Crow Creek Bridge Construction Will Impact Drivers, Businesses

Starting Monday, Peoria at East 32nd Street in Tulsa will be closed in both directions as the city replaces an 83-year-old bridge over Crow Creek.

Businesses like Shades of Brown coffee shop are preparing for the closure.

"Everybody uses that bridge I feel like,” said Lucy Martin, an employee. “It's kind of in a convenient location. It's right on Brookside. It's kind of frustrating it'd be shut down."

The city says the bridge which was built in 1938, is at the end of its functional life with failing concrete and exposed rebar.

The new 2.2 million dollar bridge will have more defined pedestrian paths. It will also take about 200 days to completely install, meaning the road will be closed until next summer.

It also means some traffic will be cutting through surrounding neighborhoods.

"It's going to put a crimp in my life,” said Donna Farrior, who lives nearby. “I understand they have to fix it. I walk down there a lot. It is a little crumbly…My kids long time ago went to Elliott school and it was a nice walkable neighborhood so//putting more traffic on these streets is going to be different."

Farrior says she's thankful the city is making improvements, but like many people who live, work, and shop nearby, she's already preparing.

“I'll have to rethink all this,” she said.

The project is being paid for by the Improve Our Tulsa sales tax passed in 2014.

The city recommends using Riverside or Lewis to get to Brookside.