Winter Weather Update

12/14/2020

December 14, 2020: Refuse, Recycling Services See Delays Due to Road Conditions; Residents Requested to be Patient; Street Crews Working Today, Preparing for Possible Snowfall on Tuesday

Refuse and recycling services are seeing delays in Tulsa due to road conditions. It is likely all routes will not be completed today. Collecting trash is the priority, but routes are running several hours behind. 

Refuse crews plan to keep working until 8 p.m. tonight, as late as they can safely do so. Recycling and bulky waste pickup will be caught up as soon as possible. Residents are requested to be patient while the trucks are trying to safely traverse the city streets. It may take several days to catch up on all the services.

City street crews worked overnight to treat snow-covered roadways and the refreeze that occurred because of below-freezing temperatures.

Salt trucks treated all the major routes (bridges, hills and overpasses). Throughout the morning, City crews worked to address center lanes on five-lane roads and turn lanes with a series of 3-4 plow trucks that could move snow to the curb all at once.

“I am happy with the response,” said Tim McCorkell, City of Tulsa Street Maintenance Manager. “The employees have done really well, they’ve stuck with it, and just tried to alleviate the hazards as best they can.”

Now that the sun is out, more melt is expected to occur throughout the day today. If there are additional areas that need to be salted, salt will be applied. Nearly 40 employees will report back this evening to work overnight, as we expect a refreeze again before the potential for additional snowfall tomorrow.

For the next event Tuesday afternoon/evening, the City is prepared with plow trucks. Brine will be applied if there is significant drying out that occurs today and if there isn’t a rain event that comes before the onset of the potential for snowfall tomorrow.