SKIATOOK, Okla. — Osage County has opened a temporary access road, allowing drivers to bypass a section of 52nd West Avenue in Skiatook.
The road collapsed in July after it was washed away by Hominy Creek.
Osage County Commissioner Steve Talburt says crews created a gradual slope to prevent further erosion. Despite this, the south lane of the road was already gone. It is no longer drivable.
Osage County footed the bill for the project, which cost around $200,000. Eventually, the Natural Resources Conservation Service plans to place big rocks, or “rip-rap” rock against the slope where the collapse happened. Hopefully, this will prevent further issues.
Talburt says it’s likely that the temporary access road will stand for several years. The access road was built on a resident’s property, and Talburt thanks the property owner for allowing this to happen.
Talburt says the opening of the access road is a big deal for drivers. Many use this road to drive to Tulsa. Without the access road, drivers were forced to drive through Sperry or around the lake to get to Tulsa. Talburt wants to thank the community for their patience with this project.