Road Renovations Cause More Congestion

Friday, February 9th 2007, 10:51 am

By: News On 6

A major renovation is underway at a heavily traveled south Tulsa intersection. Big changes are in store for the 81st and Delaware area, but the News on 6â€™s Heather Lewin reports some are not happy with how the progress is happening.

Crews say it's two lanes with too much traffic and it must be widened, but some residents are upset about the impact the construction is having on their neighborhood.

With congestion at the intersection even worse than before, residents are frustrated by heavy equipment rolling through their neighborhoods and motorists trying to find a way around the construction site.

Some drivers, seemingly oblivious to the road closed signs, are driving right to the edge of the construction area.

"They read the sign, they stop there and read it twice, then they go around it then they wonder they have to do a U-turn and go the other way," Field Engineering Manager Albert Martinez said.

Martinez says drivers trying to cut through the area put everyone at risk, because crews are working on what's supposed to be a closed site.

The project will drop the intersection by 16 feet and widen the streets; itâ€™s being funded by city sales tax. The project will expand Harvard to ORU to five lanes on 81st Street; Delaware will also be widened from 81st to 83rd Streets.

The construction will soon temporarily close 81st Street, and unfortunately people will have to get used to the orange barrels and construction equipment, since the project is expected to take nine months.