Muscogee (Creek) Nation completes $734K improvement on public intersection
MCN, ODOT, Okmulgee County collaborate to address area of concern
OKMULGEE, Oklahoma — When the Muscogee (Creek) Nation completed the Transportation Safety Plan in 2014, the Mission road intersection was identified as a significant area of concern. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) agreed, and the MCN and ODOT worked together to collect crash data for the intersection. Through this information, the Nation rated Mission as the number one priority on the MCN Safety Plan.
“We appreciate the efforts of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation to help identify and seek solutions for traffic concerns,” said ODOT Engineer Chris Wallace. “The improvements at Mission Road will benefit drivers for years to come, and we thank the Nation for their partnership to promote additional safety here.”
The Nation applied for construction funds through the Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund and was awarded $430,000 to complete this intersection realignment project. The remaining funds to complete the project came through the Nation’s share of the Tribal Transportation Program (TTP). The TTP is another federal program that provides funding for roads, bridges and other transportation projects within tribal areas. TTP pays for new construction and maintenance of existing infrastructure and is an important source of funding that complements existing ODOT budgets.
“The Muscogee (Creek) Nation is pleased to participate in a partnership that allows the state to access greater funding,” MCN Principal Chief James Floyd said. “By utilizing these dollars, we can assist the state in completing much needed projects – sometimes even ahead of schedule.”
ODOT worked with the MCN to review the plans and assist with acquiring the necessary permits. Okmulgee County Commissioners also assisted the Nation in acquiring the right-of-way to complete the project.
“This is an example of different government entities working hand-in-hand together to provide a benefit to the citizens here. Safety is paramount in any project when we are talking about transportation,” said Okmulgee County Commissioner Bobby Hardridge.
Through the partnership efforts of MCN, ODOT, and Okmulgee County safety issues have been rectified.