Infrastructure

Tribes Driving Transportation Improvements

“They’re Willing to Help”

As Chickasaw Nation has grown, they’ve helped the communities around them with new roads and bridges.

Strong, modern infrastructure is an essential part of healthy economies. Without it, commerce becomes inefficient, quality of life deteriorates, and ultimately, jobs and opportunities go elsewhere. But maintaining necessary infrastructure is extremely expensive and government budgets strain to find the resources amidst competing demands for other essentials like education and health care. This is why the Native American tribes are such important partners for the state of Oklahoma to meet its infrastructure needs.

In transportation, Oklahoma tribes are first in the nation in the U.S. Department of Transportation contributions to local roads. Twenty-seven thousand miles, over $200 million contributed to local roads and bridges. This is money that would have to come from taxes and from taxpayers, instead it comes from the tribes and their generosity.

Judge Robert Henry

President, Oklahoma City University (2010-2018)

Broadband Expansion: “The Next Evolution”

It’s this longstanding commitment to stable infrastructure that positions Oklahoma tribes to lead broadband expansion, connecting underserved communities with the rest of the world. “When you think about the impact that clean water has or stable roads and stable infrastructure, those were things that the Chickasaw Nation has been doing for decades. And it was a natural fit for telecommunications and fiber optics to become that next evolution,” said Trace Fiber Networks President Josh Snow.

But closing the digital divide generates an impact far greater than just internet access, as learned from the pandemic. “If we can connect everybody, now we’ve got the chance to have people be able to work in their rural communities, earn a good, decent living and also give back to their communities,” said Deputy Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation Bryan Warner.

Together, the tribes and the state are paving a strong and promising future for Oklahoma’s economy through their productive, mutually beneficial partnership.

Broadband and internet access is today and tomorrow’s highway, replacing the asphalt and concrete highways of today. Building a broadband system is necessary.

Geoffrey Standing Bear

Principal Chief, Osage Nation

$200 MILLION

Estimated total tribal investment in Oklahoma highway improvement projects from FY1980 to FY2018

$42,552,352

2017 investment in Oklahoma infrastructure made possible by the federal Tribal Transportation Program

$13.5 MILLION

Funding from the Chickasaw Nation for improvements to I-35 at the Oklahoma/Texas border

$12 MILLION

Funding and right-of-way donations from the Cherokee Nation to improve Tulsa’s I-44/193rd Street interchange

$8 MILLION

Funding from the Citizen Potawatomi Nation for improvements at I-40 and SH-102 near Shawnee

$5 MILLION

Funding from the Choctaw Nation for improvements to the US-69B and US-69 junction in Durant

The tribes of Oklahoma have come together and really taken a very, very hard look at the unserved communities in their areas. There’s a continuation of investment in telecommunications and infrastructure to be able to bolster these communities.

Josh Snow

President

Trace Fiber Networks