Muskogee Phoenix By Lee Guthrie
Mar 20, 2024
TAHLEQUAH — Nearly $2.5 million has been awarded to the Cherokee Nation to build a bridge over the Illinois River and 5.6 miles of new roadway on Willis Road, as part of President Joe Biden’s administration “Justice40 Initiative.”
The $2,498,931 construction comes from a component of the initiative, “Investing in America,” which also benefits the Seminole Nation. The Seminoles’ project grant award is $23,523,382 for a “Transit Plaza.”
“We’re excited the Cherokee Nation was awarded this multi-million-dollar project to help our communities receive roadway and bridge infrastructure upgrades and, in this case, to better connect Welling to Tahlequah and improve emergency response time,” said Michael Lynn, executive director of Transportation and Infrastructure for the Cherokee Nation.
The first year will require planning to determine design, engineering and the construction of the project that is most economical, Lynn said.
The Biden-Harris administration announced over $26 million in infrastructure monies are being awarded to Oklahoma to fund projects that reconnect communities by improving transportation infrastructure. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the program prioritizes disadvantaged communities and aims to improve access to jobs, education, health care, food and recreation. It is designed to remove barriers that separate communities.
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