FOX23 Investigates: On-again, off-again lane closure due to construction at busy Tulsa intersection

TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa drivers are annoyed about an on-again, off-again lane closure on Sheridan. Drivers said it’s been going on for a long time, and they don’t see any road work being done. FOX23′s Investigative Reporter Janna Clark went to 46th and Sheridan to check it out.

On days like Thursday, Sheridan is down to one lane, and drivers told Janna that some days the road is closed, but other days the road is open. They said this has gone on for months. When the lane is closed, they said it really messes up their commute.

A local driver, Diana Foster, told Janna that she hasn’t been back to that area since the road moved back to one lane.

“It was open, but yesterday. As of yesterday, it closed back up,” Diana said. “I haven’t even went that way. Because I don’t want to get caught in traffic.”

Sometimes when the road is closed, Diana said she has seen workers nearby. But sometimes, the road will be closed and no workers will be around.

“It’s on and off. And it’s pretty inconsistent,” she explained. “It’s been going on quite a while, probably.”

She called the area a hassle for drivers and told Janna the delays are especially difficult during rush hour.

“It’s really bad during rush hour mornings and evenings,” she said. “Especially in the mornings.”

She continued, “I live right in this neighborhood [behind the intersection], and I came out yesterday. The line was all the way back to this light. So I went back through my neighborhood to try to reroute.”

Diana said she doesn’t know what the construction is for or why it’s so long. Janna told her she’d try to find out.

But finding out what’s been going on in this area for months ended up being way harder than Janna originally thought.

Janna recalled she didn’t see any construction being done on the road itself. She started with the City of Tulsa, and they told her the work isn’t being done by them.

The City of Tulsa wrote in an email, “A PSO contractor [is] working on their electrical poles.”

So Janna reached out to PSO.

The company told Janna they haven’t been the ones doing the work in that area. They confirmed they only are working down the road, near 41st and Sheridan.

Next, Janna reached out to ONG, and they told her they would look into it and reach back out.

On the City of Tulsa’s website, Janna found an alert that said some utilities were being moved at 46th and Sheridan, This work reportedly started Oct. 31, 2022.

“It makes me frustrated because you can get in and out of traffic,” Diana said. “You know, especially coming out of these neighborhoods. You just can’t get out.”

This is a developing story. As soon as Janna gets answers about the construction, she will update with details.

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