The fond DU LAC band of lake superior chippewa was awarded reconnecting communities program funding for the project fond DU LAC reservation i-35 & MN TH 210 multi-modal connections study

The Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration awarded the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa $161,634 under the Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Discretionary Grant Program on May 18, 2026, for planning work on the Fond du Lac Reservation I-35 and Minnesota Highway 210 Multi-Modal Connections Study. The Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program funds planning grants and capital construction grants to address infrastructure barriers and reconnect communities by removing, retrofitting, or mitigating highways or transportation facilities that impede connectivity, mobility, access, or economic development. Performance extends through December 31, 2028, with work performed in Cloquet, Minnesota. The Fond du Lac Band, a federally recognized tribal government serving approximately 4,000 band members near Cloquet in northeastern Minnesota, is the award recipient. As a planning grant under RCP, this award supports feasibility studies and planning activities; the merit criteria include equity and Justice40 considerations, community engagement, equitable development, climate change resilience, and workforce development. Recipients must maintain expenditure documentation and project outcomes for three years and undergo verification of expenditures at project close-out.