transportation is the Resources and Development Committee of the Navajo Nation Council. Located in Tse Bonito, New Mexico near the Capitol of the Navajo Nation, Window Rock, Arizona, the Navajo Nation Division of Transportation has about 200 staff members with an Administration that oversees five (5) departments; Airport Management; Highway Safety; Project Management; Department of Roads; and Transportation Planning Department. 

Transportation Planning Department has about 15 staff members such as; Sr. Planners, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Technicians, Principal Engineering Technicians and administrative support staff such as; the Department Manager, Administrative Assistant, Principal Planner and GIS Supervisor. Staff and agency offices are located in; Ft. Defiance, AZ; Chinle, AZ, Crownpoint, NM, Shiprock, NM, and Tuba City, AZ. 

Purpose of the Transportation Planning Department is to develop land use, economic development, traffic demand, public safety, health and social strategies to meet current and future transportation needs. Transportation Planning Department is the point of reference for all transportation planning activities that provide technical assistance in the areas of; pre-planning, road inventory, road assessments, collecting vehicle accident data, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) mapping, and asset management. Vision of the Planning Department is “To develop strategies to meet current and future transportation needs of the Navajo people”. The Transportation Planning Department operates on funding through the Tribal Transportation Program administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).