O'lrGJ GWY.9 DBf Chad "Comtassel" Smith Principal Chief NATION~ .11.0,:<) J~h,() P.O. Box 948 • Tahlequah. OK 74465·0948 • (918) 453·5000 Joe Grayson, Jr. Deputy Principal Chief

February 20, 2009

Dawn Borelli, STIP Coordinator Department of Transportation Planning and Research Division 200 N.E. 21 st Street Oklahoma City, OK 73105

Re: 2009-2012 STIP

Dear Ms. Borelli:

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) for fiscal years 2009 through 2012. We have reviewed this document and have made an effort to address the highway needs of the with the understanding that this is a statewide effort of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT).

First of all, we appreciate the scheduled highway improvements that are to be funded within the range of this STIP. We do note, however, that there appears to be no scheduled improvements to US-412 from the Cherokee Casino to the Oklahoma/Arkansas state line. Our latest information on the matter indicated that the State of Arkansas was planning a seven-lane facility through Siloam Springs to the Oklahoma state line. Their portion ofUS-412 is a Congressionally designated improvement corridor and is believed to be a current project of the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. We are not sure ifthe Oklahoma potion of this project has been financially taken care of yet, but wanted to raise the issue. We believe this to be a critical and important opportunity for ODOT to link a seven-lane facility with the State of Arkansas.

Secondly, there appears to be no improvements to the state-designated Cherokee Hills Scenic Byway (CHSB). The CHSB is comprised ofUS-412, SH-lO, SH-82, and SH-100, which traverses the scenic hills of Adair, Cherokee, Delaware, and Counties. We realize and are very appreciative that in the previous STIP, ODOT had scheduled improvements to SH-82 near the Keys area and to SH-lOO north of Gore. However, much ofthis byway remains a rural two-lane with no shoulders and its accident rates are above the county average and well above that of the state. We have recently applied for federal designation of the CHSB, which will become an economic benefit for both the Cherokee Nation and the State of Oklahoma. As such, the condition of the CHSB will become ever so important as visitors travel the byway to seek its abundant cultural and natural resources. In an effort to achieve state and federal designation, it was recognized by ODOT and Cherokee Nation that the rural sections of the byway needed to be addressed in which we recommended super-two-lane improvements for the purposes of safety and rural character where possible. It should be noted that the Cherokee Nation is in the process of applying this route to the Indian Reservation Roads system, which will open up the possibility for small-scale safety and operational improvements in the future.

These highway improvements are very important to us and we look forward to your response as well as a continued working relationship with you in the future.

If you have any questions, please contact Michael Lynn at (918) 453-5396 or Rob Endicott at (918) 447-9992.

Respectfully, ~~ Principal Chief

CS/re