City Coordinating Current and Upcoming Street Projects to Minimize Traffic Disruptions

7/23/2021

City Council Launching New Webpage for South Tulsa Road Projects

Seven road projects are in progress in south Tulsa, the farthest north being 61^st and Yale. To provide a centralized landing page for these project scopes and regular road construction updates, the Tulsa City Council has launched a web page, http://tulsacouncil.org/southtulsaroads

“It is my goal to communicate with citizens to the best of my ability and in the most efficient manner,” District 8 City Councilor Phil Lakin said. “What we're introducing today will greatly enhance people’s ability to visually see and read about south Tulsa projects, their timelines, status, scope of work, and so much more. My hope is this new tool and information will be a helpful resource that people can regularly consult.”

The voter-approved Improve Our Tulsa capital funding package is providing more than $600 million for citywide street and bridge improvements. Vision Tulsa also has provided $15 million in funding for widening projects in the South Mingo Road corridor.

“As a resident of south Tulsa who drives our city streets many times each day, I understand and empathize with my neighbors as they navigate the cone zones at nearly every turn,” District 7 City Councilor Lori Decter Wright said. “It is my hope that this new communication tool will help citizens better anticipate and navigate the construction zones in south Tulsa. I greatly appreciate everyone’s patience as we endure temporary pains for the long-term gain that comes with these significant investments in infrastructure throughout our community.” 

The City of Tulsa coordinates the construction sequencing of road projects to minimize traffic disruptions in a concentrated area. In general, street projects are spaced away from each other to avoid adjacent projects that affect traffic. For example, street projects are currently affecting traffic on South Yale Avenue between East 101^st Street and the Creek Turnpike at East 96^th Street, and on South Memorial Drive between the Creek Turnpike and 81^st Street. No construction is occurring on South Sheridan Road, the arterial street between these other two projects.

Sometimes, however, circumstances occur that do not allow spacing between projects. Improve Our Tulsa has provided funding for a concrete patching project on East 71^st Street between South Memorial Drive and South Mingo Road and an asphalt overlay on South Memorial between 71^st Street and 81^st Street. Meanwhile, a concrete patching project with 75-percent funding from the federal Surface Transportation Program was already in progress on Memorial Drive between 81^st Street and the Creek Turnpike. Because Tulsa took advantage of the available federal funds, construction currently is in progress on Memorial Drive between the Creek Turnpike and 81^st Street, and between 81^st Street and 71^st Street.

Here are street construction projects currently in progress and planned to start soon in south Tulsa:

• A street rehabilitation project is in progress at the intersection of East 61^st Street and South Yale Avenue. Completion of the project is scheduled for August.
• A widening project is nearing completion on South Mingo Road between East 71^st Street and East 81^st Street. This mile of Mingo Road is being widened from two lanes to five lanes. All lanes are scheduled to be open by the end of July.
• A widening project on East 81^st Street between South Memorial Drive and South Sheridan Road began in July. Completion is scheduled for fall 2022.
• Concrete pavement repair is in progress on East 71^st Street between South Mingo Road and South Memorial Drive, and at the intersection of 71^st and Memorial. This project is scheduled for completion in November, before the holiday shopping season.
• Another concrete pavement repair project is in progress on South Memorial Drive between East 81^st Street and the Creek Turnpike. That project also is scheduled for completion in November.
• Also on Memorial Drive between East 71^st Street and East 81^st Street, an asphalt overlay project is scheduled for completion in September.
• A widening project on South Yale Avenue between East 101^st Street and East 96^th Street near the Creek Turnpike is scheduled for completion in January 2022.
• A widening project on South Yale Avenue between East 81^st Street and East 91^st Street is scheduled to begin in October, with a road closure planned for after the completion of the project on Yale Avenue between 101^st Street and the Creek Turnpike.

A map showing projects currently in progress on arterial streets is again available on the City of Tulsa website at www.cityoftulsa.org/traffic  or by selecting “View Live Traffic Map” from the home page, www.cityoftulsa.org . On the map, just click on a marked street or intersection to find information including a project description, contract amount, lane closures, and scheduled completion date.