City Officials Say Tulsa Road Projects Show 'Progress As Promised'

Road improvement projects around Tulsa are showing "progress as promised" according to city representatives. About 80 percent of the projects started under the "Fix our Streets" program are finished.

With so many streets still blocked with orange construction cones, it may be hard to see the progress.

City leaders said to be patient because construction crews have come a long way.

When you drive around Tulsa it's easy to tell the roads could be in better shape. 

But street by street, crews and machines are putting in time to give Tulsa drivers a less bumpy ride.

"You plan your work and work your plan and as each year there's appropriation of funds that come in place and that's what we do," said Henry Som de Cerff, design engineer manager with the City of Tulsa. 

He said this year's mild November weather helped crews move a little faster getting most of the "Fix our Streets" projects finished and get some of the "Improve our Tulsa" projects started.

"We phased the funding for the arterial streets to prevent gridlock so we try really hard to not have adjacent arterial streets under construction at the same time," Som de Cerff said. 

When voters approved the General Obligation Bonds and penny sales tax for the Fix our Streets program in 2008, 137 projects were on the agenda. 

To date, 110 projects or 80 percent are complete.

"There's 17 under construction right now and 10 more are pending construction," Som de Cerff said. 

In 2013, voters again approved the GO bond and additional penny sales for "Improve our Tulsa." 

Eighty-seven projects are on that agenda and so far 79 projects are funded. 

Som de Cerff said by no means is the work over.

But as work continues, he asked drivers to give crews room to work.

"In terms of safety, just be patient through the construction areas," he said. 

Another element under "Improve Our Tulsa" allows special studies to determine which arterial roads need ramps or bike lanes.