Water Line Replacement Work Shuts Down Lanes At Tulsa Intersection

A water line replacement project has a Tulsa intersection down to one lane in all directions starting Tuesday.

City of Tulsa officials say the work will reduce traffic at 61st and Sheridan until June.  The work is part of a project that has been over four years in the making.

In December 2012, a 48-inch wire-wrapped water main broke on 61st between Mingo and Memorial.

12/17/2012 Related Story: Tulsa Water Main Break Floods Neighborhood On 61st Street, Prompts Evacuations

City engineer Paul Zachary says that line installed in the 1970's was essentially defective.  Breaks like that one happened elsewhere across the U.S. because of the pipe's design.  

In Tulsa, the wire-wrapped water line was installed from Mingo to Sheridan.  

Zachary says works on the 48-inch water line's replacement have been underway for several months and has finally reached the 61st and Sheridan intersection.

The city of Tulsa is also working on underground utilities at 41st and Harvard.  That work will keep that intersection down to one lane in each direction until August.