Tulsa breaks ground on new traffic control center

The ultimate goal of synchronizing Tulsa's traffic signals took a major step forward Wednesday when ground was broken on a new facility to house the city's Traffic Operations Division.

Mayor Dewey Bartlett and District 1 Councilor Jack Henderson presided over the groundbreaking ceremony on what will become the Charles L. Hardt Operations Maintenance and Engineering Center -- Traffic operations.

It's named after the former Public Works Director, who served the city for twenty years before retiring in 2011.

Located at 4015 N. Harvard, the facility will include a 29,000 square-foot main building and a large materials shed.

Previously, Traffic Operations employees were scattered at a number of locations.

They were also struggling with outdated computers systems.

In a statement sent to KRMG, the city says  "in the 21st century, Tulsa is bringing its traffic signal system online and synchronized. This new facility will have a traffic control center, to manage the city’s traffic signals online, including those synchronized on corridors such as East 71st Street. The sign fabrication shop, where all of Tulsa’s traffic signs and street signs are made, also will relocate here."

The project will cost just over $5 million, with the money coming from the Third Penny Sales Tax.

Completion is slated for June of next year.