Drivers Deal With Traffic Snarl During Construction Project, Lumber Spill On BA Expressway

A big construction project on the Broken Arrow Expressway, combined with a bunch of spilled lumber on the road, caused a big traffic headache on Thursday for Tulsa drivers.

Osage SkyNews 6 showed how the BA Expressway turned into a parking lot Thursday morning, after a load of lumber spilled out of a semi near 15th street.

Meteorologist Stephen Nehrenz reported that the drive from Lynn Lane to downtown, which normally would be about minutes, was estimated to take about 35 minutes instead.

Mike Blevins was among the crowd, waiting patiently.

"There was a load of lumber laying in the middle of the road,” Blevins said. “We were down to three miles an hour. It took me, I wanna say 45 minutes to get from Memorial to Denver."

Blevins said he was more worried about everyone being OK, than being on time.

"That's all I could think, somebody had a wreck and I hope nobody was hurt,” he said.

The lumber situation made matters worse on a highway that is already getting some work done right now.

The BA is down to two lanes in both directions between Lewis and Highway 75.

ODOT said at night, Tuesday through Friday, traffic narrows down even further, to one lane.

“I'm on the Broken Arrow Expressway practically every day,” Greg Douglass said.

Douglass didn't have to deal with the snarl in the morning, but he said he is always prepared.

"I just listen to music. I love the blues,” he said. “So I'll put some good blues music on. And just, go with it."

When traffic is bad, Greg stays calm. "No road ragin'. No road ragin. I don't respond to honking or friendly gestures. None of that, just smile and go on,” he said.

ODOT said the work will be going on late into this year.