Double vision on several Tulsa area highways

Several News on 6 viewers have asked about what's happening with the signs on the BA and the Sand Springs Expressways. In many locations there are new signs place next to the old signs, the double

Monday, October 24th 2005, 11:55 am

By: News On 6

Several News on 6 viewers have asked about what's happening with the signs on the BA and the Sand Springs Expressways. In many locations there are new signs place next to the old signs, the double signs give the sensation of double vision.

News on 6 reporter Rick Wells talks to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation about seeing double.

Think you're seeing things? Itâ€™s not a medical problem; it's the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. "We are replacing all the signs on this highway." Matthew Moshiri is the engineering manager for the Tulsa area. He says they started this replacement project back in mid-march. This includes all the signs from the Cimarron Turnpike, the Sand Springs Expressway and the Broken Arrow Expressway to I-44, a total of 38 miles. "The contract is essentially three jobs because it goes through three counties, Pawnee, Osage and Tulsa Counties."

There is still that double vision problem. Why put up the new ones and leave the old ones too. He says it is all about the mowing schedule. They've almost finished for the season and a piece of a downed sign might be struck by a mower and cause all kinds of problems. "We decided to leave them up til the mowing is done then we'll come back and drop them all at once."

The new signs have better reflective coating, so we'll see them better at night and break away bottoms so if we hit them, they do less damage. But for a while we'll be seeing double.

The sign project has a little more time left to run. DOT tells the News on 6, if the weather cooperates, they should be finished in a couple of weeks.