Tribal Consultation

• Barona Band of Mission Indians
• Capitan Grande Reservation*
• Campo Band of Mission Indians
• Ewiiaapaayp Band of the Kumeyaay Nation
• lipay Nation of Santa Ysabel
• Inaja-Cosmit Band of Indians
• Jamul Indian Village of California
• La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians
• La Posta Band of Mission Indians
• Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeño Indians
• Manzanita Band of the Kumeyaay Nation
• Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians
• Pala Band of Mission Indians
• Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians
• Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians
• San Pasqual Band of Diegueño Indians
• Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation
• Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Nation

*The Capitan Grande Reservation is a Kumeyaay Indian reservation in San Diego County, California, jointly controlled by the Barona Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians and the Viejas Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians.

Executive Order 13175 requires that federally recognized tribal governments be consulted in the development of regional transportation plans and programs. At the state level, the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) Guidelines require that when a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) region includes California Indian tribal lands, the MPO must meaningfully engage federally recognized Native American tribal governments in developing the RTP. Additionally, Assembly Bill 52 mandates that agencies consult with tribes to assess and address potential impacts on tribal cultural resources as part of the California Environmental Quality Act review process.

SANDAG has a significant history working with tribal governments in the region. The first San Diego Regional Tribal Summit was hosted by SANDAG in 2002 and brought together elected leaders from the 19 local governments who make up the Board of Directors and the SCTCA. In 2007, SANDAG and the SCTCA signed an agreement that gave tribes an advisory role on the SANDAG Board of Directors and policy advisory committees, solidifying a unique local government-to-government framework.

The government-to-government framework between tribal governments and SANDAG assures meaningful engagement in complex regional planning and policy decisions. This type of arrangement is uncommon at the local or regional level, as it has been most applied at the state and federal levels.

For nearly two decades, the principal focus of regional consultation and collaboration with tribal nations has been tribal transportation.

At SANDAG we acknowledge that the transportation system must support the needs of federally recognized tribal nations whose reservations are in the sparsely populated eastern rural areas of the region. Since 2007, each update of the Regional Transportation Plan has considered, analyzed, and reprioritized issues and actions of mutual interest. During the 2025 Regional Plan development cycle, SANDAG and tribes collaborated to secure funding and advance tribal projects. These efforts included:

• Updating the Intraregional Tribal Transportation Strategy and adding 19 projects in the 2025 Regional Plan
• Allocating $5 million toward two tribal priority capital projects: improvements to SR 76 from Rice Canyon Road to Pala Reservation and interchange improvements at I-8 and West Willows Road
• Securing Safe Streets and Roads for All funding for the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians Comprehensive Safety Action Plan
• Allocating $4.4 million in Regional Early Action Planning Grants 2.0 funding for eight tribes in the San Diego region to advance housing projects on or near tribal reservations
• Securing $250,000 from the Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program to fund a Rural Corridors Study to advance tribal transportation projects and priorities
• Securing $500,000 for an internet connectivity plan and implementation strategy for high-quality internet service through the Tribal Digital Village