Copyright © 2006 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved
News from the Cherokee Nation, OK
Copyright © 2006 CNO
TULSA, OKLAHOMA – The Cherokee Nation announced today assistance of more than $4.7 million to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) to help rebuild and repair eight bridges in six counties in northeastern Oklahoma.
ODOT Director Gary Ridley and Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chad Smith announce a bridge repair project between the Cherokee Nation and ODOT, for eight bridges in six counties throughout northeastern Oklahoma. 
“Today marks the beginning of a new partnership between Cherokee Nation and the State of Oklahoma, a partnership that is built upon common ground. That common ground is the transportation system we use to access education, healthcare and employment,” said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.
“As the condition of our roads and bridges worsens every day, this partnership is an unprecedented effort on the part of the Cherokee Nation to help fix these transportation problems,” Smith said. “We want to be part of the solution to provide safe highways and byways in our corner of the state.”
This multimillion-dollar partnership with ODOT, which is another good community partner project from the Cherokee Nation, will assist the state in addressing the issue of aging, dangerous, substandard bridges and roads in the region and will permit it to work on more construction projects than it otherwise would be able to do. Bridges to be repaired with these monies include locations in Cherokee, Muskogee, Nowata, Rogers, Sequoyah and Tulsa counties.
“Our (ODOT) partnership with the Cherokee Nation goes back many years. The Cherokee Nation and Chief Smith have worked over a year and a half on funding these projects, and their funding will enable us to work on even more projects in northeastern Oklahoma,” said Gary Ridley, director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.
Specific locations in Cherokee County include State Highway 51 over Pecan Creek; in Muskogee County, two bridges on U.S. Highway 62 over the Arkansas River; in Nowata County, U.S. 60 over Salt Creek; in Rogers County, two bridges on State Highway 88 over two unnamed creeks; in Sequoyah County, U.S. 59 over Little Sallisaw Creek; and in Tulsa County, State Highway 11 over Dirty Butter Creek.
The bridge in Cherokee County was built in 1933; in Muskogee County, both bridges were built in 1969; in Nowata County, 1926; in Rogers County, 1918 and 1940; in Sequoyah County, 1936; and in Tulsa County, 1955. The newest bridge is 37 years old (1969), and the oldest is almost 100 years old (1918).
Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) counts for the bridges, by county, are: Cherokee, 5,900; Muskogee, 11,750 for both bridges; Nowata, 1,600; Rogers, 2,800 for both bridges; Sequoyah, 3,700; and Tulsa, 5,500. The AADT lists the average daily traffic volume of vehicles that traverses these bridges, meaning that thousands of tribal and nontribal citizens alike travel these bridges and roads daily.
The Cherokee Nation will spend another $51 million for various transportation projects within the next few years. It is hoped that the Cherokee Nation’s significant assistance will help ease the financial burden on the state and ensure greater safety for all citizens who use these bridges and roads.
Related path(s):
| Related Cherokee Nation contact information: |
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Mike Miller, Cherokee Nation Director of Communications Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2210) Fax: 918-458-5580 E-mail: Communications@cherokee.org
Larry Daugherty, Advertising Manager |
Steven Swogger, Agriculture Liaison Natural Resources Department Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2546) FAX: 918-458-7673 E-mail: sswogger@cherokee.org
Bradley D. Peak, Cherokee Nation |
