The Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) through its Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (ROUTES) Initiative. Published in the Federal Register on February 23, 2026, this notice invites comments from rural and Tribal stakeholders on unmet transportation needs, barriers to addressing them, and ways to refine DOT's support services. The RFI, docketed as DOT-OST-2026-0298, seeks to inform policy and enhance technical assistance for communities that often struggle with infrastructure challenges. Comments are due within 60 days of the notice's posting, with submissions accepted via regulations.gov or mail. This development underscores DOT's ongoing commitment to rural America, where transportation networks are vital for economic vitality but face unique hurdles in safety, maintenance, and funding. By aggregating feedback, ROUTES aims to bridge gaps in federal resources, potentially leading to more equitable infrastructure investments.
Background on the ROUTES Initiative
Established in October 2019 under DOT Order 5050.1 and later codified in Section 25010 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in November 2021, the ROUTES Initiative focuses on the transportation needs of rural and Tribal communities. Attributed to actions during President Trump's administration, the order created a framework to develop tools, aggregate resources, and provide technical assistance. ROUTES addresses disparities highlighted in official data, such as rural roads accounting for 68 percent of the nation's lane miles despite only 20 percent of the population living in rural areas, according to the Federal Highway Administration's Highway Statistics 2022. The initiative responds to statistics showing higher fatality rates on rural roads—1.54 times those on urban roads—as reported by the National Center for Statistics and Analysis in 2023. It also tackles issues like longer detours from closed rural bridges, which are nearly twice as extensive as urban ones, per the Federal Highway Administration's National Bridge Inventory.
ROUTES has evolved through stakeholder engagement. A prior RFI in November 2019 (84 FR 65459) led to tools like the Rural Grant Applicant Toolkit and the DOT Competitive Grants Dashboard, designed to simplify grant applications. The initiative has facilitated rural safety peer exchanges and supported countermeasures for issues like roadway departures and at-grade rail crossings, where 60 percent occur on rural roads, as noted in the Highway-Rail Crossing Handbook, 3rd Edition (2019).
Key Challenges in Rural Transportation
The RFI outlines persistent issues in rural infrastructure, drawing from verifiable sources. Rural networks handle significant freight volumes essential for exports and domestic economy, yet they contend with safety risks and poor conditions. For instance, 41 percent of roadway fatalities occur on rural roads, according to 2023 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Infrastructure age and weather resiliency exacerbate problems, with closed or posted bridges forcing detours that disrupt daily life and commerce.
Usage challenges include limited public transportation availability and high freight traffic, with nearly half of all truck vehicle miles traveled on rural roads (Highway Statistics 2022). Safety concerns extend to nonmotorized users, hazardous material transport, and railroad trespassing. The RFI also highlights technology gaps, such as inadequate broadband or cellular coverage, which hinder innovations like automated vehicles or GPS backups.
Barriers to funding these needs are multifaceted. Rural communities often lack resources for matching funds required in DOT grants, face complex eligibility criteria, and struggle with data access for applications. The notice points to varying definitions of 'rural' across programs, which can influence funding allocation, as illustrated by ROUTES' Rural Eligibility Map.
Details of the Request for Information
This RFI builds on ROUTES' mission to improve grant analysis for rural projects, ensuring costs, local resources, and national benefits are considered. It solicits comments on unmet needs across modes including road, rail, transit, aviation, maritime, and pipelines. Specific sections address infrastructure condition, usage, safety, and technology.
The notice poses targeted questions in two categories. Under 'Identifying Unmet Needs in Rural Transportation,' it asks about challenges in areas like bridge closures, public transit frequency, fatality rates, and digital infrastructure. It seeks input on projects most needed for safety and economic competitiveness, barriers to funding, and data gaps in decision-making. For example, it inquires how multimodal improvements could aid industries like tourism and what data would enhance grant development.
In 'Addressing Unmet Needs Through DOT Grants and Resources,' questions focus on enhancing ROUTES' tools, such as toolkits and webinars. It explores challenges in grant applications—like environmental analyses and workforce availability—and post-award hurdles including inflation and permitting. The RFI also questions how 'rural' definitions affect funding and invites suggestions for better engagement with federal, state, and regional entities.
Comments can include technical information, data, or regulatory citations, with all submissions publicly posted on regulations.gov. Tribal Nations are explicitly encouraged to participate, reflecting ROUTES' inclusive approach.
Perspectives and Implications
Stakeholders offer varied views on rural transportation. Rural advocates, including those from Tribal communities, emphasize the economic isolation caused by poor infrastructure, as seen in feedback from the 2019 RFI that prompted the grant toolkit. State DOTs and regional organizations highlight coordination challenges, while federal data underscores safety disparities without assigning blame.
Short-term implications include potential refinements to ROUTES resources based on responses, such as expanded technical assistance for grant navigation. Long-term, this could influence policy under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, promoting sustainable investments. Different perspectives exist: some see federal grants as essential lifelines, while others critique bureaucratic hurdles that disadvantage small communities. Legal precedents, like the codification in the 2021 act, reinforce DOT's authority to prioritize rural needs without endorsing specific outcomes.
In summary, this RFI represents a proactive step by DOT to gather evidence-based input for bolstering rural transportation. Key takeaways include the initiative's roots in 2019 policy, data-driven challenges in safety and funding, and opportunities for enhanced support. Looking ahead, responses could shape future technical assistance, grant processes, and interagency collaborations. Potential trajectories involve updated tools or policy adjustments to address barriers, fostering debates on equitable resource distribution and multimodal integration. Ongoing challenges may include balancing statutory limits with community needs, while debates center on refining 'rural' definitions for fairer funding.
