OKMULGEE County roads

May's heavy rains have flooded roads, making things tough on drivers. But, homeowners in northern Okmulgee County say they deal with mud and potholes everyday and they want something done about it.

Saturday, June 2nd 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

May's heavy rains have flooded roads, making things tough on drivers. But, homeowners in northern Okmulgee County say they deal with mud and potholes everyday and they want something done about it.

KOTV's Sean Mossman talked with the residents about the county roads. Mossman says the roads in question, have huge holes of exposed rock. They're very difficult to drive when they're dry. Then you add all this rain and the problems compound. Kyle McDaniel has to go through the same thing everytime he visits his friends. The road leading to their house is so muddy and torn up, he has to park down the hill and walks the rest of the way. He says it does no good to complain about the condition of the dirt and gravel roads in northern Okmulgee County. "Everybody up here has. They've all tried pulled together and they can't get anything done.

This is what it's been like since last winter." 241st and 246th streets, just off Sheridan, are among the worst. They've been this way since last winter's ice storm, and this week's heavy rains have only made driving worse. "Residents out here say it's not the standing water that concerns them the most. It's these huge crevices in the middle of their dirt roads that are causing the problems." Many say they've called Okmulgee county commissioner Jim Henson about the exposed boulders and deep potholes. They say they get no response, and we've experienced the same thing.

KOTV has left three messages with Henson, none of those calls have been returned. The roads don't just pose a hazard to those living on them. When lightning hit this house on 246th street Tuesday, Bixby fire department responded to help with the blaze. Firefighter Chad Boles was on the truck for the treacherous ride. "I guess we hit a pretty big patch of mud and the truck started to veer off towards a mailbox and tree, but the captain caught it in time and got it back over to the left."

Residents on these roads can't get trash service, they don't dare order a pizza delivered, and they have to drive down the hills to get their mail. All because, they say, the roads have been too bad, for too long. There's still another problem homeowners are complaining about. They say the wear and tear on their cars has been heavy. Several complained about constantly having to replace parts in their car's suspension. They say because of the torn-up roads.