After six years of planning, the Payne County Commission approved the final payment of Tiger Bridge, open to travelers headed to Cushing.
The Sac and Fox tribe, along with the federal department of transportation and the Payne County Commission, paid more than $496,000 for the bridge, which crosses Turkey Creek.
Truman Carter, former treasurer of the Sac and Fox tribe, said he suggested the idea for the bridge six years ago.
“It made sense to use the tribe’s money with government resources to achieve a common objective,” Carter said.
Payne County Commissioner Bill Deering said the federal government paid for the bridge through funds for Indian roads and bridges. Deering said most of the money did not come from Payne County.
“The county sends in workers and supplies and completes all preparation work at request of the Sac and Fox tribe,” Deering said.
The Payne county payments of $32,719 and $19,299 were approved at the Payne County Commission meeting on Thursday.
Deering said these final payments are a part of the $496,000 for the bridge.
According to an invoice to Payne County, the $32,719 payment went to Oklahoma City company Russell Engineering, Inc. and Broken Arrow company Belk Bridge, Inc., for completing the bridge. Deering said $19,299 went to pay for more rock.
“There was a lot of dirt work involved, which increased the total costs by quite a bit.” Deering said.
The Tiger Bridge is two miles east of Cushing on Harmony Road and two miles north of Euchee Valley Road.
The Sac and Fox nation’s legal boundaries cover Oklahoma towns Chandler, Cushing, Agra, Ripley, Davenport, Kendrick, Meeker, Prague, the eastern part of Shawnee, Sparks and Stroud.
Carter said tribe members were having trouble coming into town, and they were also concerned with access for emergency services.
Deering said the Sac and Fox nation has given $2 million for road and bridge improvements.
“They want to help improve the life for everyone,” Deering said, “It truly is a great benefit for everyone involved.”
Carter said he remembers meeting with Deering and trying to find a way for the county and the tribe to join together in the beginning stages. Tom Simpson, road engineer for the Southern Plains Region from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, said the road to the bridge had problems before.
“That road was really rough in the beginning,” Simpson said.
Simpson serves as a connector between the county and the tribes, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
“Payne County was the most accommodating,” Simpson said, “ The commissioners really listen to the tribes to find out exactly what they want.”
Deering said Russell Engineering, Inc. and Belk Bridge, Inc. worked on the bridge for almost a year.
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