Owasso Street Project Close To Finished

School starts next week at many districts across the area. Construction crews are racing to finish a street project in time before classes begin in Owasso. News On 6 anchor Craig Day reports 129th East Avenue is one of the busiest streets in Owasso once school begins and crews are trying to get it ready.

Crews are widening 129th and the clock is ticking down to when the first school bell will ring.

It is a street project many parents, students and other drivers in Owasso have been keeping an eye on. Watching and wondering and hoping work will be finished by the time school starts.

"I've watched it all summer long, I drive here with my program and I've seen them everyday.  They've come along very quickly and they've done a great job," said Driving Instructor Suezette Marquez.

The street is being widened to five lanes, including a turn lane. The thing is it runs between the Owasso Mid High on the West side and the high school on the East side.

Crews started working just after the last school year let out and are rushing to get it finished before this school year begins.

"They're telling us 2,500 kids are going to be parking here, as well as teachers, staff and maintenance.  It had to be done," said Project Manager John Feary.

About 2,500 students go to the school at the Owasso middle school and the high school across the street.  So getting the road reopened was a high priority so that students and parents had access to both schools."

In the past few days construction crews finished the concrete work on the center lane. They're now putting in the sidewalks and are striping the road. The road will open in the nick of time, just one day before school starts on August 13th.

"There was really no other alternative. You can't redirect that many people," said Feary.

The new road is expected to improve traffic flow to both schools, eliminating congestion... and will mean a smoother start and end to each school day.

"I'm optimistic about it.  I'm excited.  To me it's a good thing," said Marquez.

Once the stretch of road is reopened, crews will finish work on widening the road all the way from 76th Street North to 96th Street North. Overall, it's an $8.5 million project.