Tulsa Winter Weather Update Feb. 3 - 9:20 a.m.

2/3/2022

Team snow plowing continues this morning following overnight snowfall, with City of Tulsa street crews working to get the remaining snow off the main roadways in preparation for more snowfall later today and tonight.

As roads get cleared and temperatures rise a bit today, street crews will start applying additional salt. Combined with increased traffic, salt application should help to continue to improve street conditions until the next wave of snow moves through.

With snow drifts reported of up to 2 feet, area agencies stress the importance of staying home if possible and practicing extreme caution if on the roads. Stay at least 150 feet back from snow plows, which is about the distance of staying three semi-lengths back. Additional snow safety trips for drivers, as shared by Tulsa Police, can be found online.

City of Tulsa street crews remain on 24-hour response and will continue operations until the conclusion of the snow event.

For detailed information on the City’s snow and ice response, personnel and equipment numbers, and route information, visit www.cityoftulsa.org/winterpreparedness.

Operational Updates and Closures

• Refuse and recycling collections are impacted due to the weather, with trucks unable to safely provide services in residential neighborhoods today. It’s asked Tulsa customers be patient, keep their bins on the curb, and wait for crews to pick them up whenever neighborhood street conditions improve. Commercial services may also be delayed if the trucks cannot safely provide service.
• Tulsa City Hall will remain open for most in-person business today, except for the Permit Center, which will be closed for in-person business today, with staff continuing to take calls during business hours. Inspections will not occur Thursday and will resume when weather conditions improve. To reach the Permit Center, call (918) 596-9456 or visit them online at www.cityoftulsa.org/Permitting.
• The City of Tulsa is encouraging everyone to do business online whenever possible. This includes making utility payments, paying municipal tickets, conducting business with development services, applying for a job, and more. For more information about doing business with the City online, visit www.cityoftulsa.org/eservices.
  Tulsa Municipal Courts will remain open to the public today. Attendance by defendants scheduled to appear today will be deemed voluntary due to inclement weather. If defendants choose to stay home, their case(s) will automatically be passed to Thurs., Feb. 17, 2022. For questions, call (918) 596-1625 or email courtclerk@cityoftulsa.org.
• Tulsa Animal Welfare (TAW) will be closed to the public today and tomorrow. Both intake and adoption appointments will be rescheduled. TAW advises Tulsa residents to bring pets inside and out of the cold. If coming inside is not an option, ensure your pet has access to shelter that is out of the elements with straw or other warm bedding. Check on your pets frequently and ensure they have access to clean, non-frozen water at all times.
  Tulsa Parks community centers, with the addition of Oxley Nature Center, will be closed today. Tulsa Parks golf courses will be closed through Monday.
• The City of Tulsa Mulch Site at 2100 N. 145th E. Ave. will remain closed until employees get released from snow and ice duty.
• Bulky waste will not be collected until employees are released from snow and ice duty. Those with scheduled pick-ups will have their bulky waste picked up with a one-week delay.

Warming Stations and Safe Housing
Four warming stations are open in Tulsa for individuals and families seeking shelter from the cold.

John 3:16 Mission | 506 N. Cheyenne | Open 24/7
The Salvation Army Center of Hope | 102 N. Denver Ave. | Open 24/7
Tulsa County Emergency Shelter | 2401 Charles Page Blvd. | Open 24/7 – Operational, but has reached capacity
The Merchant Tulsa | 605 S. Peoria Ave. | Open 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. thru Saturday

Housing Solutions and area partner agencies have outreach teams continuing to move those experiencing homelessness into shelters while weather and road conditions permit. For those choosing to stay unsheltered, outreach teams continue to ask them to go inside and are conducting welfare checks as much as possible. Local shelters will offer shelter-in-place services, meaning those who visit their shelter will be able to stay there throughout the duration of this winter weather event.

If you see someone in need of safe and warm housing, you can fill out a Housing Solutions Homeless Street Outreach Request online at https://www.housingsolutionstulsa.org/assistance-request/.

Tulsa County Updates
All Tulsa County facilities, including HQ and the Courthouse, are closed today. Court Services will continue to operate the 24/7 bond docket. Additionally, all Tulsa County Parks community centers will be closed, including golf courses, pro shops and the tennis center.

Tulsa County highway crews continue to work 12-hr shifts to keep bridges, overpasses and other major roadways as clear and safe as possible. For real-time updates on the roads in your area, or to report an areas of concern, call the district barns at:

District 1: (918) 591-6029
District 2: (918) 591-6066
District 3: (918) 282-2511

Tulsa Transit Updates
Due to windchill and conditions, Tulsa Transit is offering free fares today.

To find the list of Inclement weather routes, visit http://tulsatransit.org/inclement-weather-routing/. Tulsa Transit encourages people to only get out if necessary and asks for patience and understanding if delays occur due to road conditions. To track bus locations, visit, http://tulsapublic.etaspot.net/.

Oklahoma Natural Gas (ONG) Updates
ONG systems are currently performing well and are expected to remain functional and reliable throughout this event. ONG employees are working around the clock, being positioned at critical locations in preparation for any service outages ONG’s modeling may indicate.

For questions outside of operational preparedness, contact ONG corporate communications at media@onegas.com. As a reminder to ONG customers, customer service representatives are available Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. CT at (800) 664-5463.

Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) Updates
PSO has multiple resources in the area to respond. Though widespread power outages are not occurring, if one does occur in your area, do not approach crews and utility vehicles you see in your neighborhood to ask when power will be restored. Doing so could jeopardize your safety and the safety of the crews.

For information on power outages, visit www.psoklahoma.com/outages/report/.

EMSA Update
EMSA responded to a handful of slips and falls and motor vehicle accidents overnight that appear to be weather-related in the Tulsa area. Generally, residents seem to be heeding advice to stay inside and off local roadways.