TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Cherokee Nation completed more than $20 million in road and bridge repair and replacement projects in 2023 and will complete another $15 million in projects in the coming year.
The Cherokee Nation Department of Transportation and Infrastructure used a combination of tribal funds and federal Tribal Transportation Program dollars to complete the 45 projects in 2023.
The projects represent more than 63 miles throughout the reservation including in Adair, Cherokee, Craig, Delaware, Mayes, Muskogee, Rogers, Sequoyah and Tulsa Counties.
“Long before Oklahoma became a state, the Cherokee Nation was investing in public infrastructure. But our role in supporting communities across the 14-country reservation is not just a part of our history. As we celebrate a new year, it is important that the Cherokee Nation continues to wisely invest in road and bridge projects that make our communities safer and improve our quality of life,” said Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. “In the years ahead, we will continue to be great community partners with those who share in our mission of improving road and bridge safety throughout Northeast Oklahoma.”
Among 2023’s projects was nearly $2 million in extensive emergency repairs along Indian Road, which crosses through Cherokee and Sequoyah Counties. County commissioners in both counties reached out to Cherokee Nation and asked for assistance in repairing the road, which had been washed out in multiple locations following heavy rains and flooding in May 2022, leaving it impassable.
“The Cherokee Nation Department of Transportation and Infrastructure works every day on so many community-impacting infrastructure projects,” said Deputy Chief Bryan Warner. “Their work reflects the same commitment that Chief Hoskin and I have had since 2019, when we promised we would leave no community behind. Roads and bridges are critical to our health and well-being as Cherokee families, and I’m proud of how committed Cherokee Nation remains to this effort each year.”
In 2024, the Cherokee Nation Department of Transportation and Infrastructure is set to complete another $15 million in road and bridge projects throughout six counties.
Another 36 miles of road and bridge projects are also set to begin this year in five counties.
The Cherokee Nation last year also received a $12.9 million federal infrastructure grant for a reconstruction project on Mud Valley Road in Cherokee County. The project is ongoing and spans more than 4.5 miles, including three bridge construction projects to replace existing, undersized and aging drainage structures along the route, which is heavily traveled by Cherokee citizens. Completion is estimated for early 2025.
In just over three years, the Cherokee Nation has helped construct and rehabilitate over 146 miles of roads and built a number of bridges throughout the tribe’s reservation.