ODOT Begins Project In Sand Springs To Help People With Disabilities Navigate Sidewalks & Streets

ODOT is starting a big project in downtown Sand Springs that will help people with disabilities get around on sidewalks and streets a little easier. The work will take place on Highway 97, stretching from Wilson Avenue to McKinley Avenue and also along Highway 97 from 2nd Street to 10th Street.

The improvements will allow anyone with disabilities access onto the street and back up onto the sidewalks. ODOT will add sloped curb cuts and yellow dotted pads to let people with disabilities know where the sidewalk ends and the road begins. ODOT said that these types of projects along state highways are fairly common.

"Any time we have sidewalks along a state highway, we're going to try to make these improvements, especially if we have to come in and do anything to the roadway itself," TJ Gerlach, ODOT spokesperson said.

This type of project is someting that can be requested by either the city or while ODOT is working other projects and sees that it is needed.

"A lot of times, we'll be working with the communities that the sidewalks are going through. Sometimes they may request them, and we'll be able to budget them. Other times when we’re doing improvements to the highway, we’ll go ahead and make the improvements then as well," Gerlach said.

ODOT said that this project will take roughly six months to complete, and that it doesn't anticipate having to close any lanes along Highway 97 for this project. However, in the event that ODOT does have to close lanes for this project, officials will send out a notice well in advance.