Our mission is to improve the quality of life for Native American families and communities by providing safe roads and bridges for better access to housing, schools, healthcare, business, and employment.

Long-range planning consists of an on-going review and analysis of population, housing, social, and economic data to develop strategies for the prioritization of roads and transit systems based on the goals and objectives of the tribe.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) continually implements and supports cooperative road and bridge projects within the reservation of the Cherokee Nation by coordinating at the county, state, and federal levels as well as community involvement.  These road projects are federally funded by the Federal Highway Administration.  Tribal Transportation Program (TTP) Funding is used for planning, engineering, and construction of TTP projects. The Cherokee Nation DOT with its group of professionals is able to produce and monitor projects from inception to construction completion. Motor Fuel Tax, Motor Vehicle Tax, and Special Bridge funds are set aside by the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council for infrastructure improvement projects which do not meet the standards for TTP funding.

The DOT incorporates the foremost level of technical operations from start to finish.  Strict adherence to state and federal standards, specifications, and regulations are applied to each construction project. The operational capacity for the DOT includes the ability to conduct contracting, transportation planning, right-of-way negotiations, surveying, design, environmental clearances, and construction inspections, of which all meet or exceed Federal Specifications.

The DOT is a diversified department encompassing the needs of the community and sensitive to the needs of individuals. Potential projects are based on the percentage of the Native American population and the changing needs of the entire community.

The objectives of our services are to supply safe direct routes to highways and towns and to provide safe reliable transportation for essential daily living.