Tulsa's bond issue package vote Tuesday includes money for street repairs

Tulsa could start a major neighborhood street repair job soon; if a bond issue on the ballot Tuesday passes. <br/><br/>News on 6 reporter Emory Bryan says every driver in this city has a pothole they

Monday, April 4th 2005, 10:03 am

By: News On 6

Tulsa could start a major neighborhood street repair job soon; if a bond issue on the ballot Tuesday passes.

News on 6 reporter Emory Bryan says every driver in this city has a pothole they know to avoid, but in some neighborhoods they pop up so fast even the folks who live here run into them.

The expensive kind of major repair work on these streets depends on voters approving a bond issue Tuesday. There's a section of Country Club Drive that looks anything but luxurious. Chris Watson drives it every day. â€œMan its bad - race car - avoid potholes." Country Club Drive is a minefield of potholes. In some places, the road is three layers of asphalt, reflecting years of patch work. That's why the curbs are so low - it's been flooded with asphalt too many times.

Under the bond issue, streets like Country Club Drive would be totally overhauled. Paul Zachary with city of Tulsa Public Works: "Some of these streets have been patched, so many times." On those streets, the city plans a curb to curb replacement; everything from water lines to sidewalks. "We're not going to treat the symptoms; we're going to go in to solve the problems that are causing that pavement to distress."

There are certainly streets scheduled for repair that don't look as bad as Country Club Drive. The neighborhood around 13th and Pittsburg is one of them. In this case, it's an effort to replace a street with problems before it falls apart. Resident Daniel Streety: "Well it's a lot of potholes."

The bond issue has $67-million worth of neighborhood street projects, including $1.6-million for the streets in one Tulsa neighborhood, rated as some of the worst streets in the city. It's not easy to earn that distinction. The storm drains are too small and in some cases falling in. The sidewalks are as old as the city. The potholes are deep and unavoidable - and can't be effectively repaired. Chris Watson: â€œMan, the tires, the suspension, it puts wear and tear on it.â€

And our News on 6-Tulsa World poll shows strong support for the proposition that includes neighborhood street work. 74-percent of residents polled supported it â€“ 18-percent were against. Six items will be on the ballot, but street repair is the bulk of the $250-million package.

The vote is Tuesday.

To find out more about the bond issue, check out a special web site at www.cityoftulsa.org.