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Pictured left to right: CNO Tribal Council member, Johnny Keener; Roads program director, Harley Buzzard; CNO Council member, Stephanie Shepherd and CNO Principal Chief Chad Smith, presenting a check for road work done in Mayes County.

TAHLEQUAH, OK - The Cherokee Nation Roads Program is currently funding several roads projects in Mayes, Delaware and Cherokee counties, with a total price tag of more than $4 million.

The Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma (CNO) Roads Program recently completed one project in Delaware County and is currently working on two others.

The Cherokee Nation Roads program has completed a bridge project located on the Stand Watie road located in central Delaware County. The project consists of three miles of road surfacing and construction on a bridge. The CNO spent an estimated construction cost of $364,950.36 on the bridge for the Stand Watie Project.

The three-mile long Fairview/Eucha road in Delaware County is presently under construction. This road serves Native American families in the Kenwood, Fairview and Eucha area. It also has a bus route for the Jay public school system and connects to the recently completed Kenwood/Eucha road that was funded through the Cherokee Nation Motor Fuel Tax funds. The CNO will spend an estimated $1,496,613.98 for construction on this project.

The Cherokee Nation is also working to replace a bridge as part of the Fairview/Eucha road project. The new bridge replaces an existing 100’x10’ bridge which was very dangerous and in the past had resulted in a loss of life.

The CNO will spend more than $900,000 on this construction project. Melvina Shotpouch and Barbara Starr-Scott represent Delaware County on the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council.

The Cherokee Nation Tribal Council establishes priorities for the Roads Program in order to improve the quality of life for Indian families and communities with safe roads and better access to and from homes, schools, health care, employment and community facilities.

The Cherokee Nation Roads program will spend approximately $176,000 to improve a road that serves the Cherokee Nation Donated Food site and the Cherokee Nation Health Clinic in Mayes County.

Johnny Keener and Stephanie Shepherd represent this area on the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council.

The Cherokee Nation Roads Program has completed the Terrisita/Rocky Ford road project. This four-mile road project in northern Cherokee County serves the communities of Rocky Ford and Terrisita. The road serves many Native American families and includes a school bus route. Don Crittenden and John Ketcher represent Cherokee County on the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council. The Cherokee Nation spent approximately $1.5 million for construction costs related to this project.

The Cherokee Nation Community Services Group administers the Indian Reservation Roads program for the CNO. The Cherokee Nation receives funding for the IRR program from a portion of federal fuel tax revenues generated from the Highway Trust Fund. Each year the Federal Highway Administration transfers IRR funds to the Bureau of Indian Affairs for administration, planning, engineering and construction of Indian Reservation Roads.