Tulsa Road Construction Fails Inspection; Will Be Redone

A section of Sheridan Road in south Tulsa that's been under construction for months will stay that way for a while.

The city is asking for a road repair do-over at 81st and Sheridan because the first one didn't pass inspection.

Immediately after the road was repaved in December the city and the contractor knew there was a problem.

It's hard to see the waves in the new pavement, but they're in there. They're much easier to feel when you're driving.

Two miles of Sheridan was repaved and now most of it needs work to take the bumps out.

4/1/2015 Related Story: Tulsa Street Contractor Fixes Recently Completed Project On South Sheridan

The contractor who just finished paving it will start grinding it smooth next week.

“I guess we're going to have to be patient so they can get it right. We want it to be done right for the long term,” one woman said.

The irony is the bumps in the road are a big improvement from the potholes that were here before.

“When I drive down this road it's smooth enough for me, so I don't mind it because there's no potholes,” said one man.

The city said the work was an emergency repair order to lay two inches of new asphalt.

It only needs to last a couple of years before a major overhaul is due, but this one didn't pass the first inspection according to City of Tulsa Construction Manager, Brad Crutcher.

"We knew it was unacceptable as soon as it was done," he said.

The pavement was too thin in places and too thick in others.

News On 6 Interactive Traffic Map

The contractor blames a problem with their equipment, and they're going to fix the road for free.

“You can definitely feel the places that need to be fixed,” Crutcher said.

The bumps got the attention of drivers, and City Councilor Phil Lakin, who was pushing for repairs in the first place.

"Some say much better and some say a lot worse, and I've had both experiences. It just depends on what portions of Sheridan you're driving on," Lakin said.

He's asking drivers for a little more patience while the city works through the delays.

Once the repairs are done the contractor will stripe the road, completing the job that's already long past due.

All of this will be dug up and rebuilt in 2017, but the city had decided the road was in such poor shape that it wouldn't last until then, so they had this job done as a patch.

The repairs start next Tuesday and will take most of the week.