Discussion Renews About Yale Bridge Over Arkansas River

There’s a renewed discussion on the building of a bridge across the Arkansas River in South Tulsa. It was controversial the last time around. This time it's about the city's master plan.

There’s always been a plan for a bridge over the river, but the connection at Yale made it controversial and stalled any development. Now the city council plans to move the bridge to somewhere else.

"It's not about a bridge going in, this is just about the connection and where the connection should be," city councilor Phil Lakin said. 

The original plan stalled over concerns about more traffic on narrow two-lane south Tulsa roads.    

"I would just say that the preponderance of the people in south Tulsa do not want that thing going up Yale and absolutely want roads to be widened before any bridge comes in," Lakin said.

He says the change doesn’t mean the bridge is being built, just that it won’t be built along Yale.

"...but we might as well give people a really clear line  that the street and master plan just shows that it's not coming up Yale anymore," Lakin said.

Any plans to change where the bridge would be located must go through Indian Nations Council of Governments. INCOG then likely would have to hold public hearings about it.