Winter Weather Preparedness: City Of Tulsa Announces Plans For Storm Prep This Year

As winter approaches, the city of Tulsa is gearing up to clear roads and keep people safe during severe weather.

The city of Tulsa has been preparing for winter weather since this summer, with dozens of trucks and thousands of tons of salt ready to help keep roads clear.

The city has a total of 67 trucks to help with winter weather this year, 52 of them with snow plows.

"This year I don't know what everybody else is hearing, but people are telling me snow, so I hope it is just snow and not ice, ice is a different animal to address,” said Streets Maintenance Manager Tim McCorkell says some trucks are equipped with new blades.

"Now, with the carbide blades, we keep running; we don't have to stop for blade changes," says McCorkell.

But many trucks in the fleet are aging and may not see replacement any time soon, thanks to supply chain issues.

"The citizens have provided the money, but the supply chain and manufacturing process is moving at a glacial pace, and so that is holding us up on replacing these vehicles as quickly as we'd like to," said Mayor G.T. Bynum.

He says even though equipment is getting older, mechanics do a great job of keeping trucks on the road.

"It's almost kind of like a Nascar pit crew; these things come in for a break, and you've got crews working on them to clear off the ice to make sure all the machinery is continuing to work and then get them right back out on the road," said Bynum.

He says the city is ready to handle anything winter throws at Tulsa, and that's because of the more than 200 city workers that jump into action during severe winter weather.

"They drop everything they're doing and come to work 24 hours a day around the clock until the storm passes, and they will do that again this year because they are the best group of public servants of any city in America."

City leaders urge citizens to make their own plans for winter weather as well. The Tulsa Ready app allows families to make a plan and get emergency weather information.

Other cities in the metro are also getting ready for winter. Broken Arrow has 10 new wing plows that would create a path nearly double the one old plows made. The city also purchased 5 ¾ ton diesel pickups to help plow residential streets.

After a snow or ice storm begins, the city said the goal is to make expressways and arterial streets safe and passable as soon as possible. The following is what the City of Tulsa has to help with that goal:

1. 63 trucks mounted with salt spreaders
2. Of the 63 trucks with spreaders, 48 have mounted snowplows.
3. 4 trucks equipped with liquid applicator systems for brine application with an additional 4 mounted snowplows (total of 52 large snowplows)
4. 7 4x4 pick-up trucks equipped with snowplows
5. 2 motor graders for use as plows
6. 210 employees (including drivers and support staff)
7. Approximately 6,500 tons of salt and still receiving material
8. 2 salt brine mixing systems with 25,000 gallons of salt brine

Certain roads and highways are the responsibility of different agencies and officials.

The City of Tulsa is responsible for clearing snow and ice from the Gilcrease Expressway, L.L. Expressway and all main streets.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is responsible for other highway segments in the metro area.

Officials said the first focus during winter weather response is to clear main streets for emergency responders. After that, focus moves to streets near hospitals, schools and anywhere with steep hills.

Crews are assigned to 36 routes totaling over 1,770 lanes-miles, officials noted in the press release.

Three warming stations are open in Tulsa for individuals and families seeking shelter from the cold, 24/7:

• John 3:16 Mission, 506 N. Cheyenne Ave.

• The Salvation Army Center of Hope, 102 N. Denver Ave.

• Tulsa Day Center, 415 W. Archer St.