By BROOKLYN BROWN BIGMEAT
One Feather Reporter
CHEROKEE, N.C.—The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) Roads Commission monthly meeting was held on the morning of Unadodaquonvhi (Monday) Duliisdi (Sept.) 21.
Nathaniel Trace Lambert, interim manager of the Cherokee Department of Transportation (CDOT), provided updates:
CDOT went through the Request For Proposal (RFP) process for on-call paving. They selected their contractor. They have an on-call engineer to go over Welch Road, Big Cove Road, Meeting House and Mink Branch.
CDOT met with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and National Hazardous Materials (NHM) route registry about crosswalks beside the Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort.
The Hornbuckle Replacement Bridge will go to contract soon.
CDOT met with EBCI Public Health and Human Services (PHHS) to discuss new signs along Drama Road.
There is an RFP for striping. It will go to contract soon.
CDOT has been patching and replacing guardrails in communities throughout the Qualla Boundary. They are getting ready to replace culverts in Tsalagi Gadugi (Cherokee Co.) and Kolanvyi (Big Cove).
They replaced a long run of culvert at Eagles Nest.
On Adams Creek, Tribal Construction assisted with the dig out and patching.
On Bradley Branch, CDOT cleaned out culverts and did ditch line improvements.
On Fisher Branch and Boys Club Loop, CDOT reinstalled speed bumps.
On Bob Owle Road, they changed out culverts and did ditching on the road.
They are currently on the back roads scraping. Once they complete back roads, they will hit every gravel road throughout the communities before it gets cold and starts freezing.
They sent a motor grader to Tsalagi Gadugi.
The Cherokee Boys Club is still doing long arming by request.
